Monday, March 20, 2006 

Is Spyglass Entertaining?

Never thought I would write two entries about the Westport based Spyglass but here it goes..I couldn't help myself.

So, took the kids and the parents to Spyglass at the Westport Inn. They push the fact that while they are cool and a lounge, they are also focused on the family and so off I went to try it out seeing that my first experience was so great.

Well the food was good but there were some other issues. A lighter problem was the fact that all of the dishes are like big bowls and each time you put your fork on the edge, it falls in. This is small but a pain nonetheless. It is the little things that get people (especially my mother).

On a bigger note was the service. We had a lovely looking waitress but what happened to her common sense, her ability to handle a customer request, or frankly the ability to wait on a table? When asked for some basics, it was as if she couldn't understand english: "My son would like a cheeseburger," I said. She said, "it comes with cheese would he like more on top," I said "no, just a regular cheeseburger." After all that talk about how much cheese to put on the burger (I have never had this kind of conversation about a cheeseburger, have you?), it then comes out of the kitchen with no cheese and it had to be sent back.

And that brings me back to a very big point about service and well life in general. I hate the word "no." I hate hearing it and I never say it to my clients (Ok, i do say no to my kids often). Well, my son asked for a plate of iceberg lettuce. We made this clear to this "lovely" waitress that it was plain iceberg lettuce, no dressing, no tomatoes, no nothing. She nodded and went on. When the plate came out, it was a mound of lettuce with all sorts of things on it plus a big wallop of dressing. I asked her for a simple plate of lettuce like before and she said, "no!" "No?" I said ask the kitchen, I am sure they can handle it. She said, "no!" I said ask the kitchen...you get the point. Finally she asked the kitchen and out she came with the lettuce...oh my do things have to be so hard.

If I were to train any staff, the first thing I would teach would be to say, "certainly, let me check into that for you!"

Wouldn't it be great if everyone had that attitude?

I will try Spyglass Restaurant again and hope that my next experience will be like my first, entertaining, fullfilling, and fun!

If you would like tips on events or full event management or you just want to chat, call Valorie Luther, 203.254.4490 or email info@whitelinen-events.com or go to the site, www.whitelinen-events.com.

Have a nice day!