Comments on: Review: Lot 17 (Bloomfield)

By: Mandy

Mandy — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 06:19:18 +0000

Oh Lot 17… how delicious you once were. When I first started working downtown a few years ago one of the first places I ate at was Lot 17. I was immediately in LOVE with their candy aka their sweet potato fries with that fab butter. Things went downhill from there unfortunately. Several folks got some tummy aches from their undercooked tuna and I was way to skeeved out to try eating there after that. bummer because I could go for some candy!!

By: mike

mike — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 04:56:03 +0000

SSL: I agree. Good rapport is a lot to expect. I don’t think I would ever write off a place based on less than stellar server-interactions. Waiting tables is a hard job, and I have enormous amounts of respect for the people that do it. Many of them handle the pressure extraordinarily well.

On the other hand, when a restaurant provides the right environment and hires the right people to make positive customer interactions likely, a restaurant really has the opportunity to shine above the rest. My Blue Water Tavern experience was a good example of such a case.

Coming back to Lot 17, I think there comes a breaking point when poor interactions start to be somewhat bothersome. I called attention to it in this review because it was distracting and made me uncomfortable. I think it’s important to draw a distinction between “not particularly noteworthy” and “made me want to leave earlier than I had planned.” Lot 17 was an example of the latter.

I suspect the problem is more with the environment provided by the restaurant than a particular server. If that is really the case, then I would hope they make adjustments to their policies to improve the situation.

By: SLL

SLL — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 23:09:04 +0000

Just my ten cents. Although I hate the over enthusiastic server scenario as you do I also think its unreasonable to expect a certain rapport with servers at restaurants. After all, they seen dozens if not hundreds of customers every day while on their feet the whole time. I would think that they see difficult and cranky people all day and have to deal with multiple tables, orders and demands at any given time. If they are helpful and professional that seems enough. Don’t be too hard on them for just doing their job.

By: mike

mike — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:15:10 +0000

Glad I’m not the only one frustrated by “crazy servers” and the “sit/wait dance” (I like your naming, btw). The veggie pita did surprise me, but the winter tomato was bland and really detracted from the whole ensemble. They would have been better off replacing with more squash.

Also, I added a new photo with a veggie pita close up.

By: Susan

Susan — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:07:43 +0000

You hit on 2 restaurant pet peeves of mine – crazy servers (I am a server so I’m allowed to say that) and the awkward “do I sit/wait” dance. On the plus, that veggie pita doesn’t sound half bad!