Via Quadronno in Miami

[Ari]

This is a story with a happy ending:

Via Quadronno is a panini institution in New York, and the owners opened a branch in Coral Gables last fall. I just got around to visiting last week.

The sandwiches of theirs that I've tried in New York are justifiably famous, and priced accordingly. I went to their Miami outpost by myself as sort of a private celebration and ordered the Pan Bagnat, which the menu describes as "soft bread filled w/ Nicoise salad." At $14, it's one of the more expensive sandwiches on their menu, but not by much.

When it arrived, it was not a pan bagnat at all. It was essentially a mayonnaise-y American tuna sandwich, with tomato, red onion, and iceberg lettuce. I'd built up this lunch in my mind so much that this sandwich was an incredible letdown.

When the waiter saw that I'd taken a few bites and let it sit, he asked if everything was okay. I told him that this didn't seem like a typical pan bagnat to me, and I asked whether the restaurant generally made it this way. He said, "Yes, sorry," and walked away.

I didn't have the guts to call him back again and complain more explicitly, so I ate the sandwich, ordered an espresso (one of the best I've had in Miami), and left unhappy.

I was still thinking about it a few days later, so I called the restaurant's manager.

I started to tell him my story, and when I got to the phrase "pan bagnat," he interrupted--"I know exactly what you're going to say," he said, "and I am terribly sorry. We shouldn't have it on the menu if we can't make it correctly. It's a problem that we're going to fix immediately, and I hope you'll come back to the restaurant and ask for me by name. I would love to make sure that all of your needs are attended to the next time you're here." Then he joked that if I wanted to know how he was going to deal with the waiter, I should check the obituary page of the newspaper the next day.

I haven't been back to VQ yet, but I plan to go soon. I just wanted to report an example of good restaurant management and encourage Miami residents to give this place a try. If their sandwiches are anything like the ones in New York, they ARE worth a special trip -- just not for the pan bagnat.

[Susan in FL]

That is really good to hear. It will be several months before we are in Miami again, but that story makes me want to go to Via Quadronno to support such efforts to right a wrong. I hope others will, and report back to us.

Thanks, Ari.

[ecruz1026]

Yes, it is good to hear that management does care about what's on the menu. I think it's rare for a restaurant to pull something from the menu if it is not prepared properly. But then again it begs the question, why was it on the menu in the first place if it is not prepared properly to begin with?

I have to admit that the most expensive sandwich I've had in Miami was at VQ and if it was not perfect, I would have had no qualms about sending it back. Now I stick to their desserts and coffee (which are a bit on the high side as well).

Now speaking of upscale chains, have you tried Paul in North Miami? It's a little more downscale than VQ but definitely worth a trip.

[Ari]

Now speaking of upscale chains, have you tried Paul in North Miami?  It's a little more downscale than VQ but definitely worth a trip.

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I haven't. Do tell.

[ecruz1026]

I remember seeing storefronts for Paul all over France and Spain. I never went in thinking it was just a chain. Now one opened in NMB and while I don't regret not having gone while in Europe, I'm glad they've decided to come stateside. Visiting it is probably the same feeling Europeans had when visiting McDonald's for the first time. It was something new and foreign.

The place is a bakery/restaurant. The breads are outrageous (at least by Miami standards) and desserts are equally as good. Their sitdown menu is mainly sandwiches, salads, soups, quiches, etc. All are made using bread baked in house with flour imported from France (I would think we'd have good enough flour here in the US, but I guess they're sticklers). It's the type of place that I wish there were more of in Miami. Portions are normal sized, the food tastes fresh. The service, however, is typical Miami. Chaos reigns on Saturday and Sunday breakfast and lunch times. I'd give it a chance if I were in the area and take some goodies to go for sure (the macaroons are amazing).

[Ari]

I remember seeing storefronts for Paul all over France and Spain.  I never went in thinking it was just a chain.  Now one opened in NMB and while I don't regret not having gone while in Europe, I'm glad they've decided to come stateside.  Visiting it is probably the same feeling Europeans had when visiting McDonald's for the first time.  It was something new and foreign.

The place is a bakery/restaurant.  The breads are outrageous (at least by Miami standards) and desserts are equally as good.  Their sitdown menu is mainly sandwiches, salads, soups, quiches, etc.  All are made using bread baked in house with flour imported from France (I would think we'd have good enough flour here in the US, but I guess they're sticklers).  It's the type of place that I wish there were more of in Miami.  Portions are normal sized, the food tastes fresh.  The service, however, is typical Miami.  Chaos reigns on Saturday and Sunday breakfast and lunch times.  I'd give it a chance if I were in the area and take some goodies to go for sure (the macaroons are amazing).

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That sounds fantastic. I'll definitely give it a try.

And on the VQ front, I went back there this afternoon for lunch. I thought I'd ask for the manager I talked with over the phone, and if he wasn't there I'd come back another time.

He wasn't there, but the manager who was on duty knew who I was--he said he'd been filled in on the conversation--and he insisted on "taking care of me." He brought out bellinis from the bar, recommended a sandwich (which was as good as those I've had at VQ in New York), and checked in on me repeatedly throughout the meal. He said he'd just been hired to take care of what seem to be endemic service problems at the restaurant. He was wonderful, though, and gave me his card at the end of the meal, telling me to call him any time I planned on coming back.

One odd thing, though. When the bill came (he charged me for the sandwich, but not for the cocktails, appetizer, dessert, or espresso), in addition to a blank for "Tip," there was a blank for "Captain's tip." When I asked a waiter what that meant, he said they were the same thing and I should ignore it. Has anyone else ever heard of this?

[ecruz1026]

Never heard of a Captain's tip. It sounds like something European, tipping the person who showed you to your table. At least it wasn't one of those 18% mandatory tips you get at places on the Beach.