New Year's at Sweets and Savories

Having read all the great reviews on LTH about Sweets and Savories, I decided to make New Year's dinner my first experience there. The much touted food-to-dollar ratio especially attracted me -- I refused to spend $100 for a so-so dinner somewhere just because it was New Year's.

We had a 5:30 sitting for seven people, including one who is a vegetarian. The pre-fix menu consisted of six courses: scallop with caviar and pea puree, risotto with ricotta and lemon, filet in black truffle sauce with lobster twice-baked potato, arugula and olive oil, vanilla ice cream with white truffle and nutmeg, ganache terrine with raspberry. We had a bottle of white Burgundy, a Gewurztraminer and, of course, a glass of Champagne.

None of the dishes was particularly innovative or inspiring but everything was delicious and well worth the cost ($75 without wine). The meal was diminished, however, by an egocentric and even rude head waiter. He outdid himself when, while we prepared to leave, he gathered our checks, inspected the tips (we gave 20%) and walked off without so much as a goodbye, thanks, or Happy New Year's.

I would love to return on a regular night but that waiter left a bad taste in my mouth (yes, pun intended). Are there any menu items so amazing that I should go back?

I'm surprised to hear about what seems to be a service glitch. I'm guessing your waiter was Paul (if he was a gentleman with no hair). Paul is usually very courteous and highly professional. He does have a lot of personality which I could see as coming off as rude or egocentric. He does mean well though.

Are you sure he was "inspecting" tips, and not just checking to see that everyone had paid the appropriate amount? It just seems like a very out of character move at a place that I think has wonderful service.

I wouldn't take a slightly negative experience at any restaurant on New Year's Eve as an indication of what is "normal". New Year's Eve is a rough night for restaurants and it's not surprising to find something off its game no matter where you are. I have yet to dine at Sweets and Savories, but I think this is true across the board regardless of the restaurant.