Lauren M.
Yelp
Yesterday was the anniversary of our first sort-of-date, which happened at the West End. To commemorate, we picked up some snacks curbside - buffalo wings and buffalo shrimp. When my boyfriend placed the order, he was put on hold while the hostess asked if they even carried the buffalo shrimp listed on the menu. When we got home, I opened the box and was greeted with what appeared to be 5 small scampi or cocktail shrimp pooled in spicy water. I hate complaining about food (this is the first 1 star review I've ever left for a restaurant - you can check) but I questioned if I had even received the right food, given the confusion during the order process. Surely this could not be the buffalo shrimp? So I called the restaurant and apologetically asked if this is what I ordered. I was transferred to the owner and stated my concerns. He confirmed I had received the correct order ("Are there shrimp? Is there sauce? There you go.") I attempted to explain that there was no sauce on the shrimp, only pooled in the container, and he told me that they are grilled and "sorry we don't prepare them like other places." He informed me that the shrimp are very popular and implied that I simply don't understand what a buffalo shrimp is. I was so confused by the defensive response and increasingly anxious, having been hesitant to call in the first place. I said there is no way what I received was worth the $10.99 which we paid. He responded by "educating" me on the market price of shrimp and told me that just because I buy shrimp at BJs (I don't) doesn't mean that's how much restaurant shrimp cost. He claimed he spoke with the kitchen and was assured that the shrimp were prepared to perfection.
I recognize that in the time of covid, presentation is not always ideal when substituting a takeout container for a plate. You're not going to have the same experience at home, and we all need to be forgiving of that. I do wonder if perhaps the shrimp were placed in the container when they were still very hot and it steamed the sauce right off? (Of note, this had not occurred with the chicken wings.) I also suspect that my food may have been more appetizing if served in-house. But something happened in the interim that resulted in it being mostly inedible, and by invalidating my experience and writing me off, the problem could not be identified. If the restaurant had confirmed that I received the right meal while in some way validating that I had a less-than-stellar experience, for whatever reason, I would give it maybe 3 stars for the chicken and call it a day. I wasn't calling for a refund, I had called to see if I had even received the right order. But the attitude of management toward a customer was indefensible. I ordered buffalo shrimp, and what I received was cocktail shrimp in a watery hot sauce, an unsolicited education on the cost of shrimp, and a bitter taste for a place that previously was special to us.