Is that all?: Livingston let-down
June 5th, 2009 by Cliff Bostock in RestaurantsUPDATE BELOW
I went back to the new Livingston at the Georgian Terrace Hotel for lunch today with my friends Frank and Michael. Frank wanted to try the “three-martini lunch.” It’s actually three small plates — your choice — served in martini glasses — except they weren’t today. They were served in short glasses.
Michael ordered the pea soup and the salmon BLT, both good, and I ordered the entree described as Georgia white shrimp with ham hocks, fava beans and pickled Vidalia onions. Call me greedy, but for $16, I was expecting more than five medium-sized shrimp atop a ribbon of (what I took to be) pureed beans, some shredded meat and a few onions. The dish was quite delicious, but, way too skimpy for the cost. (I forgot my camera, so I can’t provide the shocking evidence.)
And, I’m sorry to say, there’s more to complain about. We were asked if we wanted sparkling or still water. We chose the latter, expecting tap water, but when the bill came, we found that we’d been charged $12 for two bottles of designer water. How very Guenter Seeger! Come on, people. Do not bring bottled water to the table unless it’s specifically requested.
UPDATE: Chloe Morris has the shocking photo evidence of the itty bitty shrimp dish I ordered on her blog, Chow Down Atlanta. Generally, her lunch didn’t measure up to my earlier ones.
June 5th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
oh no!
June 5th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Holy cow — I wasn’t even there and I’m angry just reading about it.
I’ve had the embarrassing experience of having to go through hoops to ensure that I’ve ordered tap water at high-end places before. And then I feel guilty for having made the waiter bring me a beverage that is not going to drive up the tab and increase the tip percentage.
I’m a person with a modest budget who luuuuurves to eat at restaurants. It’s good to know ahead of time which places might be out of my spending comfort range.
On the upside — my wife and I have lunch at La Pietra Cucina yesterday and had awesome food and service at a decent price. And the waiter included tap water as an option when taking our order, thanks very much.
June 5th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
“Would you prefer sparkling or still water?” One of my most-hated sneaky upsell peeves. But I’m quite familiar with it, it happens at many upscale places these days. As a result I make sure the word “tap” always comes out of my mouth.
June 5th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
when i was a waiter, i would always say sparkling, still, or ice water. i always thought tap sounded kinda trailer parkish. when we went for lunch at the livingston a couple of week ago. the server asked sparkling or still, i said still…..she then brings the small bottle, for 2 of us. she poured my lady a full glass, and i was pretty much forced to get another one, which wasn’t a huge bitch, but it seemed bush league. service wasn’t good, and it wasn’t busy.
the food was great, the place is beautiful. another case of another joint opening up without a properly trained staff.