As I write this post, I still can't believe my experience at Bish World Cuisine this past Monday night. My dearest friend was in town for a couple of days on her way to Kingston, Ontario to start her residency. Knowing that we would be going for an all-out meal, I chose Bish as the resto because a) I hadn't been in a while, and b) it's Bish! The menu just screams celebration.
We got geared to go and trotted down to the waterfront at about 8 pm. The restaurant was just filling up as the sun was setting. As a golden glow descended on the dining room,and the chatter from our fellow diners filled the air, we were excited for Bish's 'World Cuisine' to knock our socks off- and it did. Unfortunately, so did our server. More on that later...
We started off with a couple cocktails. I choose a citrus martini as I new it would pair nicely with my crab cakes appy. The crab cakes were incredible; a beautiful pairing of succulent meat complimented by a creamy, zesty chili lime aioli that packed a serious punch. Meggie went with the tuna tartare; silky smooth chunks of tuna with cool cucumber spaghetti and a touch of richness from the buttery avocado. We also shared an order of Bish's onion rings. These were crispy with a slightly greasy batter- in a good way! Served with a black ketchup with a tang of Worcestershire and a white ketchup, a smooth aioli, these were gourmet pub food at it's finest!
We got geared to go and trotted down to the waterfront at about 8 pm. The restaurant was just filling up as the sun was setting. As a golden glow descended on the dining room,and the chatter from our fellow diners filled the air, we were excited for Bish's 'World Cuisine' to knock our socks off- and it did. Unfortunately, so did our server. More on that later...
We started off with a couple cocktails. I choose a citrus martini as I new it would pair nicely with my crab cakes appy. The crab cakes were incredible; a beautiful pairing of succulent meat complimented by a creamy, zesty chili lime aioli that packed a serious punch. Meggie went with the tuna tartare; silky smooth chunks of tuna with cool cucumber spaghetti and a touch of richness from the buttery avocado. We also shared an order of Bish's onion rings. These were crispy with a slightly greasy batter- in a good way! Served with a black ketchup with a tang of Worcestershire and a white ketchup, a smooth aioli, these were gourmet pub food at it's finest!
Caesar & Blood Orange Martini
Onion Rings w/ black & white ketchup
Tuna Tartare w/ avocado & cucumber spaghetti
Dungeness Crab Cakes w/ lime chili aioli
For an entree, Meggie went with the Sea Bass, while I chose an option from the smaller plates-Lobster Risotto. I choose a small dish as my stomach was rapidly filling up; from every last lick of crab to each crispy piece of onion ring batter, all the way back to Bish's bread basket which featured aromatic cinnamon raisin bread and buttery cornbread.
Meggie's dish was a sight. Our jaws dropped when we saw the generous portion on fish; tender and meaty with a delightfully charred crust. It was paired with a generous combo of Asian veg and udon noodles- a nice alternative to rice or potato. My dish....sigh/daydream...was amazing. The risotto was cooked "just so", with a lovely bite and mouth-filling, buttery cheese. Delicate chunks of lobster were studded throughout-down to the last forkful- while the plate climaxed with a succulent lobster claw.
Miso marinated Sea Bass w/ Asian vegetable, sesame udon noodles & cucumber salad
For dessert, we shared the sabayon w/ strawberries. This was the ultimate "light" dessert. The foamy custard, adorned by a chiffonade of basil, had a sweet underlying character from the champagne. The combo of fresh strawberries and fragrant, lemony basil was intoxicating! It was served with langues-du-chat, small sugar-cookie like spoons which we used to scoop up the luscious berries and custard.
Champagne Marscapone sabayon w/ strawberries & langues-du-chat
Now, I'm not one to diss restaurants, and I certainly don't want to discourage you from going to this one. But someone recently told me that I should stop being so friendly and be an assertive diner. Well, I wasn't....We sat and fumed, and to be honest, if the food weren't so damn orgasmic, it would have ruined our meal. Our server was rude, almost verging on mean, and with an air of indifference as to our very existence. To make matters worse, he doted on the table next to us- a couple in their 60s- to no end. The one time he made eye contact with either one of us was when he was ringing through my Visa and pointed out the 'tip' option.
I guess this is encouragement to all those who have been dissatisfied after a meal to speak up, and stand up for your right as a diner- the right to walk out of a restaurant post meal and feel completely content and satisfied. Here's what I have to say about that night: The food at Bish was incredible- fresh, inventive, indulgent and exciting. Our cranky pants server was none of those things.
3 comments:
Umm, so what was the problem? What were you sitting and fuming about? Am I missing something here? Please give an example of how someone upset you.
My own experiences at Bish have been good, and on the last visit the service was excellent. I just usually am left feeling I paid too much. And a week later, I can't remember what I ate.
OK, now I think I understand. It is amazing how the level of service can affect the dining experience. If there is any suggestion that we are not valued customers, that our money is as good as anyone else's, then we naturally take offense. Sounds like the couple at the next table were regulars, or friends, but you still deserve to be treated almost as well.
At a place like Bish!, one would expect their staff to be experienced enough to have that figured out already.
Even if the food is terrific, the experience can be ruined by a rude server. I am one who believes that the food comes second to the service.....I can cook nicely at home and eat out mostly to be "served". If Bish cannot train its staff to be cordial and attentive (and ensure that they are so with all customers), then they shouldn't be in the business.
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