Watermark

[Vancitygirl]

Helen and I popped into Watermark yesterday for a bottle of bubble and some appetizers  after a walk along the beach. Service was on the ball but the food.... We had the lobster dumplings (way too doughy), vegetarian gyosas (dried out) and the chickpea and lima bean puree (not bad and refreshing with our wine). Wine service sucked; I ordered a bottle of Blanc de Noir Brut from Domaine Chandon, It arrived without an ice bucket and no glasses After a five minute wait the glasses arrived and the wine tasted pretty good while admiring the view. We both ordered an Irish coffee to warm up after 40 minutes on the patio...they showed up luke warm, with no whip cream, or sugared rim (not a big deal) but I like my coffee hot.

Just short impression of this place and no plans on going back in the near future.

Cheers,

Stephen

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After all the comments we've read here, I am curious why you would go. It's like touching the element just to see if it's hot.

[canucklehead]

[i trust that will forgive those of us with a monthly deadline. I cracked off four visits and filed mine before Alexandra and still hope to shed fresh light on the mysteries of smelt corn dogs. Besides, it might offer some relief for the fabulous Wilson bros.

J.

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Jamie - I read your review in VanMag and really enjoyed it. Though your displeasure with the food is consistent with many of the comments here - I am glad to see that you gave Chef Larouche some due respect that has been earned in a number of decent restaurants throughout Vancouver.

Not sure how they will turn things around - but citing SF tourist dependent restaurants is a good call. Places like Boulevard, No1 Market, and Palimino serve good food and attract a sizable tourist (and local) following.

Hope they can pull out of the nosedive they are in. But, as a layman, I am not sure what a restaurant can do, on the fly, to address all these problems. A shut down and relaunch? Or is that suicide?

[nwyles]

[i trust that will forgive those of us with a monthly deadline. I cracked off four visits and filed mine before Alexandra and still hope to shed fresh light on the mysteries of smelt corn dogs. Besides, it might offer some relief for the fabulous Wilson bros.

J.

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Jamie - I read your review in VanMag and really enjoyed it. Though your displeasure with the food is consistent with many of the comments here - I am glad to see that you gave Chef Larouche some due respect that has been earned in a number of decent restaurants throughout Vancouver.

Not sure how they will turn things around - but citing SF tourist dependent restaurants is a good call. Places like Boulevard, No1 Market, and Palimino serve good food and attract a sizable tourist (and local) following.

Hope they can pull out of the nosedive they are in. But, as a layman, I am not sure what a restaurant can do, on the fly, to address all these problems. A shut down and relaunch? Or is that suicide?

←

Sure , why not.

Call it a restaurant Mulligan.

Do you recall the scene where Bobby was in the shower in Dallas ? Just pretend summer 2005 was a bad dream and relaunch.

Call it an extended dry run or shakedown cruise.

Stephen, I also wondered why you went in.

I think it must have been our natural human curiosity, or like when someone tells you they farted. You always have to stop and smell it for yourself !

Yup, you farted !

[jamiemaw]

[i trust that will forgive those of us with a monthly deadline. I cracked off four visits and filed mine before Alexandra and still hope to shed fresh light on the mysteries of smelt corn dogs. Besides, it might offer some relief for the fabulous Wilson bros.

J.

←

Jamie - I read your review in VanMag and really enjoyed it. Though your displeasure with the food is consistent with many of the comments here - I am glad to see that you gave Chef Larouche some due respect that has been earned in a number of decent restaurants throughout Vancouver.

Not sure how they will turn things around - but citing SF tourist dependent restaurants is a good call. Places like Boulevard, No1 Market, and Palimino serve good food and attract a sizable tourist (and local) following.

Hope they can pull out of the nosedive they are in. But, as a layman, I am not sure what a restaurant can do, on the fly, to address all these problems. A shut down and relaunch? Or is that suicide?

