Da Andrea
As a response to all the articles I’ve read lately about the decline in the level of service in New York City restaurants...Last night my boy and I went to our favorite local Italian restaurant. We used to go there every couple of weeks when we first moved to the neighborhood, but hadn't been back in a few months. But our usual waiter recognized us right away.
“Boy! Girl!” he said, quickly wending his way over to our table. “How are you? We haven’t seen you in such a long time.”
“We’ve been away,” my boy told him, not entirely truthfully. More truthfully, he added, “and we got engaged.”
Waiter stopped, and put his hands on his heart in melodramatic Italian-restaurant-waiter fashion. “Congratulations!” he said. “Many, many congratulations!” He chatted with us for a few minutes, then left us with the menus. A busboy appeared a moment later with a basket of bread. Two minutes later Waiter reappeared, bearing two flutes of champagne.
“For you,” he said, setting them down. “Congratulations.”
We were touched, and thanked him profusely. A few minutes later he came back to take our order. My boy got the mixed green salad and the pappardelle with sausage and truffle oil. I got the lentil soup and the spaghetti Bolognese. It was a Wednesday night and we both had early meetings the next morning, so we limited ourselves to a half-carafe of the house red. The food was, as always, delicious.
Eventually, we finished our meals, the table was cleared, and dessert menus were offered. It was a Wednesday night and swimsuit weather was approaching, so we turned them down. “Just the check, please,” my boy said.
But Waiter wasn't done with us yet. Before the check, he brought us an artfully arranged plate of biscotti, a delightful custard, and a couple of other little treats. He also shook both of our hands. “Congratulations again,” he told us.
We ate, and it was delicious. We got the check, and we paid. Waiter gave us one last “Congratulations” and we walked out.
It was a Wednesday night and, for one brief moment, all felt right with the world.
posted by Amarula Dreams @ 3:23 PM
