Barny W.
Yelp
I had lunch with my partner today after passing by and seeing the sign 'Free Wi-Fi' and made fun that the food/ service must be bad enough that this complementary offer restores it to acceptability.
The first two times gave us hope we found a place to eat with good taste. IT was hardly busy at all then. But this time, it went so south that this review will almost make me seem like a liar.
Summary: If you want to be treated rudely, be told that by pointing out you're not getting service is not their fault, be told that by intervening from approaching them at the cashier for restoring service violates their boundaries, and then get into a clash with the problematic server which I later found out the owner said 'Good for you' to support him, this is the perfect place for you. This place will make you feel you are bothering them, with any sane remedies you attempt to make as insults that fuels their dressing down you, with greasy, oily food to boot.
Let's start with the straightforward part. The food was quite tasty as we had the Egg Plant and Mix Vegetable tofu lunch special. However, the egg rolls were burnt and greasy. The Egg plant was swimming in oil, though tasty.
Now for the more troublesome issue. The restaurant was more busy than it normally has been. I asked what was the cause, and the only server there (white guy) said it was the weekend. I thought that was odd, but accepted that answer and off he went with our order.
The restaurant was half full, but the server was more interested in busing dirty tables than checking in with us (and others). After sometime seeing he would not look towards our table, I approached him and asked him if we can start with our soups first. No response. Later, I saw him talk to the owner (Crystal, I was told later by him), and she brought it out. I asked if there were any fried wonton strips or noodle bits, which she said 'No' brusquely and hurried away.
We got our dishes apart, far apart that we almost finished the first dish by the time the second one came around.
After that dish, I went up and asked if we can get their steamed custard buns to go. Server took off without a word. I then remembered our table had long been neglected, that our teapot had gotten cold. So, thinking I was going to help the server, I brought the teapot back to the cash register for a fresh brew. Instead, I got a dress down from the server saying that I should have flagged him down at my table, which I responded we tried but he never looked our way, which then pushed to him to start jumping up and down waving hands like we are stopping a bus that would need desperate body language as a demonstration it was our fault for not being pedantic enough as demonstrated. And that we were working against ourselves by such action (huh, it can't get worse than no service, thus our vain attempts for a minimum of service here)
It gets better.
We both went to the cash register and paid. This is when I said my bringing up the teapot was not meant to make him look bad if this was his interpretation, but a sign we are not getting any return service beyond taking order, bringing dishes, and then the check. The server went on to lecture us for violating his boundaries, and he refused to acknowledge the lack of service even when I pointed out the service was negligent. I also asked him what about the boundaries of the paying customer, which then he said he doesn't know why he has to argue with me.
I was running errands later and stopped by to see if I can talk to Crystal. The same server greet me and I asked if I could speak to his boss. He tried to deflect by saying he was his own boss. I then asked to talk to the owner, which he said she was not there. He became vague after I asked what time she will be back, eventually telling me at 6pm. I told him I will be back.
He asked me what was I planning to accomplish by talking to her. I said I want to speak to her in the hope she can be open to hear what went down than with him.
Just as I was stepping out, he said 'You know what my boss said after our argument? She said "Good for you" (as a praise to him). I said that is sad to see an establishment work against their own livelihood with such an attitude. I told him I will confirm this independently at 6pm. This is when he shooed me out of the restaurant with 'please leave' and his hands flapping in a dismissive way.
I saw this rudeness, blindness, and pride was not just with me after going online just before making this review. I made the decision not to go back and talk to Crystal seeing that she is part of the problem from the other reviews.
I saw a quote that said that our hurt is less from what others do to us than from our failure to accept their disability early enough to walk away from them.
My walking away from the 6pm chance to talk with Crystal is that acceptance of their disability.
