The Irish Heather

[transfattyacid]

Good morning!  Anybody get any sleep last night??

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yeah i did , thanks for asking .

[shelora]

Reading all your posts has been the most incredibly fascinating, gut wrenching, real, gritty, f***ing amazing experience I've read about in a very long time.

Truly stunning.

[Coop]

I just keep re-reading Mr Heather's post, and I still can't believe he told some of us not to darken his doors ever again. I keep thinking he would edit that part out of his post but it's still there. I don't think any part of this will cause his business as much damage as his own post. Just my opinion from a distance.

[transfattyacid]

That’s where flamboyant interlopers like A.A. Gill (of London's The Sunday Times)

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yeah , he got publicly asked to leave one restaurant , did he not ?

to the benefit of its much lauded proprietor, a one Mr Ramsey if memory serves .

interesting topic this. the plot will surely thicken .

[butter]

Wow, I have missed so much and now have used up my time reading this thread. Have to go to work soon...in a kitchen where the heat is, but safe from the customers who are "always right" I, too, am happy this thread happened as it's what I come to e-gullet for: to hear opinions from all sides, diners, servers, chefs, and owners. I wouldn't enjoy a board as much if its members were only professional food critics (one or two are okay though, ahem). I, too, have not tried the Irish Heather, but will, despite what has been said here. Chances are I would never have heard of the place without this board. No business will be lost (unless the food and service really do suck) and when reading reviews by members here, we all are very aware, that they are only opinions, and just like movies, relate to some, but not all. Go forth, praise and rant whoever you are!

[cubilularis]

Yup Sean, real nice...

• $15 for three courses is a good excuse for serving sub-standard food?

• Being a pub is an excuse for poor service, regardless of how friendly…live with it?

• Working long hours as an owner mean everything is perfect for the guest?

• Being a restaurant owner means you can berate your guest's opinion, rightly or wrongly?

You started the forum, you live with the consequences.

BAD FOOD + BAD SERVICE = BAD POST

whatever happened to READ.CHEW.DISCUSS?

These people wasted their money at your spot and wrote about it in an open forum, Man-up.

[Andy Lynes]

I'm unlocking this thread now. But I have had to delete several off topic posts and to remind members that the purpose of eGullet is to discuss matters relating to food and drink. We welcome the frank exchange of views; in my opinion, this thread has shown how eGullet can help a restaurateur see things from his customer's point of view and allow customers an insight into the practical and emotional realities of running a restaurant. Let's keep the discussion on topic and reasonably civil.

As a reminder:

- Matters of general site policy should only be discussed in the Policy Discussion Centre.

- Queries or comments about specific site management decisions (e.g. about the deletion of a post) should be directed to site officials by PM or e mail. They shouldn't be posted anywhere on the board.

- Public discussions of administrative decisions are not permitted and will be deleted

Now, back to the food. Thanks.

[appreciator]

Alrighty then... inspired by a post elsewhere I am reposting this comment... and taking out the feel good niceties as well.... Let the chips fall where they may

I can't seem to drag myself away from this whole trainwreck of a thread.

I want to make note of a little something called expectations.

On the tourism vancouver menu for DOV at the Heather there was a special note at the bottom. It said:

"Our young chef Tony Marzo has spent the last 7 years at Wickaninnish Inn, Cafe Brio and Ontario's Relais & Chateau property Langdon Hall. At $15 we are definitely worth a try."

Now.... to me this added a certain cache to the already interesting menu and I figured we were in for a truly spectacular meal. Does this set things up for a high expectation on the part of customers...... ummm... I'd say so. Is that realistic.... probably not.

However.... in hindsight (don't we all wish we had a little bit of that earlier?), I think it would have been nearly impossible to pull off something truly "spectacular" for $15.

Was my meal what I was expecting.... not really.

Was it worth a try for $15.... absolutely.

But getting (or setting) your expectations up (on either side of the equation) is just not the best recipe for success in my opinion. (However, it's just an opinion.... that's all

Edited, a whole bunch of times..... that's just the way it goes sometimes.

