Letter to Lacroix

[Kim WB]

I feel like I need to clarify another thing, because I wish to be scrupulously honest.

to review:

1. table was acceptable upon arrival.

2. Table became loud and less acceptable when two parties of 8plus were sat directly next to us. However, did not ask to be moved, as I feel the time to have done that had passed. And, the service, food and wine were starting to lull me into a VERY complacent happy foodie stupor.

3. Baby started to cry

4. Since we could see no baby, we asked where the crying was coming from. We were told there was a private dining area for "residents." ( I thought it was a hotel)

5. My husband gets up to use the bathroom, peeks into the communal dining room with crying baby. comes back to report couches, tables, TV,stroller, in a room adjacent to the bathroom hallway, all open no doors.

6. Get up to see for myself, as I am a major type A person, LOL.

7. Waiter comes to take our dessert order. I tell him the crying is terrible, but at that moment had stopped. He offerred to move us..as mentioned, we had wine, remnants of a cheese platter, had just ordered coffee..I decline. Crying starts up again while he is still at the table, he uses the line how some people treat the private dining room as their personal living rooms.

8. Crying lasts a total of 20 minutes..I would say 10 min before waiter offers move, 10 minutes after, with some small moments of calm. One women in the large party, during a break inthe crying, comments loudly" Well, the baby can't have much more in her , can she?" to which a man replied" I don't know, mine can go for hours".

[Bobby 2 Shakes]

It appears that the hotel's mother company took a cue from the big banks. Just as banks put their less-important customers on hold longer than their "express" customers, the hotel policy sees to it that condo residents are given more leverage for misbehavior. Sounds like the letters should be going to the hotel company's management (not hotel mangement).

Maybe it's not a bad idea to remind them that if you were a Mobil Guide reviewer, the deleterious effects of this experience would far outweigh the advantages of coddling a tactless customer.

[Kim WB]

did I mention that our wine tab... a Krug non vintage and then a bottle of Antinori 1999, pian el vigne...totaled over $600. We went with 4 courses, plus cheese..we pre ordered cheese w/t he request that it be room temperature.

also, it might be of interest to some that when I made the reservation, I gave my less than common last name. When I gave our surname, they responded.."Robert?" A bit nonplussed, I responded yes, and they proceeded to confirm the details of my reservation. Now, its a joke of sorts that people seem to recognize my husband, often say things like"nice to see you again" when he SWEARS he was never there..so after this, I called my husband and teasingly, but really, asked if he had been there. We both entertain on business rather extensivley, so it was a longshot possibiity that he was there and I didn't know...however, he was never a guest...we both suspect that we are on some kind of "frequent diner" AMEX platinum card list...we rarely use Open Table, but that might be it, also.

[matthewj]

i would like to know if kim has recieved any response, from anyone regarding your letter? It would be interesting to know

[matthewj]

I am glad that the big boss, had responded since he is in the best, or was in the best position, to respond. this hass been on my mind all day. I just want to see if anything has changed from a comsumers stand point. It is interesting to me becuase I rarely see this side of the coin. And it is always refreshing to be able to look at an argument from all different angles

[Jeff L]

did I mention that our wine tab... a Krug non vintage and then a bottle of Antinori 1999, pian el vigne...totaled over $600.  We went with 4 courses, plus cheese..we pre ordered cheese w/t he request that it be room temperature. 

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I don't think it's at all relavent how much your wine tab was. If I ordered several appetizers with no wine, I would still expect something to have been done to remedy the situation.

The fact is, someone from the restaurant or hotel should have discretely spoken to the parents of the baby and explained that diners were being greatly disturbed by the baby crying, perhaps offering a complimentary babysitting service for the duration of their meal.

I still hold to the fact that since your server did offer to move you and you did not move, this really limits the validity of your complaint.

As I said upthread, it is really shocking and appalling that there are so many self absorbed clueless parents in this country with the attitude that they can behave any way they chose to..that the hotel is there for them and them alone.

[Kim WB]

Jeff, I somewhat agree taht at that level of dining, as Holly noted, there should be NO really inferior tables. However, Big Boss was hinting htat it was resturant week, a time notorious for thrifty diners to visit restaurants taht would perhaps be out of their range otherwise. ( as they say on Seinfeld, not that there's anything wrong with that) I brought up the tab to illustrate that if indeed that might have been theiri initail imprssion, the preliminary ordering shud have proven otherwise...NoT that I am advocating that any guest, even the water and shared appetizer guest, should receive anytthing less than premium service at that level of dining.

edited to note that my new laptop excaberates my already terrible habit of switching "t" and "h"...sorry to readers now and in the immediate future!

Edited March 26, 2006 by Kim WB (log)

[Jeff L]

Jeff,  I somewhat agree taht at that level of dining, as Holly noted, there should be NO really inferior tables. However, Big Boss was hinting htat it was resturant week, a time notorious for thrifty diners to visit restaurants taht would perhaps be out of their range otherwise.  ( as they say on Seinfeld, not that there's anything wrong with that)  I brought up the tab to illustrate that if indeed that might have been theiri initail imprssion, the preliminary ordering shud have proven otherwise...NoT that I am advocating that any guest, even the water and shared appetizer guest, should receive anytthing less than premium service at that level of dining.

edited to note that my new laptop excaberates my already terrible habit of switching "t" and "h"...sorry to readers now and in the  immediate future! 

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Kim, forget this thread, that was really difficult to read!

[matthewj]

I am wondering if anything came from the letter that you wrote, and did chef Lacroix answer?

[matthewj]

Although BB and i disagre a lot. ( I have alway like the space at Lacroix. If you had ever seen Tree tops, you would know why.) But what we both agree on is that these problems would be minimal if the Boathouse was updated, which the Rittenhouse refuses to do.

These Problem could be directed to the all day dinning space,similar to which is offered at the Four Seasons. The Swann Lounge and Cafe was many times used as a barrier for the Fountain Room, to keep the many problem children away from the Fountain.

This update of the boat house would allow the condo residents an establishment of all dinning that they could do with what they want. Which they demanded when Lacroix was in its inception. But it was never completed. and these problem have haunted them ever since, but they still refuse to update after 5 years with Lacroix.

Edited March 26, 2006 by matthewj (log)

[Curlz]

All that said, I think for a few different reasons, a letter, sent through the US Mail, would have more weight, and would be more likely to be read, and responded to, than a fax.

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Yes, one would think so, but sadly, that doesn't seem to be the case. I draw your attention to this thread, and thank Kim for showing me this one. Good to know I'm not alone!

[Kouign Aman]

KimWB, I cant wait for the post Easter-brunch report.

I hope your experience is such that it is a glowing one.