Why Her Ladyship calls a spud a spud (backlash brewing against restaurant menu verbosity)

The Scotsman ^ | February 18, 2006 | LAURA ROBERTS

[Stoat]

Scotsman.com News - Claire MacDonald

[Canard]

I'm just amused that she can call for an end to pompous and ostentatious language when her husband refers to himself as "Lord Godfrey Macdonald of Macdonald, the high chief of the Clan Donald"!

Also that the Scotsman can't spell the 'Isle of Skye'!

[investigateworld]

Aye, pass the haggis and smushy peas. And Donald, don't wipe your nose with your kilt, you gave her ladyship an eyeful, ya did!

[Petronski]

...ravioli of kohlrabi...

Oh my God, I'm going to vomit.

"Ravioli of kohlrabi?"

No. Just "revolting CRAP."

[Ichneumon]

"TURBOT and langoustine en papillotte with Perigord truffle butter" means fish and large prawns cooked in a paper bag with butter made from French truffles.

Close, but not quite -- the butter isn't "made from French truffles". Butter is not made from truffles. Butter is made from cow squeezings. It's *flavored* with French truffles.

It translated into coin-sized towers of wafer-thin food, eternally surrounded by a raspberry jus or a kiwi coulis. Offering barely a decent bite per course, it was piled on to glossy black plates at maximum expense and with minimum impact on the appetite.

Back at the height of this nonsense, four of us dropped into a decent-looking restaurant at random while we were out on the town, and although the food was okay, all of us were quite literally still hungry when the meal was over. Filling up on desert wasn't much of an option -- it was an Asian restaurant and they're not big on deserts. So we paid our bill, left, and immediately chose another restaurant to go into and continue eating...

[Ichneumon]

Oh my God, I'm going to vomit. "Ravioli of kohlrabi?" No. Just "revolting CRAP."

Heh -- good point. Ravioli should be filled with something hearty and artery-clogging.

[goresalooza]

You say tomato, I say to-mah-toe! This is funny stuff and I'm of Scottish descent, bigtime. Can ye cook over in Bonnie Scotland yet, Madame?

If it's not SCOTTISH, it's CRAAAAAAAAAP!

[nopardons]

Kohlrabi is especially good eaten COLD AND RAW!

Hungarians actually do cook it, sometimes; but, ye gods... in ravioli, you're right, it is vomitacious!

[beaver fever]

Since when has Nouvelle Cuisine been popular in Scotland?

The Scots torture, kill and then boil their food.

I think I'll stick with Mexican and Tortiere, with Pigs feet and Pomme Frits.

Haggis? I've seen it. I know what's in it and I don't want it.

[Petronski]

Raw is the only way I can stand it. Usually served soaking in salt water. But otherwise I'd never touch the stuff. I have the "bitterness gene."

[nopardons]

We, my family, has ALWAYS just eaten it RAW. We slice it up and eat it plain; sometimes put it in a salad. That's the Hungarian way. I love this veggie, but it's not easy to find in most grocery stores and it does have a very short season.

[BigCinBigD]

I never have this problem at Whataburger.

[Petronski]

...and it does have a very short season.

From my point of view, thankfully so.

I hereby grant unto you my lifetime portion. ;OP

[CheyennePress]

She just hates the French.

[Stoat]

I never have this problem at Whataburger.

Whataburger

"Joe Lowder Mesa, AZ
We were treated so uncommonly well today that I just wanted to write a note to comment about that. Apparently you have recently remodeled your Whataburger location in Apache Junction and it is remarkably clean and inviting. But even more impressive than the sparkling appearance was the fact that the manager (Paul, I think was his name) was exceptionally nice and accommodating. My wife ordered a breakfast burrito and I ordered your two hot apple pies for 99-cents special ... but after we sat down, Paul came to our table and apologetically informed us that he was out of the pies but offered to substitute something else, which we did. He was so nice about the way he handled this that I didn't mind at all. Another employee (Richard, I think) was also uncommonly polite and helpful. All-in-all, even though we live several miles away, we will be back and will be telling others about the exceptional service at your newly remodeled AJ location. Joe & Patti Lowder"

*****************************************************************************

Unfortunately, there's no Whataburger (yet) nearby the stoat cave but it sounds like a friendly place with good food and no ostentatious or fou-fou menus.

[nopardons]

LOL...thank you! :-)

[Stoat]

She just hates the French.

Yes, she appears to be a very bright and erudite lady  :-)

[Stoat]

This is funny stuff

I'm delighted that you enjoyed the article :-)

[kenth]

mmmmmmm... Whataburger. It was a real treat when we got to go there. But man, I'd kill, or at the very least seriously maim, to have a Braum's burger, fries and cherry limeaid.

[Stoat]

So we paid our bill, left, and immediately chose another restaurant to go into and continue eating...
 

So many restaurateurs fail to realize that people talk to each other.  If you serve "fashion food" you may get a few good restaurant reviews by the "usual suspect" snooty restaurant reviewers, and from that you will get an initial rush of business from those who worry about being seen in the "right places" but as the months and years roll by you won't have a sustainable business model because when hard-working people decide to have a special evening out at a restaurant, they are looking for good food, good ambiance, and a solid meal for a fair price.  Restaurants who treat their patrons as you were will not get the sort of dedicated repeat business that keeps such a business in the black over time.