Those who know me are well aware that I am willing to drop some serious dough for a memorable meal. But if I'm going to part with a piece of my shoe fund (when you have a big ass, you buy designer shoes, not designer pants), the meal needs to be very creative or very delicious. Preferably both. I'm afraid Charlie Trotter's was neither.
I should start by saying that my dinner companions were the best part of this meal. On a quiet Tuesday evening, Starmann and Jonni (who both made my extended stay in Chicago, therefore this chemo treatment, even possible) joined me in Lincoln Park at Charlie Trotter's. My expectations were high after reading that this was one of the top tables in Chicago.
I could waste your time by giving you the details of this 8 course prix fixe, but even I would be bored reading that...and I'll read anything about food. I think there was some average duck. If I can't tell you what I ate 3 days later, the meal wasn't worth the larger-than-life price tag. Plus, they nickel and dime you like crazy. A gratuity is included regardless of the size of your party...what, did you think I would stiff you? Tacky. Did I mention that we were charged $8 per person for "water service"? TAP "water service".
And another thing...I feel pretty certain that one of our three waiters was drunk. Not that I have a problem with someone getting loaded, but I draw the line at doing it at work. Every time he opened a bottle of wine to pour a glass for a table he gave himself a healthy "taste" to make sure the bottle was good. He was slurring. I should note that I wasn't allowed to drink that night because of this chemo -- I think we found the source of my bitterness.
In a nutshell, the room was outdated, the service stodgy and snooty (except, of course, for the dude who was canned, who actually still managed to be snooty (snotty?)) and the product that came out of the kitchen was nothing to write home about. So I'll stop. You could eat at Chipotle for a year for this bill (and we all know how I ADORE Chipotle). Starmann and Jonni, I apologize...
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Yes, that waiter was drunk! And what was with all those foams? So gross, and so five years ago. While the food may have been disappointing, the company and conversation was not! Had a great time with you and Jonni.
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