Last family supper 052502008

Boxed penne rigate pasta cooked al dente
Red sauce of unknown origin (house made or jar?)
Fresh fennel
Fresh parsley
Sel

In the large family meal flat bottomed pot, all ingredients were mixed together.

It didn’t seem to matter that I made no mistakes with my tables during today’s shift, my restaurant serving ship has sailed. I was officially canned. Thankfully, I didn’t have to stay until the wee hours of the morning to find out. Though things went really well with my tables, including a two-top with two women who sat for five hours. When they were served a dish of garganelli with mushroom Bolognese, they let it sit for nearly an hour. The kitchen and owner bugged me about it after it sat there about ten minutes, then every eight to ten minutes thereafter (all faults fall on the server). But I wasn’t about to let that domino fall on my guests. I figure they’re two longtime friends who break bread once a year to ketchup. Who would I be to interfere with that. My mentality is altogether that of the diner, not of the server.

I won’t tap into details about the experience. It was a failed experiment which added some funds to the coffers. But, restaurants remain passive-aggressive and chauvinistic. If I were a straight up feminist, I’d have plenty to tap about. But having worked in interactive for so many years, those issues have never affected me as they exist in restaurants.

The restaurant otherwise is fine. If you’ve figured out which one I’m tapping here about, keep dining there. The owner will go on to become a famous (whatever that means) restaurateur. The food will remain a bit over seasoned (easy on the salt chefs!). But otherwise, they’re slinging some good victuals. I do recommend ordering anything they make with ricotta in it. Yumness.

On the personal psychology end of my canning, it made only a minor blip to my ego, self-worth, and all that jaz. I did feel terrible, as if I cannot play nice, or follow the rules. But I realize, it was a bump to keep my on my track. I’m a writer. I write about food. I’m just sticking my head out in the world of letters and it’s going to be a long, steady haul to the place where I will be considered good at it. So that is what I will continue to do.

Buon appetito..