"The kitchen sucks tonight"

These were the words said by a waiter at Spiaggia Cafe last night. It was our 1st anniversary and my wife thought it would be a nice place to go. However, I guess the kitchen staff were not terrribly interested in actaully preparing edible food that night. We ordered some appitizers which were ok (soup and salad), but then we waited and waited and waited. The staff was pleasant and helpful actuall by keeping us informed. My wife ordered a pasta dish and I ordered a fish dish. When finally we were served the fish was hot, but the pasta (raviolli, I think) was hard with what was left of the sauce sticking to the plate. We got the waiters attention and he immediately saw that there was a problem. The staff was actually great, they took her dish and mine off of the bill as well as giving her a free glass of wine and a bowl of soup (by then she had pretty much lost her appatite, I'm sure she could have ordered anything off the menu for free). We were also visited by two mangers. The service was great, if only the food matched it that night.

Oh, my fish dish, it was alright, but I've had better at other places for less money.

Anyway, I don't know if there is a moral to the story except when a waiter exclaims out loud that the "kitchen sucks," look out and maybe pay the bill and get the heck out.

Within the context of food service and a restaurant of Spiaggia's rep. in particular that's a pretty shocking story. Seems to me that while any kitchen can have an off night, and while it's nice that the front of house staff were so attentive, the waiter's observation that the kitchen sucked, would have been far more usefully and profesionally relayed to a manager, not a patron. Very sorry your anniversary dinner was so compromised at such a generally reliable place. Hope Levy management reads the board as well. (Although, from your story, it sounds like they are already aware of what was going on.)

Of course the experience you had should not occur at Spiaggia. But it does bring to mind that just when we're often inclined to eat out during the holidays, we're liable to run into some of the poorest service of the year. Everyone likes to take time off during the last 2-3 weeks of December, and this includes chefs, kitchen staff and waiters. I've have some of the worst dining experiences this time of year leading up to the overpriced evening of New Years Eve. I know there are places where this is not the case, but I think it is true that this can be a time full of service potholes the size of a mini-van.

Unless it's a special event and you know just the right place whose reputation is high this time of year, stay home, cook, and save your money for January 2nd and beyond.

Just my humble and well-fed opinion.

Seconded...or is that thirded?

I have had nothing but bad luck dining on the holidays. I remember one particularly bad meal at Sun Wah on Xmas Eve that almost turned my gf off them. They got better though

mrbarolo is absolutely correct. That is a comment that should be made to the cooks or managers, not to customers. It is shocking (add to that the coarse language). If a server told me that I would have left that moment and reported the comment to management. If I owned a restaurant (a fantasy, not a reality) and I learned that a waiter told a customer that the food was bad or even that a dish was bad, that server would not have a job as of then. The waiter represents the restaurant, and if a dish is not liked by a customer, the chef should be told.

It is quite true that around the holidays, food can be iffy. One of the most disappointing meals I have had was on Mardi Gras in New Orleans. I should have found a cheap, good place to eat.

I should have been more clear about the context of the quote. The quote by the waiter was said to another waiter, but it was quite loud and clear so that we could hear it - that is to say it wasn't done in a whisper that we just overheard.

I agree that service can be terrible during the holidays and that often celebrations during this time might be better off at home. My wife wanted a suitable celebratory diner for our first anniversary which I thought was appropriate. Later on - we will probably settle for good food cooked at home.

Servers are human and OFTEN have to take on kitchen "mishaps" alone.

I have had a waiter tell me NOT to order something on the menu and I appreciated it.

Restaurants with any right mind have servers taste the specials instead of describing a dish by memorizing the description from a piece of paper.

It can be a CATTY business. Yes, the server should have said it out of range of guests, but have you ever heard some of the stuff people say not realizing someone just might be listening in...

Not to mention how servers might be treated by the managers and/or kitchen staff. I worked 8 hour shifts without any break or food offered, but I needed the $12 an hour.

It did suck, but once Mayor Daley called me "honey" and at moments like that, it was well worth the pain.

I appreciate it when a server steers me away from a specific entree which may not be very good on a specific night.

i do agree that servers should be more careful in expressing their opinions on a particular night. I would agree that when I was a server, I had a few nights like that, however.