Dawn H.
Yelp
My family and I popped in here to inquire what had happened to Suzette Creperie, the restaurant that had once occupied the same space, with the intent on driving to where Suzette had relocated. We didn't plan on eating here, and, unfortunately, in the long run, because I chose to, I left with no reason to return.
In chronological order, red flags:
Red flag one: The male owner (shorter man with bald head), in much detail, explained at length how Suzette's closed down -- owner had to close down during the pandemic because she'd lost too many customers because of how unpleasant of a dining experience she was making for her customers, explaining she implemented a plexiglass barrier between customers and the register; stepped back when her customers would step up to the register for any reason and would tell them to step back; walked to the neighboring businesses on Belmont St. to vocalize how those neighboring businesses weren't checking vaccination cards at their door before letting anyone in to their own establishment; etc. (This is a red flag because of how my family's experience in *his* restaurant was (read further).)
Red flag two: He elaborated more on why he disagreed on how Suzette's owner approached the rules, stating he didn't care whether customers were vaccinated, because to each their own on their choice, and don't, as a business owner, bring that down on your customers who support your business -- but! -- expressed there were more deaths from those vaccinated than those non-vaccinated. . . per CNN. . . thereby implying he believed the vaccine was useless and didn't support it but then later agreed "1000%" to my statement our country should have approached the pandemic like Sweden did (i.e., full lock-down from the beginning instead of continued human contact). He said he used to work in the medical field but had gotten out of it because of Western medicine and the pharmaceutical industry.
Red flag three: After their lengthy explanation of where Suzette went (and more), the male owner directed us to sit at one of the booths to take a look at their menu and began boasting about how their food was the best vegan food in town, because it wasn't crappy and processed and how everything on the menu was on the menu because it sold so much within so much time (or something along those lines) and was therefore worthy of staying on the menu. At first blush, he appeared to be a highly enthusiastic chef who loved his restaurant, and that might be true. . . but in addition to someone who really believes they know best when they really don't; when I told him I adhere to the paleo diet most of time and it looked like a lot of his menu overlapped with that, he said the paleo diet has its problems with the facial expression of someone who is sorry/not sorry!
Red flag four: As I was about to order, the wife (owner) was coming in from sweeping the outside of the restaurant and waited until my boyfriend and son had fully gotten out the door. All seemed fine except the how the wife stood while waiting for my boyfriend and son to fully leave the restaurant (her back faced me, but her posture clearly communicated anger and impatience), and then: as they'd stepped out the door, she shoved the door shut with her foot -- HARD! Sticky door perhaps?
Red flag five: I asked the male owner what the dressing was for the menu item I wanted to buy. He said it was a sweet mustard vinaigrette. I restated, "Oh! So a sweet mustard dressing?" to which he replied with a "Well. . . yeah!" and a perplexed/irritated facial expression. In the course of the conversation to pay for my meal, he asked what happened to my boyfriend and son, and I told him they'd planned on going somewhere else for food and mentioned my boyfriend wanted tacos to which the owner stated irritatingly, "Well if he would have asked, I could have made him tacos, but whatever/ok." I asked him whether it was on the menu, and he said that it wasn't currently but was a seasonal menu item. He also seemed curious about why I requested my food to-go, rather than as a dine-in option.
Red flag six: After paying, my son ran back in to see me, while I was trying to make small talk with the owner, and when the owner said "Hello!" to him, my son didn't really respond, again, because of being hangry and on the autism spectrum. The owner didn't really say anything to that, even after trying to explain to him the reasons. But when I asked whether he had children, he and his wife vehemently expressed they didn't, didn't want any, and I believe the expression from the wife was "Eww!" (sticky door I think not!). Small talk following that up until I left was pretty one-sided, as the owner didn't really seem receptive to talking about, off all things NON-divisive, music.
After leaving and trying what I bought, it tasted delicious, but, of course, my one-star rating has nothing to do with the menu and everything to do with how at ease, welcomed, and respected I felt by the owners!
