Dessertus Interruptus at Prune
I don’t often blog about food, probably because Sofie and I tend to go to the same half dozen or so places all the time. But the other week we visited one of New York’s better known restaurants, Prune, in the East Village.
Our party of four arrived before the sun set and the ambiance of the small restaurant, with its wooden chairs and simple decor, was very relaxing and homely. We had a lovely meal, chatting, laughing and enjoying the delicious food. In fact, we had such a good evening that we took our time ordering and eating each of our three courses, which is just as well considering Prune is one of New York’s more expensive restaurants.
When we had been in the restaurant for a little over two hours, and were about halfway through two desserts that we were sharing in the middle of the table, the waitress came over and politely asked if we wouldn’t mind finishing up soon because she had a table for four who had been waiting for half an hour and she didn’t want to keep them waiting any longer.
Being hurried away from our table didn’t ruin the evening. But it did leave a bad taste in my mouth. I understand it’s not fair to keep other people waiting. But isn’t it equally unfair to throw people off a table when the whole idea of eating out is that it is an evening in and of itself, especially when they haven’t even finished eating?
On a related note, my Blogarithms story for Metro today is about food blogger Restaurant Girl.
Eating Out, Prune
those darn uncivilised americans…
seriously, this has never happened to me before in the states and i’ve lived here 26 years. i wouldn’t give Prune a moment’s thought ever again in the future. btw, love yr blog…
GOD, that’s unacceptable. especially in an expensive restaurant. not that it should matter (i’d be pissed at getting shooed from a table at Sizzler), but it’s somehow particularly appalling. can’t say i have any desire to visit prune now.
I’ve heard great things about Prune but I would be annoyed if they tried to shoe me out after only 2 hours. Funny enough, it’s happened to me before in the states - and often at a local french restaurant owned by real frogs! I guess they absorbed some aspects of American culture. This makes me miss eating out in South America - where I learned about the art of enjoying a 4 hour meal. I mean, that leaves time to actually taste the food as well as enjoy conversation!
And correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t this owned by the woman who wrote that article making fun of the visually impaired chef who applied for a position at her restaurant?
It’s not your concern at all if others are waiting for a table…. that’s between them and the restaurant. Unless you were informed beforehand that you had a minimum time allowed, I think you were extremely generous to leave….
That sucks! They were totally in the wrong. I have had something similiar happen at resturants in the past, but they’ve usually made room for us at another spot.
that happened to my family (a party of 6) we were asked to hurry it up during our dessrts at Tao. I think it is so rude. Were there other parties of four? Why did they ask your table and not another? I mean jeez - you were half way through your dessert, which meant that you would be done soon. It would have been more polite way would have been to have waited until you had all finished the desserts and then come over and explained the situation. Or now thinking about it may have been more fun just to look at the server and start eating the dessert extremely slow.
Seriously, that wouldn’t happen in Europe. You know that this was pure Americanism. This kind of situation bugged me before I moved out of america, but now, I can’t handle it when I go back. When I eat at chain restaurants (yes, thanks to my grandma, it happens) and the waiter hands me the bill with my dessert, I hand it right back and let him know that I’ll ask for the bill when I’m good and ready.