A customer asks for ice in his/her glass of red wine, a pricey Cali Cab. What is your response?
(correct answer at the end of responses)

I bring out a glass of ice and a spoon and tell the customer that this is a practice I am not accustomed to and ask the customer to either instruct me how much ice to put in the glass or else to take the ice and spoon and put the ice in himself.

Did you just call me a sommelier? Them's fighting words!

quote:

Originally posted by ratso:
A customer asks for ice in his/her glass of red wine, a pricey Cali Cab. What is your response?
(correct answer at the end of responses)

I bitch slap them into the next county. Then again, I'm not a Sommelier.

If I had the misfortune of being a smellyair, this would never happen. I'd never actually make it to "work". If I were that much of a failure in life that I had to have such a pathetic profession, I would simply put a cap in my dome.

You do have a way with words, GA!

Maybe 15 years ago, I took my office staff out to dinner in NYC after a convention. We went to a place near the UN that I used to love, called Le Petite Marmite. I ordered a bottle of Gruaud-Larose, but I don't remember the vintage. Before I could say anything, one woman put some ice from her water glass into her glass of Gruaud-Larose.

Funny post above.

Nice to see Assman posting again.

quote:

Originally posted by Board-O:
You do have a way with words, GA!

Maybe 15 years ago, I took my office staff out to dinner in NYC after a convention. We went to a place near the UN that I used to love, called Le Petite Marmite. I ordered a bottle of Gruaud-Larose, but I don't remember the vintage. Before I could say anything, one woman put some ice from her water glass into her glass of Gruaud-Larose.

Years ago there was a restaurant in West Palm Beach with the same name...any relationship ?

As long as they can pay for the wine, I really don't care what the hell they do with it.

quote:

Originally posted by inky:

quote:

Originally posted by Board-O:
Le Petite Marmite

Years ago there was a restaurant in West Palm Beach with the same name...any relationship ?

I have no idea.

Ask them if they ordered their filet mignon very well done?

They are the customer - I'd get them the ice, and do what winetarelli said. If they want to put ice in their wine, or Sweet N Low, or 7 Up, that's their choice. It's their money.

As to Le Petite Marmite, there was a place on Worth Avenue, in Palm Beach, with that name. I think it was a dinner club, if I recall correctly; it's been gone for many years. I don't know if there was a connection to NY, but I wouldn't be surprised. There are lots of NY connections to Palm Beach.

No different than a cook's reaction to someone ordering a Porterhouse steak well-done or a person who paints their corvette lime green.

There is ignorance and stupidity everywhere...

Which is why I can never work in a service related industry. My eye rolling disgust would get me in trouble pretty quick.

quote:

Originally posted by Hunter:
No different than a cook's reaction to someone ordering a Porterhouse steak well-done

There is ignorance and stupidity everywhere...

If I'm in China, you can be damn sure I'm ordering ANY kind of meat well done.

give them ice and also ask if they would like a decanter put ON ice and chilled so the wine isn't diluted.

quote:

quote:
Originally posted by Hunter:
No different than a cook's reaction to someone ordering a Porterhouse steak well-done

There is ignorance and stupidity everywhere...



If I'm in China, you can be damn sure I'm ordering ANY kind of meat well done.

If I'm in China, I'm avoiding the entire meat section of the menu. "From The Sea, Thank You"

quote:

Originally posted by Hunter:

quote:

quote:
Originally posted by Hunter:
No different than a cook's reaction to someone ordering a Porterhouse steak well-done

There is ignorance and stupidity everywhere...



If I'm in China, you can be damn sure I'm ordering ANY kind of meat well done.

If I'm in China, I'm avoiding the entire meat section of the menu. "From The Sea, Thank You"

how bout sea snakes or water buffalo? =)

Just fyi, some of the bog name old school Napa winemakers are known for doing this.

I'd want to know if they wanted to dilute the wine or chill it. I can understand wanting to dilute some of the over-the-top swill that passes for wine these days, but it would be better to find them something they actually like, than something they feel a need to fix. If it was too warm - well, that wouldn't happen if I was working there - I'd get an ice bucket. Maybe offer a glass of something else while the wine cools.

quote:

Originally posted by Renquist:
give them ice and also ask if they would like a decanter put ON ice and chilled so the wine isn't diluted.

Finally an intelligent answer, because that is what any competent and itelligent professional in the service industry would say.
this is one of my favorite sayings and is something I try to maintain while doing my job.

"let the customer do with the wine what they will, its their wine, they can take a bath in it for all I care"-alpana singh MS

quote:

Originally posted by Hunter:
No different than a cook's reaction to someone ordering a Porterhouse steak well-done or a person who paints their corvette lime green.

There is ignorance and stupidity everywhere...

Which is why I can never work in a service related industry. My eye rolling disgust would get me in trouble pretty quick.

I used to wait tables in a steakhouse. You just knew when a table ordered Filet Mignon MW or W that they were going to be bad tippers. The cooks actually pointed this out to me. How did they know? But they did. I would just cringe when taking the order because I knew the abuse that lied ahead, and that I would not be compensated.

quote:

Originally posted by spo:

quote:

Originally posted by Hunter:
No different than a cook's reaction to someone ordering a Porterhouse steak well-done or a person who paints their corvette lime green.

There is ignorance and stupidity everywhere...

Which is why I can never work in a service related industry. My eye rolling disgust would get me in trouble pretty quick.

I used to wait tables in a steakhouse. You just knew when a table ordered Filet Mignon MW or W that they were going to be bad tippers. The cooks actually pointed this out to me. How did they know? But they did. I would just cringe when taking the order because I knew the abuse that lied ahead, and that I would not be compensated.

That's because they are almost guaranteed to not like it much. Should expect all customers to be experts. Recently, I've had a few steakhouses (such as Flemmings) ask suggestively "Would you like that medium rare?" It's clear that they are highly suggesting you do so, in a very tactful way.

yhn, when you have the family from Deliverance at your table, there is no reasoning with them.

quote:

Originally posted by spo:
yhn, when you have the family from Deliverance at your table, there is no reasoning with them.

and as your experience from waiting tables in a steakhouse....also the cast of any tyler perry movie


(I await the yells of racism : )

so I will add greeks as well : )~

quote:

Originally posted by spo:
yhn, when you have the family from Deliverance at your table, there is no reasoning with them.

Yeah, been there. You can only do your best, and it's best not to worry about it after that.