An American Grill? Tie on the Feed Bag

[Courtzzz]

After reading some very positive feedback on this place, we decided to give it a try last night.  What a disappointment.

We began the meal with two appetizers including blackened tuna, which was actually pretty good.  We also had firecracker calamari, which was completely over flavored, for lack of a better word.  It made your eyes water it was so sour.  All of the food was salted to death.  

For dinner I had the soft shell crabs served over a bed of potato hay.  The dish was described as “Panko crusted Soft Shell crabs with a buerre blanc sauce.”  A better description would have been breaded and deep fried soft shell crabs.  The plate was saturated with oil from all of the deep-frying.  The accompanying vegetables even tasted greasy.  The portions were enormous which really turned me off.   I took about 3 bites and was done with it.  My husband had NY strip with gorgonzola sauce.  The quality of the meat was poor and it was quite tasteless.  Again the plate was full of grease, almost as if the steak was deep fried too.  Our relatively full plates were cleared and we were not even questioned about whether there was a problem with the food.

Although the dessert menu looked appetizing, I was too disgusted to order anything else.

I found the atmosphere to be peculiar as well.  We were seated at a booth in the aisle as people walk in.  There was no music at all and the only noise that you did hear was the traffic on Route 10 or noise from the bar.

My one positive comment is that the service was excellent.  Sean was our waiter and he was very friendly and attentive, particularly with wine service.

[Rosie]

Ouch! Sorry to hear you had a bad experience. We've always enjoyed An American Grill and never encountered the problems you  had. I've sat in a booth there on a weekend and never heard noise from the bar or Rt. 10. Next time ask to speak to the  owner and let him know about your disappointment. He is anxious to please and would have corrected the situation.

[BeaChambers]

Where is An American Grill?

[Rosie]

246 Rt. 10 West Randolph 973-442-9311

[ngatti]

Again the plate was full of grease, almost as if the steak was deep fried too

FRY-O-LATOR...The worlds largest sautee' pan.

"Hey Chef, I forgot to fire that table.  Want me to give that steak the old Dunkeroo?"

Sorry you had such a bad experience.

Nick

[Lreda]

It's taken me a few days to reply to this post as I carefully weighed whether to get into a debate on what happened. Let me preface this by saying any restaurant can have a bad night and it's not a excuse but I worked the floor that evening and remember the couple. First of all, when I seat a party I ask if they would prefer a table or booth. The couple chose a booth and as I sat them, asked if this was all right with them. They said it was. ( I do this with all parties of 4 or less). As far as The Firecracker Calamari, it's going to be a little sour, the dish consists of Fried Calamari tossed with gaetta olives, capers, cherry peppers, scallions & balsamic vinegar, all stated on the menu.

  Next, I use kosher salt which isn't like normal salt, it's not as potent and we still use it sparingly.

   Now for the Soft Shell Crabs, The special said the sauce was Chardonnay-lemon viniagrette not a buerre blanc. The buerre blanc was for the Maryland Crabcakes. The crabcakes were a app, The Soft Shells were a entree. I also print my specials with prices and descriptions and  they are easy to read.

   As for the steak, I don't know what to say. I use Prime steak. And I certainly don't use my deep-fryer for a steak. As a matter of fact the Soft Shell aren't deep fried. I brown them in a saute pan and then bake them so they don't pick up oil. Also I use Panko, not regular bread crumbs because they don't absorb the oil as much as traditional bread crumbs will.

   Last, but not least, I poured The Poggi di Poggi Chianti the couple drank last Wednesday. After every course their waiter Sean asked how everything was and they replied all was fine. As they left I said good night and as usual, as with all my customers asked how everything was affording the opportunity to register a complaint, none was given.

  Hey, I'm in this business to make people happy, and if something is wrong with the restaurant we need to know to correct it. It doesn't do us or the customers any good to tell us on the way out that everything was great and then write on the web to "Tie on the feed bag".

  To the courtzzzz, give me another chance, somehow through Rosie's help let me comp you a dinner, I want you enjoy my restaurant without me knowing who you are and when you done if you're still disappointed then I'll take a public flogging.

[ngatti]

As for the steak, I don't know what to say. I use Prime steak

Lreda,

    Please accept my very public apology for my crude joking at your expense.  Things happen and one really shouldn't go for the cheap shot.  If I had a nickel for everything that ever left my kitchen in less than satifactory shape, I could retire.  Some things we have no control over no matter how hard we try and no matter how pure of heart.  Things go wrong.  You are to be commended for your gracious offer.  You obviously take very seriously what goes on in your place.  My apology for implying in any way that shoemaker sh*t goes on in your kitchen.

