tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16150507.post1216877087347223450..comments2024-03-05T10:23:06.552-05:00Comments on Dining Dish: The Mallet Restaurant & Crabhouse - food and entertainment for allDara Bunjonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16971982398090593785noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16150507.post-25325580328529909282012-01-28T21:39:45.253-05:002012-01-28T21:39:45.253-05:00We just returned from a very unsatisfactory visit ...We just returned from a very unsatisfactory visit to The Mallet on Saturday, Jan. 28. We made a reservation for 7PM, and arrived at 7:05 (I called ahead to say we'd be a little late). When we got into the restaurant we found a table was waiting for us, with menus at our places. The dining room looked full, and that's always good news for a new restaurant. So far, so good. Our waitress arrived quickly and took our drink orders. It took a bit longer than normal to get out drinks, but that wasn't a problem. The waitress took our orders. And then we waited. And waited. And waited. She brought soft "Parker" rolls after about 40 minutes. I asked her what the problem was, and she said "we have a 60 and a 40 downstairs, and we're busy." At the one hour mark, just as we were ready to get up and leave,she brought our appetizers - Maryland Crab Soup (pretty good) and Flash Fried Rock Shrimp (very good). But after another 20 minute wait, we told our waitress we couldn't wait anymore. I asked the waitress for two things: my check, and the manager. A woman with a red blouse and white hair came up quickly. She wouldn't let the waitress generate our bill. I told her what happened, and she made lame excuses about their small kitchen, taking orders as they came in, blah, blah, blah. Basically she was admitting the owners did not have sufficient kitchen capacity to handle the business they generated. BAD business. She offered our dinner at no charge, but our time is worth more than her food (and frankly, I worry about food safety with a kitchen that is so overwhelmed). So we walked out, and we won't be back. I feel sorry for our waitress, who was unable to generate a check (on which I would have tipped for the entire meal). BAD management, and very poor planning.Rick Howenoreply@blogger.com