←

Thanks CH and good question. Because by the time that view disappears the tourist traffic will have too. And the locals are just too canny to return to a place where it’s tricky to eat and no reservations are taken, although they may hardly be necessary come November.

If the choice were mine, I wouldn’t think it’s necessary to shut down, but to drill down and focus:

1. Move past denial (staff have reported the denigration of some of the reviewing columnists as incompetent know-nothings) whereas they’re the authors of their own misery;

2. Create a Mission Statement and Identity: Are we a seafood house? Are we local, crossover, sauced or naked, Asian, or . . . what? Because the proprietor and management team don’t know, the audience is confused;

3. Immediately remove all questionable menu items;

4. Agree that the Food Cost budget will likely have to bounce by 2 to 3 %.

5. Back-fill wine list;

6. Take chef off the line for one week to revaluate, perform due diligence and re-engineer the menu;

7. Chef should visit three CFD concepts—Earls, Cactus Club, Joey’s Global—to immediately rescue and recalibrate the starter menu, as a starting point—to stop the haemorrhaging;

8. Chef and senior staff should visit restaurants that make individual Best in Vancouver dishes: Phnom Penh for squid, Enoteca for rotisserie chicken, Chambar for moules frites, Provence for fish soup, etc.;

9. Make the menu look like it lives here;

10. Hire some local suppliers;

11. Get November menu ready to roll-out: cassoulet, cioppino/bouillabaisse, crab Louis, oyster fricassee, clam chowder, Hangtown fry, etc.;

12. Hire a competent publicist who can handle the soft relaunch;

13. Promote neighbourhood nights (they’ll need them): Sunday Roast (from 4pm) etc; prix fixe, wine dinners—all for locals; and

14. Visit San Francisco (Boulevard, The Waterfront, Swan Oyster Depot, Aqua etc.) to see variations on the theme. It’s not that they do it better than Vancouver restaurants, but there will be lots of good ideas.

That's it.

Edited September 8, 2005 by jamiemaw (log)

[jamiemaw]

And get it done with a smile on their collective faces. And support Chef, for whom I have great respect.

Edited September 8, 2005 by jamiemaw (log)

[SBonner]

Helen and I popped into Watermark yesterday for a bottle of bubble and some appetizers  after a walk along the beach. Service was on the ball but the food.... We had the lobster dumplings (way too doughy), vegetarian gyosas (dried out) and the chickpea and lima bean puree (not bad and refreshing with our wine). Wine service sucked; I ordered a bottle of Blanc de Noir Brut from Domaine Chandon, It arrived without an ice bucket and no glasses After a five minute wait the glasses arrived and the wine tasted pretty good while admiring the view. We both ordered an Irish coffee to warm up after 40 minutes on the patio...they showed up luke warm, with no whip cream, or sugared rim (not a big deal) but I like my coffee hot.

Just short impression of this place and no plans on going back in the near future.

Cheers,

Stephen

←

After all the comments we've read here, I am curious why you would go. It's like touching the element just to see if it's hot.

←

I love other people's opinons but first hand experience overrides all others....might have to change that point of view now though I love egullet but sometimes there is a mob mentality in restaurant reviews. Enough said the masses now have my attention.

Stephen

[Andrew Morrison]

9. Make the menu look like it lives here

As one of the incompetent know-nothing reviewers (and I loved the staff!), this was my central beef with Watermark, that the food was made more mediocre by it's homelessness and that an opportunity to really show off was squandered.

Whether they like it or not, Watermark became our newest ambassador the moment they opened their doors. They will represent our food culture to thousands of visitors every month whether we like it or not. Instead of taking up the torch to showcase what our regional cuisine is capable of (yes, even in the hot market of casual fine dining), they appear to have gone the well-rutted route to pleasing the palates of those who gave birth to the oldest and ugliest of restaurant truths, that a room with a view writes its own checks and every diner dissatisfied will be replaced by five.

Shelora and I discussed in a Vic thread a while back about what it takes to re-engineer, re-shape, and re-define a place without doing much. New thread?