Mea Culpa (hand extended)

Nick

[Rosie]

Lou, Thank you for taking the time to post a most gracious and generous response.

[Rail Paul]

I had mentioned about two weeks ago that friends and I planned to go to An American Grill. It's been highly recommended by several people whose opinions I value.

That will happen in the next few days, and I'll put something up on the board.  Based on all the good things I've heard about this place for so long, I found the first report to be quite a surprise and very unexpected.

Anybody who's read my stuff knows I don't pull my punches and can be pretty demanding. (And, no, I'm not gonna let the owner know who I am...)

[tommy]

It's been highly recommended by several people whose opinions I value.

this is key.  positive *or* negative reviews do very little to sway my opinion when i don't know the person's taste.  no, not even very little.  i'd say more like nothing.

[dodge621]

[ If I had a nickel for everything that ever left my kitchen in less than satifactory shape, I could retire.]

Is this why you dare not say where you cook

[TheBoatMan]

It's been highly recommended by several people whose opinions I value.

this is key.  positive *or* negative reviews do very little to sway my opinion when i don't know the person's taste.  no, not even very little.  i'd say more like nothing.

Tommy,

What is your "taste"?  I'd like to value your opinion.

[Courtzzz]

Lreda

Thank you for the response.  

I acknowledge that we chose the booth.  My comment wasn’t on the table being bad; my comment was on the atmosphere in general.  

I chose the calamari because I love all of the ingredients that were in it.  It wasn’t a little sour…It was overwhelming.  I LOVE SALT.  I put it on everything so for me to comment on something being salty- it is unusual.

My apologies to you about the sauce description but the sauce wasn’t the problem, the deep fried crabs were.  I am familiar with "Panko", Japanese breadcrumbs; it was because of the panko I ordered the crabs as the description sounded intriguing.  I’ll take your word that they weren’t deep fried, but they certainly tasted like it and they were saturated with oil, as was the steak.  The strip steak was very thin and almost round in shape.  The gorgonzola sauce had separated and appeared on top of the steak as an oily mix.  I'm not sure of the exact price but for around 24 dollars for the entree I was expecting a bit more.  All the menu descriptions looked quite interesting and it took us a long time to make a decision.

The service was excellent, which I pointed out.  The reason I did not complain is because I chalked the experience up to my own bad judgment.  If I ordered a steak rare and it came out well done, I would have sent it back.  But to tell the waiter I found the soft shell crabs to be a deep-fried mess, is just not something I am going to do.  A restaurant that pays attention to detail would not have served a dish of food like this.

I am not looking for a free meal or an apology nor do I wish to give you a public flogging.  Egullet is a restaurant forum, a place to voice all opinions whether good or bad.  It was because of a recommendation we tried your restaurant and we are stating our opinion.  People are free to agree or disagree with our review.  I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that it was an "off night" for the kitchen.

Now about you asking us how everything was on the way out, I think you have us confused with another party.  The only person we saw on the way out was a busperson.  We asked him the name of our waiter because as I said he provided excellent service.  If you had stopped by our table or we had seen you on the way out we would have surely said something to you.

[tommy]

What is your "taste"?  I'd like to value your opinion.

you can afford neither my taste nor my opinion.

[TheBoatMan]

What is your "taste"?  I'd like to value your opinion.

you can afford neither my taste nor my opinion.

This is not fair  

I want to be able to value your reviews for helping me decide whether or not to try new restaurants.  Why am I not worthy?  All I asked is a simple question, why so defensive?

[tommy]

patience, young grasshopper.

[Rachel Perlow]

Except for the above extraneous posts, I found this thread to be a valuable example of how eGullet can work. Someone had a problem, posted about it, and then the restaurant responded. All very civil and giving everyone a chance to be heard. I personally haven't been to An American Grill for a couple years, but I remember enjoying it when we did go. Also, I guess if you live near Rt 10 and go to restaurants on it, you get used to the noise of the highway.

[Lreda]

Thanks Rachel, If I might add that if you have a problem at a restaurant all you have to do is ask if it can be corrected.

Example 1. The noise on Rt 10. Ask if we can close the door. I had the door open because it was the 1st nice day after 5 out of 6 days of rain. If the noise was bothersome, I would have closed the door and put on the AC. Then again, I read how some restaurants are always too cold that you need a sweater in July. Also, I'm afraid that with the door open it was difficult to hear the music.

