Finally a day off for me, but...
After the rush on Valentine's day, Tony and I had planned a day off on the 16th to go away and hide away from the restaurant and work. Though I still had to take care of couple things for payroll...etc. I was able to manage not to show up for a whole day was a big step!
We stayed at the Beach House in a one bedroom loft, with a penthouse ocean view. It was gorgeous! Though it was very cold, we still would like to keep the door open most time during the day, just to listen to the ocean. It was truely peaceful and beautiful!
However one thing led to another, it wasn't the most enjoyable day. I think part of the reasons also was because I was already quite stressed out from Valentine's day, getting pressure to create a menu for a private party for that sunday, anticipation of the review, and last but not least worries of the restaurant while I was so far away...
It was interesting to learn how a body react to your mind! It was nice to take a day off, but I think one day was really not enough and might have caused my body to get in shot? It turned out to be quite a stressful day and I was restlessly dreamed the whole time about disasters happened to the restaurant, mistakes that I made... Then the next day I was more tired than before I took the day off and woke up with severe stomach cram on a busy Friday. I hope I would be able to have 3 days off if I planned for a getaway next time. 1st day to try to slow down and relax, 2nd day to do some physical activities or anything fun, and 3rd day to rest up and gather my mind again to prepare going back to work?
We were both quite stressed out just trying to get out of town the night before. Though we had a really good meal in the city at the House! We ordered so much food(surprised?) that the manager who's serving us kept trying to stop us. Actually none of us had any food the whole day, I could have eaten a cow! The mussels was a disappointment, the quail was undercooked while the pork chop was overcooked. The flavors was very good though! Overall I like it and sure will go back, but I think it feels a little more French than Asian to me.
While we were at Half Moon Bay, I was really disappointed while I was suggested by two persons to check out the Moss Beach Distillery. Well afterwards, they both said just to be there for the view at the patio, not the food! We actually were seated by the chef-general manager, who told us the steamer was what people go there for. "We'll take that!" He also told us to get the Nori wrap shrimp, which was shrimps wrapped with seaweed and deep fried serving with chips...
Then I tried to ask our server about 3 wines that were on the menu. Obviously he didn't know anything about it, so he said he would go ask the bar tender for samples. He came back with a "cheat sheet" and started reading to me like a kid being asked to stand up in class to read a chapter from a book the descriptions of the wines which must have been written by the winery itself. ("You're kidding!" I thought! "In such a well known place?") He then asked me if that helped? "Not really, may I have samples of them?" He came back empty handed, and told me the bar tender told him there's a policy of only two samples could be given out. I started loosing my patience. I chose two and already knew most likely I wouldn't be back unless the food was really good! This time when he came back, I really knew I wouldn't be back! He brought back two samples of wine in two water glasses!!?? I wouldn't blame him, but blamed the bar tender and the chef-GM, who's sitting at the bar. Wouldn't they know better?
When the food came. I was ready to walk out. The $24 "steamer" was tasteless, with about 1/4 lb clams and 1/4 lb mussels only. And it tasted like the shellfish were already cooked, put into a pot, pour the diluted sauce on top, hit it up and served. Then the $16 Nori wrapped shrimp only has 6 shrimps, and the fries tasted just like ordinary fries you can get from a burger joint.
I started asking Tony, was I really spoiled by all the good food in the bay area? Was I really that picky? Or was the food there was really bad? I wish I had taken Tony to the fish market diner that I usually go, with really cool servers who're passionate and proud of what they serve.
Then that evening, we were back in the city to try out Fleur de Lys. I had high hope that I would experience the "Jean George" kind of service again... I was disappointed. We had already choosen the 2nd seating at 8:45PM, which there shouldn't be any rush to turn our table; I felt rushed the whole evening!
I watched other tables, so to be fair, I think it's just our server. She talked fast and I felt very rushed every time she showed up at my table. And when I have questions, I felt I was troubling her time too much. There were also couple times that she brought wrong utensils to a course that Tony had, and didn't bring utensils to me for a course that I had. The back server was the same, and it was surprising to me that it was the back server who not only dropped off the plates for us, but also introduced the food to us. However again, she was rushing and spoke so fast that I really wanted to ask her everytime, "I'm sorry, what am I having again?" However I was a bit hesitated to trouble her time!
The food was good, but...
I love truffles. Therefore when the first couple courses came, I was very happy to taste the truffle and the truffle oils. However after 3 or 4 courses from both mine and Tony's, I was totally truffles out. Too many courses with truffles/oil, and too generous in each course which it overpowering the food itself.
I think I would like to give it a second try, but won't be anytime soon. And as for Tony, he didn't seem interested at all.
Again was it because I was too spoiled? Or was I too picky?