Restaurant review!
I had an interesting dinner party the other day: I had been invited to a Moroccan restaurant by some of the other students on my course. I was told there would be some interesting entertainment... can you guess what it was? Have a look at the pictures below!
The belly-dancer was brilliant and as you can see, some of the students I was with got up and joined in! I was convinced the belly-dancer was from Morocco (given that we were in a Moroccan restaurant), but to my surprise she was British! She had certainly learned how to dance very well.
However, the evening was partly marred by a particularly awful waitress. I'd ordered some water with my meal and she gave me an expensive one litre bottle of still mineral water whilst she gave the others free pitchers of tap water! I certainly didn't need a whole litre, nor expensive water (as you know, I am now a poor student!) so I told her, in the nicest possible way, that there might have been a mistake in the order. She told me that as I hadn't specified that I wanted tap water, I was given the expensive stuff. I told her I didn't realise one had to specifically ask for tap water and that I thought it was her job to ask the customer which type of water s/he wanted. She then said to me that it was up to me to ask for it and so the argument went round and round until she finally gave up (I am quite stubborn; it runs in the family!) and took the water away from me and five minutes later turned up with a pitcher of tap water.
What do you think? Who was right? Has anyone had similar problems in restaurants? Are you offered tap water and/or mineral water?
Anyway, there were more problems to come. I'd ordered a mouth-watering-looking dish of braised lamb in an apricot and prune sauce. However, when it came, there were no apricots nor prunes in the dish, but potatoes and carrots! I looked at the menu agan but there was no mention of carrots and potatoes. So I called the waitress over (yes, the same one!) and told her I thought some ingredients were missing. She then leaned over me, saw the carrots, prodded them with her finger and asked me what they were. I could not believe what had happened! She was poking my food with her finger! She obviously thought the carrot was an apricot (they're both orange, so I suppose she was short-sighted or something!). I told her what it was and she just sighed in exasperation and said she'd speak to the chef. Then she was gone for ten minutes! Meanwhile, my food was getting cold whilst everyone else was digging into their food and having a good time.
Ten minutes later she came back with a steaming dish of pune and apricot sauce saying that the chef had forgotten to add those ingredients in. Bizarre! How does one forget to put in some ingredients and not others? Anyway, I added the sauce into my dish and it turned out to be delicious and very satisfying as I had the added bonus of potatoes and carrots!
The evening finished without any other major upsets, which was a relief! Your homework, if you'd like to do it, is to re-write the conversation/argument I had with the waitress from reported/indirect speech back into direct speech. In the next blog I'll put up the direct speech version so you can check.
'Till the next time! Have a good weekend.
Vocabulary:
marred To mar something is to damage or spoil something to a certain extent. The object becomes less perfect, attractive or useful. Rather formal use.
pitchers A pitcher is a container, usually for liquid. A synonym is jug.
stubborn To be stubborn is to be obstinate, fixed or set in purpose or opinion.
mouth-watering When something is mouth-watering, it makes your mouth water, or fill up with saliva because it looks so good to eat.
braised Braised is a way of cooking meat, fish or even vegetables by sautéeing them in fat and then simmering slowly in very little liquid.
called the waitress over To call someone over is to ask them to come to you.
prodded There is a synonym for the verb to prod a little further on in the text. Can you find it? It also begins with P.
short-sighted To be short-sighted or near-sighted means you cannot see far without glasses. It's the opposite of long-sighted wchich means you need glasses to read something up close, like a book.
sighed To sigh is to make a sound with your breath, by expelling air from your mouth. You usually do this when you are tired or annoyed.
exasperation To be exasperated is to be annoyed or fed up with someone or something.
digging into It's an informal way of saying that you started eating your food. You can also tuck into your food or even shovel it in but that wouldn't be very pretty to watch!
steaming If something is steaming, it is very hot as there is steam coming off it. Your bathroom usually gets steamy when you've had a hot bath or shower.
Comments
Hi Sophie, I like your way of describing situations, it's simple and well organised. About the argument, I totally agree with you, you're a customer and you're supposed to be well treated, but as some people don't like their job or aren't well paid they don't care as long as their boss isn't present at that moment. I hope it won't affect your idea about Morocco and moroccan people since the argument had happened in a moroccan restaurant! I'm sure it won't, because you have traveled and lived in many different places which would have helped you to be more tolerant. By the way, as it is my first time to discover this blog, I find it a very interesting way to learn a language without feeling bored moreover wa can extend our knowledge about other cultures. Thank you a lot to all the team's members and you Sophie for sure.
once in my life I happened to see a belly dancer.WE were in Turkey in an area calledof chimney fairies .It was amusing.About the task you gave us,I'll try to answer."The ARgument" Sophie:There may be a mistake"The waitress:"YOU haven't specified you want tap water so you are given the expensive stuff.SOPhie:"I don't realize one has to specifically ask for tap water and I think it is your job to ask the customer which kind of water she/he wants:"The waitress:"It is up to you to ask for it." Later Sophie:"I think some ingredients are missing":W.:"What are they?"S.:"THey are carrots!"W.:"I will speak to the chef.""The hef has forgotten toput some ingredients!". bye bye for now maione
Hi Sophie ! It’s been a while since your last update, I was wondering if you forgotten us :) but I have to say, thanks God! That you come back! I really loved the pictures, it seems you have a good time despite the argument you have with the waitress. I am look forward for your next entry. Best Wishes , Bruno!!!
