Readers:
Our third week in Croatia and I am really getting excited. Last night we dined at a
genuine Croatian steakhouse in Dubrovnic. The quality of the beef is actually quite good -
if you stick with the filet. Most other cuts are sliced very thin and don't resemble what
we are used to. Of course you have to remember that they cater mostly to European tourists
and, come on folks, what do they know about good beef? As any red-blooded American knows,
you simply can't cook up a really great, blood-rare steak if it's less than an inch and a
half thick. I'll say it again - GOD BLESS AMERICA! The most interesting meal so far
was in a 17th century castle and was all seafood, the real local specialty - recipes to
follow.
Another observation: these Mediterranean's consider sardines to be
basically a garbage fish. With all of my recent efforts to bring back this most nutritious
fish in the sea, and historic king of Monterey Bay, they don't seem to get it either. I
find it particularly interesting because so many European tourists have been ordering them
in my restaurants lately. |
|
Q:
Dear Chef Pisto, We customarily tip for restaurant service, more when
it is good, less when is it poor. But what can we do when the quality of the meal is poor?
We do not customarily tip the chef, right? How does the chef get feedback from his
customers? Do we just not return to the restaurant anymore if the food quality is poor?
Dale K. - Carmel
A: Dale, this an age-old question - what is more important, food
or service? It can be a hotly debated subject. Some feel that the food is most important;
after all, what are we going to a restaurant for if not for the promise of some good food?
Others believe service is what brings them back. These folks value, most of all, a
talented staff that deliver the goods. I believe that you cannot have one without the
other. Good food, delivered in a friendly, efficient and timely manner is the basic
package. As to your question, it depends on the extent of the food problems and any (if
any) effort on the part of the restaurant staff to satisfy you before you leave. As I have
said here before, you must tell someone that you are not happy. |
|
| Give them a chance
to make it right (we're all human), and then judge the results. This goes well beyond the
issue of tipping the chef or not. The willingness of a restaurant to satisfy you is what
makes the difference if you are disappointed. So Dale, speak up and see what happens. If
no one is listening, believe me, there are a lot more restaurants out there waiting for
the opportunity to serve you. Q: Dear John,
I love to steam artichokes. Your dip is the best I have found for serving with them. Would
you be willing to share your recipe? Is it a genuine mayonnaise or an aioli?
Ashton R. - Marina
A: My favorite dip for artichokes or most any antipasto item, is a genuine garlic
mayonnaise, or "aioli". This one of my favorite stand-bys and it can be made up
in advance and kept in the fridge. It also makes a great sandwich spread - try it on your
grilled burger. |
|