Edited February 6, 2005 by appreciator (log)

[dodger]

I have copied Sean's response to the "malicious" posts here as an example to my staff of what NOT to say in response to a guests opinion of our establishment.

Thanks Sean... I couldn't have written it better myself!

John

[nwyles]

Volume, volume, volume !

Agree with Sean or not, this thread have seen incredible volume since the infamous posting. I have seen it go from 1400 views to nearly 6000 in a few days.

( edited to say 10 people viewing with 30 seconds of this post ! It is like a car crash, you want not to look but you can't help yourself )

This post or posts have turned a fairly active board into a hornets nest, with people all over the globe dialing in to see all of the Hub-bub.

I wonder if the same is happening at the Heather ? Are people dropping in to check it out for themselves ? I have no inside knowledge of this or is it a set-up - I am just curious. What is the response to a series of negative posts ? How has this affected the business ? Curious onlookers seeking to form opinions of their own or does nobody other than the people involed really care? Has this been a rallying cry to all supporters of the Heather ? Are there tourists with camera seeking shots with the "crazed Irish Lunatic" ? What are the short term losses or gains. What would the long term ones be. How far reaching is the power of the mighty egullet ?

Sean ? Care to fill in the blanks.

I think a pint of Harp is in order, so I can see for myself. I think I will bring my camera for that candid shot of the "crazed Irish Lunatic"

Edited February 7, 2005 by nwyles (log)

[mjr_inthegardens]

Volume, volume, volume !

with people all over the globe dialing in to see all of the Hub-bub.

Care to fill in the blanks.

←

I think the gentleman owner would fit in very well here in NYC, if the Canucks drive him further off the deep end.

Regards

-MJR

[eatrustic]

I have to imagine that Sean is now the "rock god" to many chef and restaurant owners (with similar philosophys) in town (and beyond) who wish they had the cojones to take a stand and let 'er rip.

If it wasn' t already I bet the Heather is the new hangout for industry people paying homage.

[klaybc]

At the risk of getting "off topic" on this thread, I would like to comment on... the food.

At our Irish Heather DOV visit, I found the beet salad tasty and refreshing (the seperately dressed green salad on the side was a nice touch) and the beef shortribs very tasty - just what braised meats should be. This is not Hawaiian-style spareribs or barbeque, but the sublime flavour of slow-cooked beef. The flavours of the marinade, the beef, the bones and the marow all come together.

As others have mentioned, the nut-pie was toothsome and delicious.

If I have a quibble, and I have told Sean this directly (full disclosure: Sean is a client and friend), get out of the restrictive $15 catagory and blow us all out of the water next year for $25.

[appreciator]

At the risk of getting "off topic" on this thread, I would like to comment on... the food.

At our Irish Heather DOV visit, I found the beet salad tasty and refreshing (the seperately dressed green salad on the side was a nice touch) and the beef shortribs very tasty - just what braised meats should be. This is not Hawaiian-style spareribs or barbeque, but the sublime flavour of slow-cooked beef. The flavours of the marinade, the beef, the bones and the marow all come together.

As others have mentioned, the nut-pie was toothsome and delicious.

If I have a quibble, and I have told Sean this directly (full disclosure: Sean is a client and friend), get out of the restrictive $15 catagory and blow us all out of the water next year for $25.

←

Welcome to egullet if you haven't been welcomed already (apologies Daddy-A... I know that's your job).

And thanks for the disclosure about your association with the Heather.

I'm honestly glad to hear that you had such a great experience during DOV. I think quite a few of us (although, I certainly only speak for myself) actually did as well, except for varying disparate moments, particular items on the menu, etc., previously noted. It is unfortunate that all the positive comments any number of us made were so dramatically outweighed by the "negative/mean/malicious???" ones highlighed.... so much so in fact that any postive residue was completely lost on Sean (the owner, not chef as suggested elsewhere).

I guess that's just the way the cookie crumbles.

C'est la vie.

