CheeseMonger Posted March 20, 2005 Share Posted March 20, 2005 and not just because this got to the next page...... Was in frasca the other night, and left before being seated. Why? Screaming baby, that screamed through our cocktails (us at the bar, child at far end of the seating area) while waiting for the table. No end in sight, and the usually serene nature of the place was most certainly anything but. I did mention this (as nicely as possible) as the reason I would not be honoring my res. I was tired, had a long day, and at 7+ pm, felt that it would not be a good end. So, what to do? I wanted a lovely dinner, and indeed have excluded other restaurants in favor of this wonderful cuisine and service. I couldn't see the offender(s) (child + parents) from my vantage point, but it was apparent after several minutes (10-15) that nothing was to be done (no movement from any quarter). As many know, this is a relatively small, hard-surfaced place, and the crying was the first and last thing I heard from the leather curtain. I left reluctantly, but I just couldn't listen to it any longer. Color me intolerant if you must, but I was craving a lovely and relaxing mid-week dinner out with my husband. How do restaurants handle this? How should they? Is a restaurant like frasca an appropriate place for this? Or do we pretend every restaurant is a family place and deal? I'm sorry if this is not the approproate venue for this semi-vent, but I'm curious as to the etiquette on this. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mongo_jones Posted March 20, 2005 Author Share Posted March 20, 2005 i don't know about the larger etiquette question (being horrendously ill-mannered myself) but i don't know, based on my one friday night meal there, that i would think of frasca for a serene night out in boulder. it was quite loud even without wailing babies. how did they respond to your clarification about why you were leaving? but in general i am not really bothered by wailing kids. in india children are tolerated and forgiven everything--the best restaurants have children running wild in them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CheeseMonger Posted March 20, 2005 Share Posted March 20, 2005 mongo- thanks for you response, and for not mentioning my numerous end of post typos. I'm not sure that they were quite prepared for the situation, because I really don't know what they could/should have done. Maybe they also didn't expect an unhappy infant in the evening? The hostess seemed sympathetic (it wasn't Danette that night), but of course, diffusing is an art at frasca. I promised to return another time, because I certainly will. I know that in other cultures there are different expectations, but my expectation of that evening was that I could receive a bit of pampering after taking a bit of a beating myself that day. I'm really not spoiled by nature, nor do I require every little thing to be to my liking, but this was a bit much. I think, however, that my frustration is mis-directed. I don't mean to direct it towards the establishment, they are certainly in a sticky situation. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TheMatt Posted March 29, 2005 Share Posted March 29, 2005 I'm sure everyone here knows this, but, just in case, Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson will be named one of the top new chefs by Food & Wine today, as reported by Bill Husted. He joins Charles Dale (1995), James Mazzio (1999), and Bryan Moscatello (2003) as Colorado winners. Husted also mentions that Lachlan (I'm going first name, easier to spell) was traveling to New York City. That makes me wonder if Lachlan will be on the Today show. The Boston Globe published a blurb yesterday: ALUMS TAKE ON NEWBYS Food & Wine Magazine is pairing up some of their alums from the ''best new chef" rosters with those who'll be announced tomorrow, with the duos facing off on the ''Today" show. Thursday morning's show will feature Todd English (Olives, Figs, Bonfire) in a cookoff against the Craigie Street Bistrot's Tony Maws, among the magazine's best new chefs this year. Of course, there are a few hojillion other reasons for a chef or person to be headed to NYC, but, still, it'd be fun to see him and old boss Thomas Keller (1988) matching up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rlm Posted March 29, 2005 Share Posted March 29, 2005 Actually, I had not heard that yet, Matt. Thanks for posting the link. That is great news (although it makes me scared that we'll lose him to a larger market). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TheMatt Posted March 29, 2005 Share Posted March 29, 2005 Actually, I had not heard that yet, Matt. Thanks for posting the link. That is great news (although it makes me scared that we'll lose him to a larger market). Or, worse, Frasca and Lachlan will go the way of Mazzio. His 10 Degrees was also a shining beacon of food before closing. I loved his Triana (best lunch in Boulder), before he left, went downhill after that before becoming The Kitchen. Then came ChefJam which I never tried, and now he's in Chicago. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bolderite Posted March 29, 2005 Share Posted March 29, 2005 Matt- I knew that James was going to Chicago, but not where . . do you know? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TheMatt Posted March 29, 2005 Share Posted March 29, 2005 I knew that James was going to Chicago, but not where . . do you know? No everything I've read in the papers and 5280 just say "Chicago". I'm sure whatever he does, it'll be good. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TheMatt Posted March 29, 2005 Share Posted March 29, 2005 Well, Curbed, of all people, have the first complete list I've seen: FOOD & WINE MAGAZINE'S BEST NEW CHEFS 2005: Tyson Cole, Uchi, Austin, TX Seth Bixby Daugherty, Cosmos, Minneapolis, MN Christophe Emé, Ortolan, Los Angeles, CA Shea Gallante, Cru, New York, NY Colby Garrelts, bluestem, Kansas City, MO Maria Hines, Earth & Ocean, Seattle, WA Daniel Humm, Campton Place Restaurant, San Francisco, CA Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson, Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder, CO Tony Maws, Craigie Street Bistrot, Cambridge, MA Eric Ziebold, CityZen, Washington, D.C. Good on you, mate. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TheMatt Posted March 29, 2005 Share Posted March 29, 2005 Also, since it wasn't mentioned in the thread, here is John Lehndorff's review from the Rocky (last week): Frasca's fare, service profoundly inspired I think Sheehan is the last one left. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pepperedpalate Posted March 30, 2005 Share Posted March 30, 2005 I think Sheehan is the last one left. Ahem!! What am I, chopped liver? LM Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TheMatt Posted March 30, 2005 Share Posted March 30, 2005 I think Sheehan is the last one left. Ahem!! What am I, chopped liver? LM I'm so sorry. I didn't know you were a reviewer. What publication do you write for? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
colestove Posted March 30, 2005 Share Posted March 30, 2005 Lori is the Colorado Avid Golfer magazine reviewer. She was at 5280 before that. There is a thread with her current picks in this forum,(I'm too lazy to look it up and link it). IMHO she is one of the best in the Denver area and has a great way to tell you the good, the bad and the ugly about a place. She has probably eaten in more places in Colorado than the rest of us put together. (over 400 times last year as I remember. HTH colestove Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pepperedpalate Posted March 30, 2005 Share Posted March 30, 2005 I think Sheehan is the last one left. Ahem!! What am I, chopped liver? LM I'm so sorry. I didn't know you were a reviewer. What publication do you write for? Matt-- I wasn't being serious! I was the critic at 5280 for four (grinding!) years before assuming that same position at Colorado AvidGolfer. I'm also the Colorado-based editor for the Zagat guides, I write about food and travel for Sunset magazine, and I'm the restaurant reviewer for both the CitySearch Denver and Denver AOL CityGuide websites. Truly, though, I was just yanking your chain. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pepperedpalate Posted March 30, 2005 Share Posted March 30, 2005 IMHO she is one of the best in the Denver area and has a great way to tell you the good, the bad and the ugly about a place. She has probably eaten in more places in Colorado than the rest of us put together. (over 400 times last year as I remember. HTH colestove Why, thank you! That makes up for the slew of phone calls I get from people threatening to turn me into mince meat. Yeah, 400 meals, and the waistline to prove it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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