Yes, first impressions are huge - but a little make up can go a long way. Take the Grand Opening for The Trusted Palate, (www.thetrustedpalate.com), last night. We immediately approved of the ambiance...the antique mirrors adjourning one entire wall (for sale), the dark lighting and the easy-on-the-eyes employees. We sat down and were greeted by a young waitress. Cute, sweet, bubbly, but had no idea about any of the wines or the cheeses. We asked three questions, very general, all answered with, "Let me ask the owner or chef". We of course love one-on-one time with the owner and chef, but come on - the servers should be a LITTLE knowledge. Not her fault, we fault the owner & chef for not providing the proper training before opening night.
Somewhat miffed by the lack of attention we were getting and I'm sure showing it on our face, Ian, the owner makes his way over. He was marvelous, gracious and sexy - he immediately made us forget we were annoyed. He did just what an owner should do on opening night: introduce himself, tell us a little about him, his plans for the future, credentials, wine recommendations, etc. Ian is a class act and has great plans for wine in Charleston; definitely check him out on the website above.
When it came time for ordering a few cheeses off of their extensive a la carte style cheese menu, we beckoned the chef, Dillon. He was as sweet as could be, didn't look a day over 27, flushed cheeks and all. He described and pointed out each cheese, well done, although we could have used a bit more enthusiasm and knowledge (didn't immediately know if the cheese was sheeps or cows milk).
Overall, things could have been done better. We were expecting a Grand Opening party, and aside from the band that started at 8:00, it was more of a relaxed, quiet evening at a wine & cheese (and meat) lounge - granted we did leave at 8:30. Nothing was on the house - completely ludicrous for a grand opening party. The bathrooms, because they are brand new and probably have some form of disinfectant all over them, smelled a little like the vet where I take my cat. And the no tap water/only bottled water offering is pretentious - even for us.
This said, we'll still come back because the cheese and meat selection was phenomenal, each wine we tried was excellent, and of course there's Ian.
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1 comment:
Sounds like owner Ian is long on preening and short on training. Perhaps we have a case here where character is destiny?
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