Sayonara Sorellina

What do you do when you go out for a celebratory birthday dinner and you are treated to the WORST possible dining experience you have EVER had???

Unfortunately for my family and I, it happened to us last night. It was mom's birthday and we took her to, what used to be, her favorite restaurant, Sorellina in downtown Boston. Things fell apart quite quickly when we arrived at our table. There were 12 of us and we were seated at a long table, 6 on one side and 6 on the other. This was really no problem, as it was the only way the restaurant could accommodate a large party, but I ended up on one end of the table, my mom at the other. At times I felt like I wasn't even with celebrating with her.

The young waiter took our drink order, served us the drinks then proceeded to take our order for dinner. Being on the end of the table, My Guy and I were the last to place our order. As My guy was ordering, he asked the waiter if he could order a special appetizer, as is, but without the meat. He was swiftly told,"No, the chef will not change a special." My Guy then told him that the chef did, in fact, accommodate him on this request the last time we were there. He was flatly told, "No" again. So he proceeded to place his order. Sorellina is a very high-end restaurant that offers the diner several course selections. After My Guy ordered his appetizer, he ordered a pasta course and was about to move on to his main course when the waiter snapped the menu out of his hand, quickly. My Guy told him, "I'm not done ordering yet." to which the waiter apologized, and he completed his order. I sort of giggled and said to the waiter, "Are you in a hurry?". He laughed and answered, "no.."

This was all before 7:30 pm. Slowly during the next few hours the appetizers were served. Around 9:25, (no kidding) our dinners arrived, but everyone was having a good time, laughing and drinking. I should have known that things were going to come to a bad conclusion and quickly when the young waiter asked my brother-in-law and my brother, who were the only ones drinking mixed drinks "are either of you driving?" They had had 2 drinks each at that point, and we were as perplexed as they were. So at 9:25, when the dinners were served, everyone was served, EXCEPT My Guy. No one said a word to us so I asked the waiter where his dinner was to which he responded, "It's coming."

I waited at least 10 minutes with my untouched dinner sitting in front of me, until I brought the waiter over, told him how unacceptable it was to serve an entire table except one, and told them to take muymeal away and to bring it back when his dinner was ready. By this time, everyone at the table was just about finished with their dinners so my sister got up to complain to the manager. Her complaints were basically ignored. Now I began to fume. Not once during the 20 more minutes we waited for the dinner to arrive, did the manager come over to the table to inquire about the situation or apologize. By now I had lost my appetite. When the dinner did finally arrive, I curtly told them to take it away, that they had ruined my evening, and that I no longer wanted my dinner. The waiter replied, "why?" Already pissed, I raised my voice (uncharacteristically) and said, "Take it away, now!"

We left there no too long after that debacle, vowing NEVER to return, and rightly so. I felt terrible that I had let the restaurant's inadequacy ruin my mom's birthday celebration. I called her this morning to apologize for letting my temper get the best of me. She proceeded to tell me that it wasn't my fault. I then found out that the waiter had screwed up both her and my sister's orders on the other end of the table, and was just as unapologetic. She said it was the worst experience she had ever had at Sorellina, which she used to love, but would never return.

When a corporate chain decides that their customers comfort is of no importance to them, what is one left to do? I guess we will spend our money at restaurants where service and quality are important and where customer satisfaction matters.

Sayonara Sorellina. You blew it big time.

The Dinner Exchange Program

I never understood the "Dinner Exchange Program". The way I see it there are two schools of thought on this one.

• You ordered it-you eat it. (unless it's either cold or in-edible)
• You pay so have it your way.

I tend to lean towards the former. You are at a restaurant, you ordered it, so you're pretty much stuck with it. If you don't LIKE your dinner choice, that's just tough titties. If your dinner choice is not presented the way it was described, then you have the right to complain. Otherwise all bets are off the table, so to speak.

Then there are the "sender backers". You've either dined with these people or you are one. I have even swapped meals with a "sender backer", as to avoid an uncomfortable exchange with the waiter or the restaurant. I just don't see what good can come out of a barrage of complaints between a diner and the waitstaff. A comped entree or entire dinner? I say it's not worth it and if that's the goal of the outing, then stay home. Granted, there are millions of eating establishments where you, the diner, are just a number. The whole idea is to get them in and get them out, turnover is more important than quality of service. Those places never last and I try not to chose them as a dining destination. You live, you learn.

So what's up with the "sending your dinner back" thing? The only thing an eating establishment can promise and deliver is a HOT meal. Your culinary tastes are your own and if you deem the dish not suited to your tastes, I think it is your fault for choosing it, or the restaurant's for producing it. I would never send back my entree because I did not "like" it. I would simply never choose the entree, or the restaurant again, and problem solve by indulging my hunger in dessert. Chances are slim they can screw up chocolate ice cream.

Yet there are those one can never satisfy when it comes to fine dining. The meal is sent back to the kitchen for whatever reason; the meat was not cooked properly, it lacks in flavor, or it's not what one thought they were ordering. Immediately the sanctity of the meal is placed in jeopardy. The other diners at the table now feel the need to scramble or worse, wait until all of the entree's are placed in front of each diner. Usually, the "sender backer" ends up eating alone, while the rest of the party is having coffee or an after dinner drink that they didn't want in the first place. Nobody wins.

I say shut up and put up, or better yet, let your flying fork do the work for you. After all, sharing is caring and if you are dining with someone who dosen't mind, two forks in one dish are better than none. If the dining experience is not what you anticipated, then don't make the same mistake twice and you don't go back. Lesson learned. In the end, I think The Dinner Exchange Program does more harm than good.