Edited February 8, 2005 by appreciator (log)

["T"]

Cin cin

[keyes]

Greetings to all,

Dress British........... Think Yiddish......

unless.....

your Irish!

what did you expect...............

his friggin name's on the door

and we live in BRITISH Columbia.....

Go Sean Go,

OFFER

I offer

One hand carved Shillelagh (keeper of the peace)

To: Sean

for equal value Irish wiskey

TO: Ling, "T", Sushi Cat, RooStew, Fluffy, Appreciator, DameD & hayasaka.k

and anyone on this link to enjoy .....

Peter

[HKDave]

I wonder if the same is happening at the Heather ? Are people dropping in to check it out for themselves ? I have no inside knowledge of this or is it a set-up - I am just curious. What is the response to a series of negative posts ? How has this affected the business ? Curious onlookers seeking to form opinions of their own or does nobody other than the people involed really care? Has this been a rallying cry to all supporters of the Heather ? Are there tourists with camera seeking shots with the "crazed Irish Lunatic" ?  What are the short term losses or gains. What would the long term ones be. How far reaching is the power of the mighty egullet ?

←

I've been there 3 times since this all started. The Heather doing just fine. If anything, their business is up. I supposed Sean is available for photographs, but nobody asked him for one while I was there. The only people that mentioned eGullet there (besides Sean) were the staff, who read this thread.

[canucklehead]

HK Dave - what's the general mood about egullet there? I am afraid to say anything even sounding like 'egullet' in Gastown right now.

I may head over to check it out though... I know I am chicken sh*t

[SobaAddict70]

One of the threads in the New York board relates to a series of dining out experiences by tetsujustin, who is currently a student at the Culinary Institute of America. Within the thread, tetsu posts his experiences and rates them according to his own scale of sensibility. I urge anyone, in particular those who have been negatively affected by this thread to read tetsu's posts. You may find his outlook illuminating.

Regards,

Soba

edit: corrected to fix link.

[Coop]

canucklehead feel free to borrow my e gullet trucker hat.

[canucklehead]

Actually went last night - Sean was manning the bar and the place was very busy. Did'nt introduce myself - not sure where his head is at with egullet right now.

As always I really enjoyed myself. Had the pot pie which I liked alot - my brother had the infamous braised ribs which were also very good. The fries were the softer British old school style and it was a very civilized evening.

When I left - the front room seemed really packed and the back room was full also. So I don't think the whole stink has hurt Irish Heather's business at all. Still - I keep expecting (hoping?) that some sort of Ultimate Fight Gastown-style will break out.

Then (off topic I know) I went to the Opus Hotel bar for a drink as per the suggestion of some other egulleteers and Terminal City. It was very nice - but two drinks (one a soda, the other a 16 year old Oban) set me back close to 30 bucks.

Happy f*king chinese new year!

[HKDave]

HK Dave - what's the general mood about egullet there?  I am afraid to say anything even sounding like 'egullet' in Gastown right now.

←

It would not be wise not to display a shiny new eG tattoo to staff at the Heather. eGullet is a little hobby for us, but for the staff at the Heather, their jobs pay their rent and put food on their tables. Comments made in this thread were taken personally.

I'm known as an eGulletter at the Heather, and haven't had any trouble, other than some good-natured verbal abuse which I am happy to return. Ask the kitchen where they keep the 'flavour extraction machine', and see if you can make it out the door in one piece

Your mileage may vary. Significantly.

[Coop]

You know if I was in the mood for some Irish food, I'd lock on the trucker hat, adjust my e gullet messenger bag and take my 250 lbs of love down there. Fortunatly the urge for Irish never seems to come over me.

[dodger]

I was at The Heather the other night....do not mention eGullet to any one!!!! If your name is ....

Fluffy

RooStew

Ling

T

SushiCat

hayasaka.k

appreciator

or

DameD

No darkenning!!!

However......my pint was pleasantly warm ...and the service...just like back in the mo' land...

John

[Ling]

^ I don't regret anything I've posted, and trust me, I wouldn't be spending any more money there even if I wasn't "banned".

Edited February 11, 2005 by Ling (log)