Let's begin with the Mineral water!!! If you come to Brazil and ask at the restaurant "Please I want to drink water" You'll receive a bottle of mineral water if you didn't specify about the tap water! However Mineral water in Brazil is very cheap (I know in UK english cheap=low quality but I don't remember the right word) so if you come here you can drink our mineral water It's High quality. You'll pay only 1 dollar for a bottle with 500 ml(17 oz). Now about your dish. I'm not sure if the restaurant is a complete mess or it has a forgetful chief.. LoL I only hope your lovely waitress didn't sneeze on your dish. hehe. I was kidding!!! 'Till the next blog
there sophei first of all wish you pass the party with happyness.I thing it was a wedding party of your friend.About your problem with the waiter of hotel, i think it has two parts.in the first part you are right because you submit the menue to the waiter he had to ask you to clear which kind of water do you want, but the second part as the waiter wants to keep more intrest to his hotle it is the habit of them to spend the expensive things to the customers.
Dear Sophie, it looks like an interesting evening. The problems with the waitress was really horrible. I think, you were right, and you were very affable. It’s impossible that a waitress touched the food. However in Germany you get normally no tap water, except for you ask for it. For better service times.. Daniela
i guess u may be in Hawaii.(probably not, that's only the possible & sensial guess from the dancer) Have u ever been to HK. It's great being here & HK is a fanscinating city that worth a visit. BTW, it's said that it's not polite to call soemone who is not your race/ from your own country a FOREIGNER, is it true in NAVTIVE English? How can we call a "foreigner" in a more polite way?(i dun mean he/she is a expariet/visitor/tourist) Pls reply:>
Hello Sophie. I'm so sorry about your bad experience with that waitress. It's incredible how such a detail can turn a sweet and nice day in a bitter one. I have never had a so freak problem in a restaurant. In my opinion, you can complain about the food or the service, but you never (and I mean NEVER) should have an argument whith the cook or the person who bring you the meals. You never know what uggly things they could do with your food as a revenge. I have heard so nasty stories about that, that only remember them makes me feel green. In a next post I'll try to re write your dialogue whith the long finger waitress. Now I say good bye, my stomach is a little upset...
Hi Sophie!, I'm following your blog and this interesting section to improve my english abilities, in your present comment new words and many expresions I have learnt!. Sorry for your bad time in this restaurant, I believe you did it proper to respect your order. For me, I had been enough busy to see the belly dancer without take care what eating (just joking). I must do the homework and will wait your next. thanks a lot Jorge
Hi Sophie, I'm sorry you had a bad time when you could have enjoyed yourself. I'm like you, very stubborn and I don't like to be deceived. A similar episode happened to my husband and I in a restaurant. It is always the same with the meat. I prefer it well done but not tough. My husband prefers it rare. So one day, while we were sitting at a non-smoking aera, the waiter brought his dish before mine. My husband had to start eating otherwise it would get cold. After 10 minutes my dish came. Not only it was cold but the meat was tough as well. I complained of the meal and because beside our table there were 3 people smoking. The waiter took away my dish and came back with another dish. But I can't understand the inefficiency of bringing one dish before the other. We wanted to eat at the same time. Since the waiter put a stupid face we talked to the maître instead and he gave us a special discount on the bill. By the way, I used to attend belly dancing classes and enjoyed it very much. Best wishes, Cris
What a misunderstanding marred you when you,certainly, in a good mood there in the Moroccan restaurant. It sometime happen to all when you don't make any mistakes but we suffer in vain. Yes, i also like the belly-dancer for the attractive pose she is making. The wear she is wearing is seem a bit like women dress in Nepal. Anyway thank you for making us see the beautiful dance. Goodbye
Hi Sophie I think the waitress is a moron and you were completely right! Some years ago I had a similar experience in a mexican restaurant in my hometown. We went there with about ten people and asked for a table. We sat down and after 20 minutes (!) the waiter brought us the menus. We ordered and waited 1,5 hours (!) to get our meals. When the bill came we saw that we had to pay 72 CHF for 8 bottles of water (!) The margarita for ten people would have been cheaper! The waiter told us: "surely you're not from Lugano, otherwise you would know that we have such prices here!" And he wasn't even Swiss!
hi, it was your fault.when you need water for drink .you must maintion tap water or minaral water.if you don't maintion what tyes water you want they must give you mineral water.but other was there fault.
hi, it was your fault.when you need water for drink .you must maintion tap water or minaral water.if you don't maintion what tyes water you want they must give you mineral water.but other was there fault.
Hi Sophie, in Italy you get mineral water (still o frizzy)but no tap water except for bar. Normally the barman gives you a glass of tap water with your cup of coffee. Bye.
Hi everybody,as you asked us Sophie I'll try in the next few lines to imagine how the dialogue between you and the waitress was : -S: "Excuse me but there may have been a mistake in the order"; -W: " You didn't specified that you wanted tap water, so we gave you an expensive bottle of mineral water" -S: "I didn't realise that one should specifically ask for tap water, and I think it's your job to ask the customer which type of water he wants!" -W: "It's up to you to ask for it" -S: "And it's up to you to ask me which type of water I wanted as I didn't specified !" and the waitress took back the bottle without saying any word. -2nd scene -S:" I think some ingredients are missing" -W: "and what are these?" -S: "these are carrots!" -W: "ouf, I'll speak to the chief" -W: "the chief have forgotten to add these ingredients in". Till the next blog Sophie, thank you.
i am in love with your show
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