Edited September 8, 2005 by editor@waiterblog (log)

[McTee]

As someone who has both been to Watermark as well as worked for GM David Richards in the past (The Prow), I am amused at all the comments that I have seen here.

The reason for this is very simple. The David Richards that I know doesn't care in the least what people say about his restaurant. As Jamie Maw said, David is one of the best destination restaurant GMs in the province. David is confident in what he is doing, and if he can't do them his way, he will walk away and give someone else the headache. He took the Prow from a money pit into a profitable operation.

Unfortunately, the reality of the restaurant business is such that there are two very different opinions on how to do business.

1. Make money by volume and good costing, as a lot of people (tourists) aren't coming back anyway. Not to say that Watermark is taking that approach, but the negative reviews will only mildly hinder the business, as our words will never compete with that sunset, and the masochistic tendencies of people to always "find out for themselves", like renting Gigli just to say that you've seen the worst movie of all time.

2. Pamper your guests and charge through the nose for it to compensate for your small space.

David is in his element taking on the Watermark project, similar to the Prow, which I can tell you was virtually empty in the non-tourist season, and come May as if someone flicked a switch - 400 covers on a late weeknight.

Watermark has one thing - location - that will never go away. Personally, my experience with the bone-in chicken is something I don't wish to revisit, (tasted good, but way too hard to eat) but once they go through all the transitional changes that all new restaurants go through, the staff will learn that it is David Richards' way or the highway. I learned this over the course of around 6 years, and I am better for it.

David will have all winter to address the problems, and by next summer, the place will be ready to take on the crowds once again.

Imagine - It's mid-July, your restaurant project is behind and you have two choices: Take your time, get things right and open in 7 or 8 months (who would open that location in October?), or open ASAP, and spend the winter working out the kinks and COUNTING MONEY.

What would you do?

[Andrew Morrison]

What would you do?

Do my very best to ensure I never found myself in a such a position to choose, I suppose. Witness Nu...

[McTee]

What would you do?

Do my very best to ensure I never found myself in a such a position to choose, I suppose. Witness Nu...

←

I would assume that they did their very best to avoid that position, but as we all know, shit happens and things don't always go as planned. So, when all is said and done, and one IS in that position, I would think that making some money to fund the place through the winter may likely be the logical choice.

[Andrew Morrison]

Agreed, but there are real consequences to the Steve Miller approach. First impressions are costly and motivations can be all too transparent. Watermark shot of the gate ill-prepared. Ooh-woo take the money and run might work in strip mining, but in restaurants...I'm not so sure.

Edited September 11, 2005 by editor@waiterblog (log)

[McTee]

Agreed, but there are real consequences to the Steve Miller approach. First impressions are costly and motivations can be all too transparent. Watermark shot of the gate ill-prepared. Ooh-woo take the money and run might work in strip mining, but in restaurants...I'm not so sure. 

←

The fact is, any restaurant with a great view will inevitably succeed, unless the costs are out of control. I can not imagine a sunny day at Kits Beach with thousands of people outside the door, and Watermark being slow, regardless of whether they have the worst service and so-so food. The reality is that it is a place to eat with a phenomenal view. Those of us in the industry that are more educated on restaurants may choose to plan our meals for before or after going to the beach, but it is realistic to think that at any given time, 200 out of the 10,000 people at the beach will be in Watermark.

I will give it another try, as I was there on the 3rd day and I'll see if I can catch David's ear for a few minutes to share my observations as well.

But like I said earlier - during the slow months, the shortcomings will be addressed, guaranteed, and we will likely see a different Watermark come Spring.

[McTee]

First impressions are costly and motivations can be all too transparent.

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Just thought of this after the last post........

Speaking of transparent - I visited the new Earl's at the Paramount recently, where it was all too obvious that as they build their clientele up, part of the strategy is to parade the young, perky servers through the restaurant.

