Re: WC 150K Post Challenge - You Ready?!
I'm glad the food was still decent. Would you be able to enquire where the previous chef works now? I'm sure he must be around somewhere, since he has a great reputation.
Sadly, no. It's not a high end place. Even though it's a part of a chain of three, we like to go the OG site (which we went to last night).
It's interesting when you're a regular at a restaurant and can tell when changes happen in the kitchen. We had a favorite Spanish tapas place that closed a few years ago that we frequented alot. We went there one day and instantly knew the chef was changed. The co owners used to walk around to talk to the patrons. So we we're in a quiet corner with no other guests sitting nearby when the co owner checked in with us:
Co-owner: Good evening guys. How's everything?
MIA: Food and service is good, thanks. (pauses) One quick question?
Co-owner: Yes?
MIA: Did you guys change chefs?
Co-owner (pauses, a little surprised look flashes): No, I don't think we did.
MIA: Ok. Just curious. Food is still good.
Co-owner: I'm glad to hear you're enjoying your meal.
Yes, it's a no-no to ask as he didn't want to lose customers...but they ended up closing within the year after that visit. They were a spin-off of a more established restaurant. We went to the OG place once and the GF preferred the one that closed (so did I).
I do have to point out an elephant in the room - because the GF and I are brown people, it is always interesting being the only one of those walking into non-brown people dominant spaces. We get those looks, and I'm sure that co-owner was trying to process how we knew there were changes in the kitchen. We knew there were because the last two visits the restaurant wasn't as busy as we were used to - and we would go there at the start of dinner during high traffic days.
I'll blog about this in greater detail too. Lol.