French Dining Rituals

[Boris_A]

My question is, is switching dishes and serving different things to different tables common practice, or is it something I can say was particular to this restaurant?

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I'm familiar with this not so rare practice in the Piedmont, where in many restaurants the courses use to be announced verbally and sometimes the supply of certain ingredients (baby goat, wild porcini mushrooms for example) is just not enough to accomodate all guests. And even then I ask somtimes for "fuorilistino" (not uncommon in Italy, a "not-on-the-list", though they haven't a list anyway there ) which is sometimes a "leftover" dish cooked for the owner family.

But I've never experienced being served with an "irregular" course (not to mention without being asked or at least being explained the reasons and having a choice). So I agree, what you experienced there is bad manners.

Edited October 16, 2004 by Boris_A (log)

[bleudauvergne]

OK I've found some comments at the routard.

Excellent restaurant poisson (et nous sommes difficiles !). Accueil agréable et service soigné. Produits frais, cuisine fine et plats joliment présentés. 111 euros à deux (sans vin) mais tout à fait justifiés. Mises en bouche (rillette de saumon, brochettes de coques, foie gras et compote de figues) offertes + calvodos glacé également offert avant le dessert. Nous conseillons particulièrement les coquilles saint jacques, le Saint Pierre et le Bar et surtout, surtout au dessert la tarte aux pommes chaude et glace au caramel au beurre salé. Enfin, allez y ! Nous, c'est sûr si nous retournons un jour à Saint Malo, nous irons. 

Hmmm. I don't think that the fois gras is an irregular dish, I just want to know that those people next to us did to get the Lotte!

[Terry Theise]

I add my voice to the wondering chorus for Miguel's marvelous post, the kind that makes you want to call all your friends and say "stop what you're doing and read this".

I also thank Lucy for the question which titles this thread, and which I'd answer thus: the French FD service ritual is relaxing provided one is comfortable playing the role it assigns. Which for the most part I am. I do feel, though, that the aim of good service should be to fulfill the reasonable wishes of civilized diners (not to be confused with catering to every whim of the cloddish baboso...), and if this entails a certain flexibility to alter the steps in the dance, that's all to the good.

I like waiters; they work hard and swallow a lot of pride, and I want my bearing to convey "I arrived happy and have every intention of remaining that way under your skillful care". I'm the furthest thing from a sauce-on-the-sider. But the minute service starts feeling like "well you know, rules are rules" then I feel less served than instructed, and I came to eat a meal, not to learn a lesson. Ultimately the most valuable "ritual" of great service is to provide for the well-being of the reasonable guest, not obsequiously but with care and competence.

On a related note, on our final evening of vacation a week ago we dined at Nicolas le Bec in Lyon (and had an exciting meal which recalled L'Astrance), but, arriving on the early side (7:45) we were seated at the death-table right by the swinging door to the kitchen. My wife (a restaurateur herself) was pretty steamed, but I understood: we were strangers from afar, and the best tables go to regulars. She wanted to let her feelings be known, but I wanted to win the place over. Since it was our last night, we wanted to splurge, and we ordered Important Wine - 88 Krug, and 1970 Haut Brion. Having established we were (at least for that evening!) Big Spenders, we were accorded a degree of deference we wouldn't otherwise have received. And I turned on the charm (at least to the extent my truculent misanthropic nature permits...) and by evening's end we were being comped courses and invited to go back into the kitchen and meet the very young-looking Chef le Bec and offer heartfelt compliments.

BUT, here was an instance when, if I hadn't made a point of asking for our red wine to be poured as soon as the fish-course was cleared, it wouldn't have been. And we both wanted and deserved a few minutes alone with our Haut Brion, don't you think? I'd never make any kind of scene on the spot, but I would and did return with a few pointed questions about WHO'S being served here, the actual flesh-and-blood diner, or the sacred Tradition.

[Carrot Top]

Nice post, there. Informational, educational, full of things to think about...including the taste of the food and wine.

But I must say that the high point of it all, for me anyway, was the invention of the word 'cloddish babboso'. Good job! I am pleased to make this part of my vocabulary....it makes me smile to even think of the word....

[docsconz]

Terry, Welcome to eGullet! I think you hit the nail on the head with your description of your expectations for service.

I look forward to reading more of your experiences and insights here and on other boards and please keep up the good work on the wine importation front. I remember a wine dinner of your selections a few years ago at The Friends Lake Inn in Chestertown, NY. that was one of the better ones amongst many very fine ones that I've attended.

[Ptipois]

This is noted, Ptpois.  It may be the one and only time it every happens.  About it  about it being bad manners - I just can't imagine that any restaurant would choose to exercise bad manners in such a way.  I am going to investigate this further.

The thought that perhaps our neighbors simply requested an all fish meal, knowing the fois gras, has come to mind as well.

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It could also be that some "amuse-bouche" come with certain kinds of menus, and different amuse-bouche with other menus, as you hint. I never experienced this consciously but who knows, this is quite possible depending on the composition of the menus.

As for the "fuorilistino" and the today's specials as experienced in Piedmont, the same practice exists in all of rural Europe, but special dishes and amuse-bouche are two completely different things.

The principle of the amuse-bouche is that you don't actually know that you're going to get it and what exactly you'll get. Thus there is room for change and imagination. Sometimes, perhaps not everybody gets the same. A "special" client may even get a special amuse-bouche.

Edited October 16, 2004 by Ptipois (log)

[Bux]

Terry, I think you solidify the thrust of your main point point quite well and I trust you understand that even in what I think of as one of the more civil corners of eGullet which itself has made great strides in raising the level of respectable discourse in the culinary arts, many of us take a position that we hope will extend the discussion more than it will disprove or correct what another has said.

[Bux]

It could also be that some "amuse-bouche" come with certain kinds of menus, and different amuse-bouche with other menus, as you hint. I never experienced this consciously but who knows, this is quite possible depending on the composition of the menus.

I can't recall a specific occasion where this has happened, but somehow it seems that seeing different amuses brought to different tables is a part of my unconscious memory. Consciously I can recall looking for it and thinking other tables were getting different amuses/hors d'oeuvres in a fine restaurant in Spain only to realize we were getting the same, just in different order.

The principle of the amuse-bouche is that you don't actually know that you're going to get it and what exactly you'll get. Thus there is room for change and imagination. Sometimes, perhaps not everybody gets the same. A "special" client may even get a special amuse-bouche.

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I don't think it's unreasonable for the restaurant to serve different things for free to different diners. I can think of a number of reasons why they might. When trimming the lotte into portions, they might find themselves with pieces too small to serve as a course, and why not please a guest with them. As it's the result of chance, there may not be enough to go around. Generally it should be enough for the meal to be worth the price charge and extras to be taken as gifts, but it's human nature to wonder why we get the short end of the straw, even though it might just be chance.

Restaurants do run out of things and they do like to use the last of products they've bought. In Paris we ordered a tasting menu in a restaurant only to be told they were changing that menu and hadn't had time to change the carte. It was clear later on as we observed the service from our ideal position on the balcony, that many were having the "old" tasting menu. I suspected that as we were the last to order, apparently they had run out of at least one of the ingredients on the listed menu. Mrs. B said she had her heart set on pigeon having seen it on the old menu, but that the veal would suit her as well when the new menu was recited. Apparently they had two pigeons in the kitchen as we were served the "new" seafood and fish courses and then the pigeon. I've also known some restaurants to be very flexible in making changes in a set menu ofr individuals, while others are not. I don't know how I'd ask for change in my amuse as it's offered as a gift. I've known people who have refused an amuse because of allergies. Generally the restaurant will send something else out, though not always.