While I am sure that a lot of guys won't notice the strategy and likely won't care, the point is that even the most successful restaurant businesses/chains don't try to mask their motives.

I understand that this is a bit apples/oranges, but I look at it as being treated as if I am too stupid to see through it, as both are a ploy to get my money.

[jamiemaw]

Hissy Fête?

Because there was media dogpile on Watermark (it also received a gulleting here) when it opened last summer, and because I said that

The real test will come on a rainy Tuesday night in November, when the view disappears as fast as Coop.

I thought that it would only be fair to re-evaluate the room and cooking. I was further reminded of this by a PR communiqué that arrived on November 20th from their publicist, which seemingly announced new autumn menu items:

“Our new winter menu is getting great feedback. We're serving a terrific rack of lamb, Cornish game hen, an unbelievable duck confit salad, shrimp and crab cakes, two great hot, winter desserts—and a fabulous lobster omelette for Sunday brunch. Unlike the summer we will take reservations. And a bit of insider information, the shrimp and crab cakes go fast so order when you arrive! One more thing. We now have a retractable roof over our outdoor bar so its open all year. Give us a call at (604) 738-5487. Open seven days a week from 11.”

Our party of seven, celebrating a birthday, arrived around nine o'clock, suitable timing, we thought, to come in on the heels of the first sitting. And in the interests of full disclosure, it wasn't rainy, it was foggy. We sat down in the attractive bar area.

Earlier, I had studied Watermark's website, which, although it has not been updated to reference the new menu items, says that the restaurant is open seven days a week, from 11 am until 11 pm. (Further curiousities on the website are the unattributed 'media' reports - mark that 'Incomplete' ).

There were six tables occupied in the dining room. Thay seemed fairly contented. Caveat emptor alert though: We were rather surprised to be summarily instructed that 'the kitchen is closed!' and that we would not be dining tonight. Nothing, nada, nyet - no shrimp and crab cakes for you!

Truth in advertising aside, we would have been more accepting of that message if it had been graciously delivered. But we were made to feel entirely uncomfortable - with no explanation. This was further rubbed in our faces when the surly manager trolled his laden dinner plate past us to eat it - rather ostentasiously we agreed - at the bar. He sat with his back turned to us. At any rate, he was the butt (quite literally - he must have been a plumber in a former career) - of several off-colour but I'm sure helpful suggestions.

So there we sat in our suits and ties and party dresses. We finished our drinks. If I felt rather badly (and a little embarrassed for recommending we go there) that we wouldn't have the opprtunity to sample Lynda's new menu items (if not riveting, they look like they belong to her rertoire), I felt worse for our birthday girl.

To rescue the the birthday celebrations from this enervating experience (this is the first non-review I've written in a while), we called Feenie's on West Broadway. Although by this time they had also closed their kitchen, they offered to keep a couple of chefs back for half an hour: in short order we were well fed and our birthday girl felt properly fêted. We had a jolly evening which jumped a further notch when attendees of the Lieutenant-Governor's party disgorged from Lumière for a nightcap.

Postscript: Our party included the general manager of a major downtown hotel and an incentive travel/event planner who books a lot of restaurants. Although the GM had already long since relegated Watermark from his concierges' 'Recommend' to their 'Don't Go' lists owing to poor feedback, he too went with an open mind. Suffice to say that they weren't impressed.

We discussed how a professional manager might have handled the situation:

1. A simple "Sorry, I let the kitchen go early tonight because of the weather."

2. "May I call a nearby restaurant for you?"

3. "May I buy you a drink while I call a nearby restaurant for you?"

4. "Would you like to eat my dinner while I call a nearby restaurant for you?"

How would you have handled it?

Edited November 27, 2005 by jamiemaw (log)

[Ling]

I would certainly not expect option #4, but option #3 would've left a favourable impression in my mind. #2 is a kind gesture, as well. I would be more likely to return if the manager went so far as option #2 or #3.

Sounds like the birthday girl had a good night after all, though!

