Babbo (First 6 Years)

Fat Guy · August 24, 2003

Montepulciano D'Abruzzo 'Toni' Cataldi Madonna 1998: Lupa $70, Babbo $56

I would not have predicted that. I wonder to what extent the restaurants have interlocking management and/or purchasing.

Beachfan · August 24, 2003

Could be that Lupa reloaded on the wine, and had to pay higher prices in euro's (and definitely in dollars).

FireIslanddish · August 29, 2003

For those interested and I say this tentatively, :wacko: I received a siccinct apology letter from the service director on behalf of Mr. Batali :hmmm: regarding my dining experience that "left a bad taste" (see Babbo thread)

to paraphrase Ms. Selzer, she offered sincere apologies for the disappointing experience. "We do appreciate any comments on our performance whether postive or negative." She assured me that the "comments were not only read by Mr. Batali, but they inspired a service meeting amoung our entire hospitalitly department. Mr Batali reviewed your letter point by point with our staff. You very eloquently detailed exactly what we do not want when interacting with our guests. " She expressed that they hoped I would try them again and to contact her.

Cheers,

FireIslanddish :smile:

tommy · August 29, 2003

they'd probably be interested in the several threads about babbo as well. god knows for one of the most loved restaurants in NYC, they get their share of criticism from us. :smile:

Special Ed · August 29, 2003

That's great. I'm happy you posted this here so that everyone can see Babbo making the effort to right a wrong. This is what fine dining establishments should aspire to be; I'm very happy to see it. You've certainly solidified my desire to dine at Babbo further. Thanks!

macrosan · August 29, 2003

god knows for one of the most loved restaurants in NYC, they get their share of criticism from us.

It's precisely because they're one of the most loved restaurants in NYC that they do get so much criticism :smile: I think we've come to expect a lot of Babbo, and we're extra disappointed when we don't get it.

I'm glad you got that letter, FID, and even more glad you told us. Please do take up their offer and contact them to say you'll give them that chjance they asked for.

I sincerely hope that Ms Selzer's first name isn't Alma or some very similarly spelled name :laugh:

FireIslanddish · August 29, 2003

I sincerely hope that Ms Selzer's first name isn't Alma or some very similarly spelled name

:laugh: no just plain Nancy

bilrus · August 29, 2003

I wonder if the previous thread made its way back to Babbo and Mario?

tommy · August 29, 2003

It's precisely because they're one of the most loved restaurants in NYC that they do get so much criticism I think we've come to expect a lot of Babbo, and we're extra disappointed when we don't get it.

i think it's also related to the fact that the host can be such a nasty miserable prick. unacceptable regardless of my expectations. :rolleyes:

Edited August 29, 2003 by tommy (log)

Jason Perlow · August 29, 2003

I've forwarded much of the Babbo threads to Mario directly, as has Tony.

bloviatrix · August 29, 2003

She expressed that they hoped I would try them again and to contact her.

You must have been floored to see that envelope in your mail.

Any plans to go back?

Lreda · August 29, 2003

The apology letter is nice but as a restaurant owner I would have reached out a little further and led Fire Islandissh back to the restaurant ASOP. As those on the Jersey board know, if I fuck up I need to stop the bleeding before it hits the Hugo Boss. :wink:

Then again I have a public access cooking show, not 4 places and book signings.

Though, I am available on Thursdays, but I'm most likely at OTTO.

FireIslanddish · August 30, 2003

I've forwarded much of the Babbo threads to Mario directly, as has Tony.

I wonder... if this had anything to do with the letter I received. It took a good month for a response and was not sent by either person I addressed it to... Maybe egullet is more of an impression than a letter. :unsure:

FireIslanddish · August 30, 2003

She expressed that they hoped I would try them again and to contact her.

You must have been floored to see that envelope in your mail.
Any plans to go back?

Yes I was a bit shocked that a letter was sent after so much time (you might say "floored"). :wink:

As of yet, no plans to go back. Even with the letter, which arrived a bit on the late side and not responded to by the people I addresssed it to, :hmmm: I've decided to wait.

As a side note, going back to Nobu (fifth or sixth time) for my upcoming birthday dinner in September. As much as they have been snotty at times the place always came through. Even in the uneven LA sister resturant the food was great.

tommy · August 30, 2003

Even with the letter, which arrived a bit on the late side and not responded to by the people I addresssed it to, I've decided to wait.

i'd imagine that a company the size of babbo has certain people who respond to customers' complaints. i wouldn't take it as a slight.

