It was his first day, so maybe it's not fair. But when my well-meaning waiter asked, "Umm, did you guys get your entrees yet?" My response was, "Umm…no." My thought, however, was, Why am I taking a chance on a $39 entree at Varietal, a restaurant that's only been open for a week? The place claims to have great wines and interesting food. We got curious and wandered in. The entree did eventually arrive and was very tasty, surprisingly so, considering a waitstaff that was clumsy and embarrassingly laggard. (The sommelier winced as the waiter gave me my third napkin; number one was still on my lap, number two was neatly folded at my plate.) Here's the lesson I learned: Give them the time they need to work out the kinks. Running a restaurant is a complex logistical nightmare, and it will take them a little time, no matter who they are, to get it just the way they want it.
This is second time I've made this same blunder. The first was at Zagat's best new restaurant of 2006, Telepan, shortly after it opened. Like Varietal, it was good, a bit splay, but good. Good enough to prompt my return six months later, when it was fantastic. The folks at Telepan have found their groove and gone on to receive well-deserved accolades. I hope the gang at Varietal does the same, but until they do, let them graduate from their training wheels by serving someone else dinner.
Pinterest