[jamiemaw]

I would certainly not expect option #4, but option #3 would've left a favourable impression in my mind. #2 is a kind gesture, as well. I would be more likely to return if the manager went so far as option #2 or #3. 

Sounds like the birthday girl had a good night after all, though!

←

I hope I look as good as her when I turn 29.

[Andrew Morrison]

I'm still struggling with the image of the manager walking past with his staff meal...someday that guys first day is gonna end. Reminds me of the Watermark staff members once overheard in Yaletown boasting about how much money they'd made.

Jerry Bruckheimer makes top-grossing films, but they still suck.

How would I handle it?

Keep in mind I'm wearing my waiter hat as I write this...

My first instinct would be to blame the late guests and then make light of their hunger:

- "I wished you'd called ahead! With the fog we had a very slow evening so we shut down earlier than expected. You might not want to subject yourself to my cooking, but I'll do what it takes to insure you enjoy yourselves. Let me get you a wine list..."

Seriosuly, though...A good manager takes the neo-con approach to pre-emption. In this situation they should first express flattery and regret.

"I'm sorry we can't meet your request, but we're happy that you thought of us on such a special occasion."

And then go into action and earn their tip-out:

"There are a number restaurants nearby. Can I make a few recommendations and perhaps arrange a table for you? I know the maitre'd at such and such and I'm sure I can get them to squeeze you in"

Lastly, to insure this never happened again, I'd post photos of restaurant critics in the staff training manual.

Now, don't jump on me for that, everyone. I never want to be recognized when I'm reviewing, but's ridiculous that someone like Jamie Maw, a very recognizable public figure, can walk in with an 8-top and have his party get treated so off-handedly. It simply shouldn't happen. Maybe at a low-end ma and pop, but at a multi-million dollar beachside bohemoth? Hell no. It's just loopy. It's not uncommon to find a binder hidden in the hostess stand that holds headshots of all the restaurant critics and prominent concierges. Truthfully, I find it mind-boggling someone on staff didn't recognize you, Jamie. I know you wouldn't expect them to call their chefs back or do a little food dance in the hope a shower of canapes and amuse would fall, but it would be difficult to argue against the fact that things would have been different if they'd known who you were. The lesser crime is that they didn't.

Anyway, thanks for saving me $100

Edited November 26, 2005 by Andrew Morrison (log)

[jamiemaw]

Thanks for saving me $100. 

←

I was brought up to believe that you shouldn't eat in front of people who are not. This is especially true for restaurant staff. If the first statement suggests poor manners, the second, I believe, is compounded by being highly unprofessional.

Not incidentally, we spent about $750 that night at Feenie's.

[nwyles]

Jamie : Did you have a reservation ?

You are a good sport and a man of your word saying you would try them in November.

I have only ever had good food from Lynda so I will go in, if just to show her a bit of support.

Myself, I would have called the manager out on it. I would have made him squirm and demanded to speak to the GM.

You were not there as a reviewer, or on some media junket. You were there as a regular, PAYING guest. The sign on the door said 11:00 ! That means 11:00.

I have had to suffer the wrath of a upset guest when the doors have been closed early. Sometimes it just makes sense, when tumbleweeds are blowing down the street and your last guests left two hours ago, but I stand there and take it on the chin anyways.

Seeing the other tables still in the restaurant, and the manager sitting down to eat his dinner means the kitchen had not crossed the "point of no return." That is when so much of the kitchen has been put away that it does not make sense to do anymore meals, the grills and fryers are cold etc. For us, we turn the grill and fryers off last so the point of no return is about 15 minutes from lights out. This was not the case at Watermark. Perhaps the inmates are running the asylum there and ownership is not aware that the restaurant is going dark early. That leads to going dark permanently. Restaurants and cars have a similarity there : They both can run downhill without any direction from anyone.

Post Script

$750.00 bill is about $620.00 to the restaurant.

