Monday, October 4, 2010

Does the "check" have to be that quick?

In England as with the rest of Europe we tend to like to loiter over a meal; enjoying pauses between courses and an after dinner coffee which could well turn into another glass of something or okay why not bring a dessert after all.... But here in America it's different.    Before you have even finished one course, oftentimes the next course has arrived and for the most times, no I haven't decided whether I want a desert whilst still enjoying the last few mouthfuls of my main course.  These irritations are however not my biggest gripes with food service in Los Angeles.  

Now I love food and I love going out to eat but there are two things which impact on that enjoyment at restaurants in Los Angeles - I also know I am not the only one.  American wait staff in Los Angeles insist on removing the tableware of my fellow dinners whilst others are still "working on it"! Then within (and I mean it) milliseconds of the final dinner plate being whisked away the check is usually left for us to deal with when we are ready.  Dessert, coffee, a breath?

Now don't get me wrong some restaurants do not do this, but they are the exception rather than the rule.  Being an English Girl I don't understand the rush to have the bill given out whilst I am still chewing on my last mouthful.  Certainly I have not been able to assess whether a small slice of something chocolaty would go down a treat or not.   For once I think service could take some pointers from the Europeans and that I don't say often but I am a firm believer that a meal should be savoured and enjoyed preferably with a good bottle of Californian wine.

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