Mottmott · August 30, 2003

to paraphrase Ms. Selzer, she offered sincere apologies for the disappointing experience. "We do appreciate any comments on our performance whether postive or negative." She assured me that the "comments were not only read by Mr. Batali, but they inspired a service meeting amoung our entire hospitalitly department. Mr Batali reviewed your letter point by point with our staff. You very eloquently detailed exactly what we do not want when interacting with our guests. " She expressed that they hoped I would try them again and to contact her.

This reminds me of the CEO who found a cockroach in his airplane dinner, sent a raging letter to the CEO of the airline threatening that no one in his company would ever fly that airline again. He received an abject letter in return, promising to fumigate the plane, retrain the stewards, fire the catering co, etc . And they enclosed a couple tickets. You get the idea.

Of course he relented, and what did he find in his dinner? You guessed it. Well, the letter he sent was more enraged than the first. ...He received a letter in return more abject than the first, promising to get new caterers, fire the maintainence company, the stewards, and offering a dozen free flight tickets. But as he opened the envelope a little piece of paper fluttered to the floor which he picked up, reading the handwritten note, " Send the SOB another cockroach letter."

tommy · August 30, 2003

urban legend?

Andy Lynes · August 30, 2003

I dressed in what I would consider casual bar scene clothes: faded blue jeans, polished black leather shoes (leather soles), an ironed white linen button-down shirt, a casual charcoal cotton vest and a casual unconstructed cotton sportcoat in grey-green.

Oh, I get it now...you're Patrick Bateman aren't you?

slkinsey · August 30, 2003

urban legend?

Yes

ZenJones · August 30, 2003

One would think with the digit Babbo pulls in they would have comp'ed you to re-gain your trust and business.

Jesus, McDonalds cares more about customer relations... when we were in college because we were continiously broke we would call the various local McDonalds' around town(especially after partaking in some Rastafarian Recreational Activities :cool: ), ask for the manager, explain to him or her that we had recently gone through the Drive-thru and were missing some items from our order-everytime we were told to ask for the manager by name and that they would take care of us on our next visit(which of course was in 10-15 minutes... the amount of time it took to load into someones car and bolt to that particular location).

We were always given what we said was missing from our previous visit-without question- and more often than not... additional items.

tommy · August 30, 2003

One would think with the digit Babbo pulls in they would have comp'ed you to re-gain your trust and business.
Jesus, McDonalds cares more about customer relations...

i didn't read anything that suggested that they definitely were being ignored or not taken care of. in fact, if anything, quite the opposite:

She expressed that they hoped I would try them again and to contact her.

ZenJones · August 30, 2003

One would think with the digit Babbo pulls in they would have comp'ed you to re-gain your trust and business.
Jesus, McDonalds cares more about customer relations...
i didn't read anything that suggested that they definitely were being ignored or not taken care of. in fact, if anything, quite the opposite:
She expressed that they hoped I would try them again and to contact her.

Yes, that's true but I meant that there was no definate statement toward a comp'ed meal in the letter... I would think that the Babbo management would have wanted that stated clearly to insure that the patron knew they were certain to be taken care of on their return visit.

Varmint · August 30, 2003

I'm going to Babbo in a few weeks, so if you PM me your name, I'll impersonate you and see how they treat me! :wink:

tommy · August 30, 2003

Yes, that's true but I meant that there was no definate statement toward a comp'ed meal in the letter... I would think that the Babbo management would have wanted that stated clearly to insure that the patron knew they were certain to be taken care of on their return visit.

perhaps babbo management thought this would be best handled in person or in a one-on-one conversation. i don't think they're in the business of mailing gift certificates to every person who complains.

Edited August 30, 2003 by tommy (log)

elyse · August 30, 2003

One would think with the digit Babbo pulls in they would have comp'ed you to re-gain your trust and business.
Jesus, McDonalds cares more about customer relations... when we were in college because we were continiously broke we would call the various local McDonalds' around town(especially after partaking in some Rastafarian Recreational Activities ), ask for the manager, explain to him or her that we had recently gone through the Drive-thru and were missing some items from our order-everytime we were told to ask for the manager by name and that they would take care of us on our next visit(which of course was in 10-15 minutes... the amount of time it took to load into someones car and bolt to that particular location).
We were always given what we said was missing from our previous visit-without question- and more often than not... additional items.

Mc Donalds throws away food regularly anyway. They're also a multi-swillion dollar corporation.

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