It’s not often that a Restaurant Rater forces Y&H to pick up the phone and talk to the restaurateur under evaluation, but capitolfoodies, in their  meticulously detailed critique of Vidalia during Restaurant Week, dropped this small, tactical bomb:

After we paid the bill and were preparing to leave the server asked how we enjoyed the meal. Parry and I exchanged looks. This is that embarrassing part of a bad meal where guests feel compelled to lie. We opted for the truth. Parry asked to speak with the manager and seconds later Michael Nevarez, the General Manager of Vidalia appeared. We carefully and somewhat gently explained that we had been eager to dine at Vidalia because of Chef Buben’s reputation and the rave reviews many have afforded the establishment but that we were gravely disappointed in the five-course tasting menu because so much of the food was either bland or overcooked. I suspect many of you will doubt what you are about to read but Parry and I swear it is the absolute truth. Mr. Nevarez responded by telling us that the dishes we were served fell short of our expectations because it is Restaurant Week and that in order to provide the five-course tasting menu at the price of $45 the chefs had to cut costs and use inferior ingredients. I swear Parry’s mouth slipped open during this horrendous explanation. I wish I’d had a camera with me to capture it. My response differed from Parry’s. I looked right at Mr. Nevarez and asked why Vidalia would risk their fine reputation by participating in Restaurant Week if doing so meant serving shoddy food. His response? In this economy, Vidalia wouldn’t survive if they didn’t especially since Congress is out on a break and business has been so slow.

It’s a serious charge that required a serious phone call to Jeffrey Buben, the owner of both Vidalia and Bistro Bis. He was hesitant to talk about the issue on the record. He didn’t think any good could come from refuting a customer’s experience; his main goal is to make his diners happy, he says, not treat them disrespectfully in the media.

Read More “Did Vidalia Use “Inferior” Ingredients During Restaurant Week?” »

Jeffrey Buben is a glass act.

Jeffrey Buben’s an old pro at examining every inch of Vidalia and Bistro Bis to find cost savings. He’ll review phone bills, ordering imbalances (too much product for too few customers), and overtime costs, anything to save cash and keep his staff employed in a bad economy. But one trick he’s currently using really caught my attention: It’s a contest to encourage the staff to be more careful with glassware.

As in please, please, please don’t break those long-stemmed wine glasses that can cost $4 each to replace.

Read More “One Method to Save Money in a Recession? Encourage the Staff Not to Break the Stemware.” »

Paul Bedard over at U.S. News & World Report runs down the 10 restaurants where you’re likely to spot what passes for celebrities in this town—lobbyists and legislators, in other words.  It’s a handy list, I suppose, if you actually know what Bob Goodlatte looks like and care about where he dines.

Frankly, I’ve eaten out hundreds of times and have rarely spotted anyone famous, perhaps because my definition of famous run more along the West Coast/Hollywood axis than the East Coast/Wonk axis. Of course, it could be that I also don’t have a table reserved at Cafe Milano, Bedard’s No. 1 spot. Don’t see that happening anytime soon either.

Bedard is promising more restaurant lists in the future, such as “the dives favored by Hill staffers, and where top federal officials huddle for after-dinner drinks…” I’m tingling in anticipation, but for now, check out his top star-magnet restaurants after the jump.

Read More “U.S. News’ Bedard Lists the Top 10 Restaurants to Spot Celebs” »