what's your opinion? ... when is it okay to leave a restaurant?

Over the weekend I met up with a dear old friend of mine back in town from Japan.  We decided to meet up at Tiger Sushi at the Mall of America for a late lunch.  We were seated at the bar and waited about 10 minutes for a server, hostess or anybody to see if we had questions or wanted to order.  My friend was craving Korean food and we were sick of waiting around, so we decided to just leave.

I have always had an internal conflict on the etiquette to leaving a restaurant in this fashion.  Was it warranted since we weren't offered any help?  I did take a sip from my water, am I morally bound to becoming a patron in the restaurant now?  What would make you leave a restaurant in a similar fashion? 

{cravingsushi}

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nom nom: Northeast Social

Business:  Northeast Social
Location:  NE Minneapolis
Did they earn a wink?  YES

The Occasion:  Ladies night with my besties

The Food:  [apps] Calamari [entrees] braised pork shank with root vegetables, cranberry gnocchi, mahi mahi (market fish of the day) [dessert] chocolate cake a la mode, rosemary honey panna cotta (to die).

Image via Restaurant.com

Our Service:  There is nothing like having a co-owners wife come greet us at the table and strike up some conversation.  Not only was she super sweet, but she also sent over their signature rosemary honey panna cotta for us to try.  Having that personalized appreciation for our visit was so refreshing and it felt good to be eating local.  In addition to that, our server was extremely patient with us while we took our merry old time deciding which dishes (and lots of accompanying spirits) to order.  The restaurant wasn't overly crowded and I felt as though our personal table had plenty of space to spread ourselves out without feeling like we could easily eavesdrop on the conversation at the next table.


Extra love:  The furnishings, artwork and colors Northeast Social chose for their restaurant were perfectly fitting.  I almost drooled over their navy paint colors and the brilliant painting at the front of the restaurant.  I think it's safe to say that Northeast Social may be my new Nordeast fave.  LOVE!

Image via Restaurant.com

{foundmynewfave}

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nom nom: The Sample Room

Business:  The Sample Room
Location:  NE Minneapolis
Did they earn a wink?  YES


Occasion:  Birthday celebration, party of two.

The Food:  Small plates.  Ordered a plethora of dishes:  roasted brussels sprouts and squash, pate, seared scallops, bison-pork-beef meatloaf, cheese plate, etc.

Image via The Sample Room

The Service:  Our server was a delight and strangely reminded me of Johnny Depp.  He was sweetly awkward and had a wealth of knowledge about everything The Sample Room had on their menu.  Throughout the evening, he made sure our water was always filled and that we were enjoying our food.  Because table space is limited for a party of two, he made sure that our empty plates were cleared promptly and made the overall dining experience much easier.  Though he wasn't much of a talker, he was able to keep the intimate space somewhat private without ignoring us and feeling as though we were neglected.  

I'm not a food critic, but:  A number of the plates were a tad too salty.  This was my 3rd visit to The Sample Room and don't remember having that complaint from previous experiences. Will I visit again?  For someone as indecisive as me, I love me some small plates!

Yummy scallops!

{winkMSP}

nom nom: Heidis 2.0

Business:  Heidi's 2.0
Location: Lyn-Lake
Did they earn a wink?  YES

The Occasion:  Girl-talk date with my former roomate

The Food: [apps] Beef tongue, beets & feta (love) [entrees] black truffle pappardelle, braised pork "steak" and seared duck breast [dessert] sweet potato beignets and nitro chocolate mousse [drinks] ginger smash and red wine

Heidi's 2.0

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Our Service:  With the re-opening of Heidi's after their devastating fire in 2010, I knew that reservations would be difficult to come by.  We made a late reso for 8:45 on a Saturday night and upon arrival had to wait approximately 30 minutes before we were seated (among others in the same situation).  Though I was annoyed at first, Kyle the host was very gracious and friendly and gave us complimentary expresso's at the end of our delicious meal.  In the meantime, we bellied up to the bar and enjoyed delicious drinks mixed by the bartender who was very obviously backed up but still accommodating to all the patrons at the bar.

Chi, our server was also a delight.  We asked her questions about almost every item on the menu and she patiently answered all of them while also giving us the "people's" favorites as well as her personal loves.  Though the resto was extremely busy, she paid careful attention to make sure that we were enjoying her suggested meals and checked in with us on a regular basis in case we needed anything else.  Her patience and willingness to accommodate made the experience that much more fun.

Loves:  Heidi's had beautiful decor and I instantly fell in love with their red chandeliers and the beautiful white branch tree in the middle of the space.  LOVE!

{oldiebutagoodie}

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Image via Mecca Bos

 

nom nom: Key's Cafe @ Foshay Tower

Business:  Key's Cafe
Location:  Downtown Minneapolis (Foshay Tower)
Did they earn a wink?  YES

Occasion:  My lovely friend Abby had a craving for the Key's Chocolate House Cake and convinced me to make a late night run downtown with her.

The Food:  Abby ordered the special of the day, The Cowboy Burger.  I ordered the classic grilled cheese.  We shared 2 pieces of Chocolate House Cake and Almond Sliver Cake for dessert. 

Our service:  Our server Karen was very helpful.  She was the first person to greet us at the door and show us a table.  She was prompt, friendly (but not overly so), and completely honest.  I asked her for suggestions on which soup to order and she was quite frank on what soups looked like they had run their course for the day and which soups were her favorite.  I ended up with the turkey wild rice and was pretty darn satisfied with the whole meal.

My only gripe?  I could see dirt underneath Karen's finger nails!  Does the fact that she was a nice person make up for this?  Totally.

{stuffed}

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How can one resist dessert?

nothing in the bag: bluepeg mens

Business:  Bluepeg Mens
Location:  50th & France
Did they earn a wink?  NO

What is Bluepeg Mens?  A clothing and accessories store geared towards the stylish and savvy man.  The owner is the beau of fellow 50th & France co-owner of BlueBird Boutique and Ladyslipper.  Brands you can find at the store include:  Postage, life/after/denim, Luke Simon, alternative, Nixon and etc.

Why I stopped in:  I was looking forward to visiting the new menswear only store to look for some great duds. 


Why didn't they earn a wink?  If you saw my post on the "art of hello," then please read it now.  Upon entry into the store, I spotted the owner talking to the only other customer in the store.  I began walking around the store looking at the different brands and styles they had to offer thinking that he would eventually say hello, hi or something to acknowledge me in the store.  I waited about 10 minutes hoping to be asked if I needed any help or even just a simple greeting but I received nothing.  Barely even a glance in my direction.

What was missing?  A simple greeting.  A "hello" or offering of help makes me feel welcome in any store and would definitely make me more apt to spend my hard earned dollars.  I was in the mood to shop and I left with nothing all due to the fact that I felt I wasn't appreciated for visiting the store.  I felt ignored and even disrespected.

Moral of the story:  The owner may need to take some classes in store etiquette.  Always greet your customers and always offer them help.  I love supporting local businesses and I also love that menswear stores are making their entry and a big impact in the Minneapolis boutique scene.  I am a believer in 2nd chances so I will be visiting again, just to see how things have changed.  3 strikes and Bluepeg Mens is off of my list...

image via Trnds

{winkMSP}

a preview

Some things I'm working on for the next few weeks:

- "Sweets Week":  I will be reviewing some local cupcake shops, just in time for Valentines Day
- A few photographers will be reviewed
- Meet my personal trainer
- Makeup artist makeover!
- Reviews on some locally owned boutiques
- Changes in the "wink" grading system

Hope you stay tuned!  Keep warm...

{stayinbusy}

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