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Farina, Redux- An Uneven Experience
A while back I was excited to write about a new restaurant in our 'hood, Farina. We had met the owner, it was a lovely space, the food was pretty good, etc. The place is always crowded- even last night, a Tuesday, it was jumpin' at 9 PM when we arrived.
But this place needs to realize that it cannot continue to provide uneven service and quality repeatedly, or it will go the way of so many restaurants that lose popularity after an early honeymoon period. First of all, their white wines by the glass are all terrible. We tried 3 out of 5 on their list and they were all virtually undrinkable. One actually tasted like cat pee. Or, rather, what I imagine cat pee to taste like. I am no wine snob, and will gladly enjoy cheap wine if it's drinkable.
We weren't that hungry so we shared a prosciutto / burrata / focaccia appetizer that was out of this world. The prosciutto was fresh and delicious, a cut above the norm. Even while suffering the cat pee wine, life was good. We then shared a main course of butterfish with a lemon-wine sauce. There was no sauce and the fish was cooked in oil that tasted days old. It was overcooked and flavorless. Well, unless you count the overwhelming fishy flavor it had. We basically took 2 bites and then stopped eating, because it was inedible, and eventually they cleared the plate.
Here is the kicker- the owner, who hadn't remembered meeting us, was sitting RIGHT NEXT TO US. And he noticed we didn't eat or like the fish but he didn't do ANYTHING. You might think he would want to find out why we didn't eat the fish. Perhaps a discreet conversation with our server or the maitre'd, who was also flitting around the table and saw us not eat the fish. But not one person bothered to find out why we didn't eat it, much less what they could do to make it all better.
And that, my friends, is the difference between passable service and great service. It is also the difference between a restaurant that has a short lifespan vs. a long lifespan. Because, folks, stuff happens, and sometimes the food doesn't come correct, even in a great restaurant. I myself have cooked food in a great restaurant that wasn't correct, or tasty, and I, as a cook, would want to be able to absorb feedback so I didn't embarass myself by serving crap to the next diner.
What can always be correct is the attention and reaction to any transgression- and that is what keeps customers coming back for more.
But this place needs to realize that it cannot continue to provide uneven service and quality repeatedly, or it will go the way of so many restaurants that lose popularity after an early honeymoon period. First of all, their white wines by the glass are all terrible. We tried 3 out of 5 on their list and they were all virtually undrinkable. One actually tasted like cat pee. Or, rather, what I imagine cat pee to taste like. I am no wine snob, and will gladly enjoy cheap wine if it's drinkable.
We weren't that hungry so we shared a prosciutto / burrata / focaccia appetizer that was out of this world. The prosciutto was fresh and delicious, a cut above the norm. Even while suffering the cat pee wine, life was good. We then shared a main course of butterfish with a lemon-wine sauce. There was no sauce and the fish was cooked in oil that tasted days old. It was overcooked and flavorless. Well, unless you count the overwhelming fishy flavor it had. We basically took 2 bites and then stopped eating, because it was inedible, and eventually they cleared the plate.
Here is the kicker- the owner, who hadn't remembered meeting us, was sitting RIGHT NEXT TO US. And he noticed we didn't eat or like the fish but he didn't do ANYTHING. You might think he would want to find out why we didn't eat the fish. Perhaps a discreet conversation with our server or the maitre'd, who was also flitting around the table and saw us not eat the fish. But not one person bothered to find out why we didn't eat it, much less what they could do to make it all better.
And that, my friends, is the difference between passable service and great service. It is also the difference between a restaurant that has a short lifespan vs. a long lifespan. Because, folks, stuff happens, and sometimes the food doesn't come correct, even in a great restaurant. I myself have cooked food in a great restaurant that wasn't correct, or tasty, and I, as a cook, would want to be able to absorb feedback so I didn't embarass myself by serving crap to the next diner.
What can always be correct is the attention and reaction to any transgression- and that is what keeps customers coming back for more.
that assessment of Farina was so apt Ms. Merz. I was there a couple of weeks ago, and though some of the food was phenomenal, the attention and helpfullnes of the staff was lacking. I went with my vegetarian friend, and she was greeted with a near sneer in asking if there were only 2 vegetarian options on the menu, rather than any type of helpful solutions. Other little injuries continued through the night, nothing major, but all and all, adding up to an overall review of, yes it's good food, but I don't think I'm going back. A little to hip and self involved.
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