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+--- Thread: Waiter Frustrations (/thread-17625.html)
- lizardbrains - 08-26-2001
Okay, so I'm trying to learn more about wines, and of course you say that means practice, so I'm practicing!
My husband and I went to a restaurant last night, and I wanted a glass of wine to go with my crabcake dinner. I asked the waiter what he would suggest to go with the crabcake dinner. He said, "Ladies like Chardonnay, so... Do you like sweet wine?... or do you like dry?" At that point I thought, "Okay, this guy is stereotyping me as a Chardonnay person because I am a woman, and he's not even trying to match the wine with my food - which was what I asked him to do." So, I figured that since he wasn't going to recommend a wine to compliment my dinner, I might as well order Riesling, since I've been wanting to try that type of wine. So, I said "I was thinking of Riesling." to which he replied "That was exactly the one I was going to say!" Oh, PLEASE! So... he didn't give me the greatest impression - I felt he was just trying to pawn a wine off on me that he thought fit a typical woman, instead of choosing a wine to compliment my meal. I guess I was hoping for too much?
Then he brought me my wine 15-20 minutes before I got my meal. Is this normal? Since I was wanting my wine WITH my meal, should I have done something different to prompt him to bring it with my food, rather than well before it was served?
I would like your input on this experience of mine! Am I trying too hard, considering my lack of knowledge/experience?
By the way, the wine tasted good alone. Then when I got my meal, I tasted it with my food, and thought it really didn't taste too great. And so I tried my husband's creole shrimp, and the wine tasted great with HIS meal!!!! Oh well!
- hotwine - 08-26-2001
When a customer orders wine in a restaurant, it seems that waitstaff frequently assume that it will be used as a cocktail, as well as a complement to dinner. I usually specify to the waiter as appropriate, "We'd like the wine now, please", or "Please hold the wine until you serve the meal". That removes any ambguity regarding my preferred timing for the wine's serving.
As to your experience with Riesling: you didn't specify its origin, but my experience with German Riesling is that it is excellent with pork, veal or chicken, but not so great wth seafood; for that, I prefer a Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier or Pinot Grigio. Give the Riesling another try, but serve it with chicken or pork.
- Innkeeper - 08-26-2001
The best thing you did was to refuse the chardonnay. If it was a typical American/Australian/Chilian one, it would have gone with the crabcakes like oil and water. Hotwine's recommendations are what you should try next time. However, be careful of the sauvignons from the three countries above. Stay with New Zealand and the Loire Region of France.
- summa - 08-26-2001
I think perhaps your mistake was in assuming the waiter new anything more about wines than you did.
Having worked in the restaurant business for around a decade, mostly as a casual fine dining waiter, I know from experience that the vast majority of servers actually don't know didly squat about wine (surprisingly this is true even in more upscale settings). So the waiter was possibly just reciting something told to him...
However, there is a decent chance that at least one waiter, or some other staff member does know something about wine and the best thing may be to ask the waiter if there is such a person.
[This message has been edited by summa (edited 08-26-2001).]
- Thomas - 08-27-2001
Hotwine got it right--tell the waiter right away if you want the wine now or with the meal.
As for the Riesling, Hotwine is 1/2 correct. Riesling is not so great with seafood, unless the seafood is smoked or spcy. The reason it went with the shrimp Creole is because it is a spicy dish.
You cannot simply claim that a particular fish or meat, or vegetable for that matter, goes or does not go with a particular wine unless you take the sauce and preparation into consideration too.
- hotwine - 08-27-2001
I couldn't agree more, Foodie. I tried to keep it simple, and oversimplified. The method of preparation, and even the side dishes, can be all-important to the wine selection.