Example 2. If you don't like where you're sitting ask to be moved. Worse case senario, the restaurant is booked and you might have to wait at the bar a few minutes until another table opens up.

There are many other problems that customers have with restaurants and with as much competition as there is out there we just want our customers happy and to return again and again.

[Rosie]

Bravo to you Lou. It's important that the public knows that a restaurateur wants his  customers to leave the restaurant happy. I applaud your handling of this situation.

[dodge621]

[As they left I said good night and as usual, as with all my customers asked how everything was affording the opportunity to register a complaint, none was given.]

If the restaurant was so concerned with the customer why did they not ask if there was anything wrong with the food when the plates were taken away nearly full.  

To ask a customer who had a bad experience how everything was after the fact does not do the customer any good.  The customer likely unsatisfied with the meal just wanted to leave.  The effort need Not have been made by the customer to report to you what went wrong. Rather, if the restaurant wanted to have happy clients they would have taken notice that the plate was nearly untouched and at that point the restaurant should have made an effort to hear about or rectify the problem.

[dodge621]

[it's important that the public knows that a restaurateur wants his  customers to leave the restaurant happy.]

what are you really saying here. I would assume all decent restauranteurs want this.

[Rosie]

Yep! And good businessmen/women.

[dodge621]

ROSIE:

gLAD You liked Lou's response. I found Courtzz post informative while Lou's was arrogant and derogatory to Courtzz.

[TheBoatMan]

To ask a customer who had a bad experience how everything was after the fact does not do the customer any good.  The customer likely unsatisfied with the meal just wanted to leave.  The effort need Not have been made by the customer to report to you what went wrong. Rather, if the restaurant wanted to have happy clients they would have taken notice that the plate was nearly untouched and at that point the restaurant should have made an effort to hear about or rectify the problem.

Exactly Dodge.  And why is it the customer’s responsibility to complain.  Maybe Courtzzzz just preferred to go on her way and is not a complainer.  Don't reports state that most diners will not complain, they just won’t return?  I think it is in the restaurants best interest to train their waitstaff/busstaff to notice full plates upon clearing and to notify the manager of such.  Maybe the diners just weren’t hungry but at least the manager could make a tableside appearance to inquire if everything was all right.

Lreda Quote:

As they left I said good night and as usual, as with all my customers asked how everything was affording the opportunity to register a complaint, none was given.

What good does it do to ask when the diners are leaving?  Why not stop by the table and ask at that point?

Courtzzz Quote:

Now about you asking us how everything was on the way out, I think you have us confused with another party. The only person we saw on the way out was a busperson. We asked him the name of our waiter because as I said he provided excellent service. If you had stopped by our table or we had seen you on the way out we would have surely said something to you.

Why does Lreda state she asked how the meal was when courtzzz states that never happened?  From Courtzzz post she states she never told anyone “everything was great”.  Someone is not telling the truth here.

I do think Lreda stepped up to the plate and think it’s great restaurant owners are monitoring this board.  courtzzz and Lreda both seem to have a different recollection of the night’s events so it’s hard to determine what exactly happened.  I hope courtzzz takes lreda up on her offer and gives the restaurant another chance.

I thought this board was about opinions good or bad?  I hope the board continues to be an objective outlet for diners as it has been in the past.  If someone is going to be antagonized for giving a negative opinion I think it will deter others from doing so as well.  We don’t want courtzzz to go back to being a lurker, do we?

Quote Rail Paul

I had mentioned about two weeks ago that friends and I planned to go to An American Grill. It's been highly recommended by several people whose opinions I value.

That will happen in the next few days, and I'll put something up on the board.  Based on all the good things I've heard about this place for so long, I found the first report to be quite a surprise and very unexpected.

Anybody who's read my stuff knows I don't pull my punches and can be pretty demanding. (And, no, I'm not gonna let the owner know who I am...)

I am anxious to read rail paul's review, as his posts are very detailed and objective.  I may have to give this restaurant a try and decide for myself.

[Lreda]

In what way was I arrogant and derogatory?  I don't want to debate the meal because the cutomer is always right. I also offered to compensate the meal at another time.Granted the entrees should have been noticed that they weren't fully eaten. I asked Sean, after Courtzzz posting and he said he asked if everything was alright. They replied it was fine. Maybe it wasn't and they just wanted to get out. I don't know. It's not a perfect world and as Courtzz said maybe the kitchen had a "bad night". Given the opportunity I would like to make up for Courtzzz's bad experience.