Cost of goods @ 35 % cost ( $217.00 ) - they probably run at about $30%

2 cooks @ $15.00 / hour @ 2hours extra - an extreme estimate - I doubt they pay that much

2 servers @ $8.00 / hour @ 2 hours extra - happy to make the tips if the night was that slow !

Labour: $84.00

Cost to the restaurant $301.00

Profit to the restaurant $319.00

Inconvience to the manager : not part of the equation but probably the main factorin turning you away.

Seeing the manager getting a strip torn off of his hide : Priceless !

Edited November 26, 2005 by nwyles (log)

[Ling]

I hope I look as good as her when I turn 29.

←

Don't worry, that's a few years away for you.

Perhaps this is best discussed in another thread, but if I'm arriving 20 minutes before the time posted as their "closing" hour on the door, I wouldn't be upset if they told me they were closed, especially if the restaurant is already empty.

ETA: Of course, closing at 9pm when the door says 11pm is a bit outrageous!

Edited November 26, 2005 by Ling (log)

[Andrew Morrison]

Post Script

$750.00 bill is about $620.00 to the restaurant.

Cost of goods @ 35 % cost ( $217.00 ) - they probably run at about $30%

2 cooks @ $15.00 @ 2hours extra - an extreme estimate - I doubt they pay that much

2 servers @ $8.00 @ 2 hours extra -

Labour: $84.00

Cost to the restaurant $301.00

Profit to the restaurant $319.00

Inconvience to the manager : not part of the equation but probably the main factor.

Seeing the manager getting a strip torn off of his hide : Priceless !

Priceless indeed. Thanks for the breakdown. If the guy was just an MOD, he could have served the party himself, causing the labour to lose the extra $16. Nothing wrong with a manager earning his salary (plus the $250 tip on $750 - Jamie's generous). No doubt the MOD was talking to the bartender (another $8-$10) as he wolfed down the last of the kitchen kibble.

There are too many managers who have the mentality of a busboy.

"Gotta get home...gotta get home...hurry up and leave I gotta get home."

Edited November 26, 2005 by Andrew Morrison (log)

[jamiemaw]

Jamie : Did you have a reservation ?

I don't think so. I say that because I'd forgotten they had started taking them, but the hotel GM (who is a fastidious guy) may have had his concierge call ahead.

I have only ever had good food from Lynda so I will go in, if just to show her a bit of support.

That was our ambition too.

Myself, I would have called the manager out on it. I would have made him squirm and demanded to speak to the GM.

Truth be known, I usually would have taken the manager quietly aside. But I was (morbidly) fascinated by just how huffy he could get (from afar) and how far he would let things deteriorate. Not once did he approach us, but he did noisily chastise his staff for seating us in the bar. In fairness, if (GM) David Richards had been there I believe things would have been handled much differently. And I should mention that our waiter, who was also the barman, was a cheery guy.

The sign on the door said 11:00 ! That means 11:00.

Agreed. And although many Vancouverites eat dinner at an hour that's more suggestive of a late lunch, this isn't a restaurant that you can easily access. You pay the meter for the night, walk in from the tennis court lots, and go up a long flight of stairs, only to be informed that they've (arbitrarily) altered their service hours.

But I've been around long enough to know that stiuff happens, especially on weekday autumn nights. And I dislike tempests in stock pots. So why not put a sign on the door? Or be gracious? And not eat dinner in front of us?

I have had to suffer the wrath of a upset guest when the doors have been closed early. Sometimes it just makes sense, when tumbleweeds are blowing down the street and your last guests left two hours ago, but I stand there and take it on the chin anyways.

Agreed. Most retail establisments post their hours and live by them. Sometimes it hurts a little to build your business. Some adjust their hours accordingly and make it clear - especially if they run a website.

Perhaps the inmates are running the asylum there and ownership is not aware that the restaurant is going dark early. That leads to going dark permanently. Restaurants and cars have a similarity there : They both can run downhill without any direction from anyone.

