Richard M.
Yelp
It was a overcast day in Rochester, the kind of day that promised rain. The kind of day when only dogs look forward to a walk outside. I had a lunch date set up with a smart cookie; classy, worldly, good looking, the kind that can size you up and down with one glance, and know things about you that you've never known yourself. But I digress.
The weather looking sketchy. I offered to punt. She kicked it back to me. I played a football metaphor. She turned it into soccer.
I sized up the odds, whether the weather would hold. Coin toss said "no". Second coin toss said "no". I tossed the coin away, grabbed a talisman to prevent rain, and put the umbrella in my pocket.
We met at the restaurant at noon.
Lunch started with small talk, dancing around dancing.
She ordered a wrap. I ordered the combo plate.
Conversation continued with travel talk, mostly geographic, with a smattering of life's journeys and travails.
The food - solid,. Middle Eastern, Fair. The conversation, aquatic, immersive. She was engaging, not engaged, but will probably take the plunge.
Time flew. Lunch was done. I signaled the waitress for the check, played a gift card issued three years prior. The manager rejected it, pointing to fine print killing it after two years. I offered him the opportunity to be magnanimous. He declined. No problem, I charged it.
We left, walking to her car, she smiled, said "The next one's on me".
Yeah, I thought. I've heard that one in Reno.
Meandering back to my car, I was sandbagged by a rush of feelings - like a Manhattan - shaken, strained, mixed emotions pouring out, but without the cherry.
---------------------------------------------------
But, this being Yelp - not a creative writing blog - I owe them a review.
The food and service was fine. If I judged it on that alone, I'd give it 4 stars (I'm not really all that picky). Ambiance was ~ okay. Pretty noisy, but, okay.
The reason I'm only giving this 2 stars is because of the manager-on-staff that day. He ranked 0, so it averages out at 2.
The manager refused to honor a gift card, that had fine print saying it expired 2 years from the date of issue, and it was into the third year. My date and I thought he should have been "magnanimous" and honored it anyway.
But he didn't.
So .... I contacted the NY State, checked for "unclaimed funds" since that is where the money should have gone upon expiry of the card, but that didn't happen, so the money still resided at the restaurant.
Meanwhile, I contacted my local state rep's office, got connected to someone in Albany who directed me to a web page "CONSUMER ALERT: NYS Department of State's Division of Consumer Protection Reminds New Yorkers How to Avoid Losing Money with Gift Cards and Gift Certificates".
According to the info on that page, the "MINIMUM expiration date imposed by law" for a card issued on the date mine was issued is 5 YEARS.
So I was still within my rights. By two years!
That web page urged consumers having difficulty redeeming gift cards to file a complaint with the New York State Division of Consumer Protection. BUT FIRST, they recommend speaking with the restaurant owner first, to see if he will correct the offense. Which I did.
The following day I spoke with the Owner, who seemed a tad nervous, (he probably read the first version of this review, which I posted that evening before going to the NYS website) and he was VERY eager to resolve the issue to my satisfaction.
He issued a new expiration date, which coincides with the NYS minimum, and said he would text an apology to my date, since his manager made me look like a goofball/idiot.
Which he then dodged, pusillanimously.
In sum, the conversation was great (perhaps the best reason to dine out) the food was good, the manager ... will probably keep his job, hopefully see the error in his ways.
In hindsight, Sinbad's is a decent place to lunch, even if it doesn't launch a relationship. But remember to avoid the gift cards.
I think I'll call it a wrap.
