Let's hear it for New York magazine's Adam Platt!In the latest issue of NY Mag he gives the goose egg to Alain Ducasse's Benoit -- and it serves Ducasse bloody right!
My father and I took Grossmere there for her birthday back in May, and I've been trying to convince anyone who would listen to me just how awful an experience it was! (I think I partly succeeded with Steve Cuozzo who also had a terrible time.)
First, they wouldn't give us the table we wanted. ("Sorry, that table's for four," they said -- as they sat us at a table for four. And even though we told them it was my mother's birthday!) Next, my mother's cassoulet tasted like dishwater. My duck l'orange (one of the few dishes Platt liked) was overcooked. And they plum forgot about my father's main course! (How does that happen?)
We sent back my mother's dish. Told the waiter that I was unhappy (but I was too hungry to return it). And they had to scramble to come up with something for my dad. There was barely a word of apology. There wasn't a dessert or a glass of wine sent out by way of apology. Our bill was the full $300 -- and we felt cheated and unhappy.
The couple at the table next to ours had it just as bad. As we sat down they were served the chicken for two and the gentleman summoned the waiter back.
"This is the second time we've had to send this back!" he said.