This, as you well know, is a very competitive restaurant city. If meals are the hinges of our day, surely good manners can lubricate them.

[*Deborah*]

Anyone making book on that manager's job security?

I agree with all of the above: if the sign says 11:00 is closing, if I arrive any time up to 10:30 the kitchen had better be prepared to serve me dinner, without grumbling. If for some reason the kitchen has closed early due to an empty house, or whatever, then at the least the explanation should be apologetically delivered.

Even without taking any extra steps to make me happy, such as drinks or a reso elsewhere, I should not be made to feel unreasonable for having had the gall to show up during posted open hours, expecting food, of all things, in a restaurant.

Shocking.

[jamiemaw]

[EDIT]

Lastly, to insure this never happened again, I'd post photos of restaurant critics in the staff training manual.

Now, don't jump on me for that, everyone. I never want to be recognized when I'm reviewing, but's ridiculous that someone like Jamie Maw, a very recognizable public figure, can walk in with an 8-top and have his party get treated so off-handedly. It simply shouldn't happen. Maybe at a low-end ma and pop, but at a multi-million dollar beachside bohemoth? Hell no. It's just loopy. It's not uncommon to find a binder hidden in the hostess stand that holds headshots of all the restaurant critics and prominent concierges. Truthfully, I find it mind-boggling someone on staff didn't recognize you, Jamie. I know you wouldn't expect them to call their chefs back or do a little food dance in the hope a shower of canapes and amuse would fall, but it would be difficult to argue against the fact that things would have been different if they'd known who you were. The lesser crime is that they didn't.

Anyway, thanks for saving me $100

←

I was in disguise: party dress.

Actually, it was a night off for us and as you allude, I certainly don't want, expect or encourage treatment any different from the next guy. Especially if he's a Saudi prince. I've spent (or tried to spend) quite a lot of money trying to find something nice to say about Watermark. Thus far I've been largely unsuccessful.

By the way, over the past five months I've eaten (or not) at Watermark five times now. Only once was I recognized. The black velvet number with the empire waist really throws them off. Needless to say though, I save my tiara for serious restaurants.

Edited November 27, 2005 by jamiemaw (log)

[Feedbag]

Unacceptable behaviour, no question. On so many levels.

1) Billing yourself as a "tourist destination restaurant" implies

in a way that you provide an experience that's representative

of a Vancouver experience. If Jamie had been a tourist, imagine

the stories he'd tell his friends and family upon return to his

home. They'd get the impression Vancouver's a rude city.

Regardless, though, whether you're a tourist or a local, you

shouldn't be subjected to rude and unprofessional behaviour.

As has been pointed out here so many times, there are far too

many other establishments in which to spend your hard-earned rubles.

For many people, one strike and you're out. And word gets around,

whether you're a food writer or tourist or local. In such a

competitive industry, who can afford that?

2) Service until 11 means service until 11. They closed because

there was fog??? Does fog affect the flavour of the food? Do

the chefs' brains suddenly short out, making them unable to cook?

How much scenery can you see at night anyway? Still,

if they'd decided to close early, a sign should have been posted

downstairs on the door to avoid the walk of shame upstairs/downstairs.

3) This probably goes to point 1, but whether you're a restaurant

reviewer or Joe Sixpack, every paying customer is important equally.

As a former travel editor and now occasional travel writer, I hate like

hell having the red carpet rolled out for me. Hardly representative of

what the average customer experiences, resulting in a biased report.

When this did happen, I'd make a point of going back anonymously

to get the true experience. Restaurants shouldn't have a black book

of "important" people to watch for to treat them better. Everyone

should be treated the same: as a valuable customer, your raison d'etre.

I wonder, Jamie, did you mention this to the GM? Also, does anyone know

if Watermark staff lurks here? This really outta be mentioned to management.

If I ran the joint, I'd want people to know this one guy does not represent

my business approach and he should be given an attitude adjustment --

or his walking papers.