Ate at Seven on Prospect last night, again. Good stuff. Always. I had the "Magnificent Seven" which is essentially every seafood known to man gathered in a tasty roma tomato sauce and slathered over pasta. My mouth waters at the memory.
Last night's dinner almost, but not quite, made up for the rather sorry dining experience I had earlier in the week at the new Basta Pasta also located on Prospect, and owned by the same folks who never fail to please me at Seven.
Basta Pasta blew. It blew chunks. I ordered the Greggio Pasta dish, which was supposed to be tenderloin served over fresh pasta served with a unique zesty sauce. In reality it was a very dry, overcooked and overpriced piece of meat propped up on a mound of overcooked bow tie noodles covered in a luke warm sauce I swear came out of a French's salad dressing bottle.
Any restaurant can have an off night. Normally I wouldn't be so harsh. My Significant Other ordered the Basta Pasta, which was as spicy and tasty as it was at the former location. However, the serving size was approximately a third of what it used to be. When I pointed out the new serving size my S.O.-who fears cardiac arrest- muttered, "Thank God." S.O. saw things my way when I pointed out that we were paying just as much for the petite portion as we paid for the former vat 'o pasta portion.
All would be forgiven except for the snooty policy of Basta. Our nieces, ages 6 and 10 joined us for dinner. Both adore any type of noodle -have yet to meet a kid who doesn't- and were looking forward to trying out the "New Basta" as they both really liked the "Old Basta." New Basta is trying to pose a haute Manhattan boutique restaurant, complete with a curt "Well behaved children welcome" posted on the menu. There is no children's menu, which is fine, the girls were happy to split an entree of spaghetti and meatballs. We were fined an eight dollar "plate fee" to do so. SNOBS. We specifically asked our waitress if this policy applied when well behaved children were involved. Our experience has been that even snotty Manhattan restaurants don't charge plating fees when kids are involved. Our waitress rolled her eyes and sighed, "Yes." Hey! Basta! You are located in PEORIA HEIGHTS. This is the Mid West, NOT Manhattan. You are a pasta joint, NOT an uppity French Restaurant. BTW, French Toast doesn't charge plating fees. Corking fee, yes. Plating fee, no.
It's back to Paparrazzi for Italian. Bruce Brown knows how to make a killer eggplant parmesan and is always nice to kids - well behaved or not!
If your mind is too open, your brain will fall out. Warning: Names, identities, descriptions, and pictures have been changed and/or used to protect the innocent as well as the guilty. PollyPeoria should not be used or quoted as a source for your senior college thesis.
Sunday, March 19
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5 comments:
Polly,
Isn't that policy printed on the bottom of the menu?
Also, we ate at Basta last night. Wife had the chicken dijon and I had veal picatta. Both excellent.
That sucks you had a bad experience.
Mazr,
Yup. If memory serves the "well behaved children policy is printed on the bottom of the menu." Well behaved restaurants, even those who have plating fees/fines, typically do not invoke them when little kids or old people are involved. (i.e., Plating fees are intended to penalize cheap skates/dates, not those who can't physically stomache a full portion.)
Polly -
It is odd that you & I have had exact opposite experiences at these two restaurants.
I could write a very lengthy reply about children issues. But it's not my blog, so I won't. The only thing I overly agree with about is the $8 split plate charge. Reward the good kids who act and behave in a manner which is suitable for where they are dining with their parents.
Concerning the Midwest vs. Manhattan. If restauranteurs in Peoria would do what I've seen in Manhattan, they'd be strung up by their toenails from the big yellow arches to be made example. One example was I had the priviledge to have lunch at The Hudson River Club back in 1993. My hostess (I was the guest) had a Reuben sandwich. She asked for an extra side of the house made version of 1000 Island Dressing. They charged her $3.00 for it. Granted, if you can afford to be a member of and eat at The Hudson River Club, you can afford $3. However, if a restaurant (or even the The Country Club of Peoria) charged someone in PEORIA $3.00 for a side of 1000 Island dressing.....
Chef Kev,
I read your post on the new Basta and was therefore very anxious to try it. I even ordered the same dish as you. Go figure. As I wrote, any restaurant can have an off night, and given my previous experiences at the old Basta I would have kept my mouth/blog shut. However, the $8.00 plating fee/well behaved kid fine was inexcuseable.
I agree with you regarding Manhattan, I too have had similiar experiences/expenses.
I also agree that parents should either wait until their offspring are old enough to implement good manners before allowing them to dine at nicer restaurants, or they should leave Rowdy Junior at home with a sitter, or at least be ready and willing to leave if the little darling(s) turn into four star brats. Most restaurants, including swank ones, have take out containers. No doubt that parenting is the most difficult job in the world but that fact does not give one carte blanche to ruin the expensive dining experiences of other patrons. Including some who paid sitters.
I will give the New Basta another try in a few weeks. Maybe they needed to work some kinks out.
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