I can't order my food if I cannot read the menu!

Hi,

Last night, I was out having dinner with the Moms. When we walked into the dining area, there was a table of four talking loudly about a legal issue on the extreme end of the room. There was a couple quietly eating dinner next to us whose conversation we never heard and ourselves.

While walking in I had collected complimentary matches to light my grill at home. However the matches came in handy almost immediately because the lighting in the restaurant was very dim. Lighting the oil candle at the table only helped a little bit. Our waiter came to present the menus, I opened it up and could barely make out a word. I finally waved him back advising we cannot begin to order a thing because the lighting was simply too dim.

The moment the lights were turned up to make the menus readable, then the table of four started to bellow their displeasure and the lights went dim again. We were offered a flashlight. Frankly, if I was by myself, I would have simply left the establishment.

At this point, my Mom made a comment loud enough for the quartet to hear about the poor lighting preventing us from reading the menu. The quartet suddenly recognized they were not the only patrons in the room. They suggested the lights could go up again because now they understood why.

I don't know if there was a problem with the rheostat controlling the voltage of the lights or the waiters were quarrelling about the correct level of ambient light. Whatever the reason, for the rest of dinner the lights would periodically brighten for a while, then go dim.

Fortunately the food was merely adequate, which means I won't feel I'm missing anything if I never return to the establishment.

Regards,

Mind naming the place? You know, in case I want to test my night vision but don't want to risk mediocre food as part of the experience.

Friends of mine gave me a device that's a combination magnifying lens/illumination source that would have been helpful in your situation. It looks like a Brookstone sort of gizmo, so I'm guessing it could be found there.

I remember about ten years ago when I began to be convinced that the restaurants of the world had damnably conspired to use smaller fonts in their menus. Eventually I realized the problem was I needed reading glasses--but it's surprising how long it took me to figure that out. Denial is not just a river in Egypt.

Jim,

Only because I want you to have a safe environment to test your night vision goggles, I will name the establishment:

Za Za's
69 Washington St.
Ingleside, IL 60041
Tel: 847/973-8000

I will be commenting later on this place related to the food as part of the roadhouse series.

Riddlemay -- this was really an issue of lighting or lack of it. I do keep cheaters in my purse, though it would not have helped on this occasion.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:I do keep cheaters in my purse, though it would not have helped on this occasion.

Consider, too, a small LED penlight four your purse. These are efficient, inexpensive, durable and the white light makes really brings out colors.

Not that I'm excusing the establishment, of course. I take opportunity I can to justifiy carrying a gadget.

Low lights (age and alcohol) prevented us from reading the menu at Blue Hill in NYC. We were promptly given tiny flashlights the size of a small rock. It enabled us to read the menu and not disturb the other patrons. Obviously, we were not the first to request more illumination. Funny, the low lights did not affect our ability to examine our food and appreciate the plating.

Hi,

Ironically, the complaining patrons were both older than us AND pretty well greased liquor-wise.

Regards,

Recently, whilst perusing the personal gadgets section of Bed, Bath & Beyond [or what ramon ever so memorably calls "Sheets & S**t"] I saw one of those lighted magnifyer glass doohickeys designed for just this purpose. Think it was under $10.

Oh goody! Something else you can carry in your purse!

Giovanna