Am I a Snob? - Good For Spooning

Yeah, I probably am. There, I admitted it in print, never to be retracted!

A few months ago I found myself chuckling over a streamed debate between Vegas food writers Al Mancini and John Curtas. Watch it here (Many thanks to Al Mancini for allowing me to share the link). They “argue” about whether there should be standards of attire and other things to make the dining experience enjoyable for everyone, and they are equally tough on one another. Initially I found myself, wholeheartedly, agreeing with Al in that food is meant for everyone and just because you don’t fit the mould of a banker-dressed diner that you shouldn’t be kept out of fine dining establishments. And I still do agree with him for the most part. I have to agree with John though on something else, and it goes back to my pet peeves blog. Basic manners should be adhered to when dining out.

I don’t care so much when we are at a more casual joint and spending $100/couple to eat, but when I am spending upwards of $100/person for dinner (before bar, tax and tips) I think certain rules/niceties/manners should be followed:
1. If you aren’t wearing a yarmulke, take your F*CKING hat off at the F*CKING table! Oh, and BTW – baseball hats are for keeping the sun out of your eyes while playing sports, they are NOT a fashion item! Knit hats are to keep your head warm; they are NOT a fashion statement!
2. If your date is dressed up, do you think it would be too much to ask that you put a jacket on over your T-shirt and jeans? I do not have a problem with jeans, I wear them every day. But if I was all dolled up and John wore jeans and a T, I’d be pissed. I see this here in Vegas more than anywhere else. It seems gals go on vacay and want to glitz it up and guys don’t feel the same way about it. Just put on a funky jacket guys and all will be well.
3. Keep your cologne to a minimum please. I want to taste my food, not your eau de toilette.
4. Say “please” and “thank you” to your server/s. They really do bust their asses trying to make a good meal a pleasant experience.

Now go ahead and color me old, I am approaching a milestone…but I remember going to nightclubs and they had a “no jeans, no T-shirts, no sneakers” policy. These days, of course, that isn’t a tenable solution or format with some jeans costing as much as the GDP of a 3rd world country, but people knew how to clean themselves up. Ah for the days of Cary Grant when all the men were outwardly gentlemanly and the women were outwardly genteel. Notice I said “outwardly”.

Now as for the food, while the food was great at this place filled with patrons with no manners, the environment wasn’t what we had wanted for a celebratory dinner. (If you know me personally, you know where I went for my 24th wedding anniversary, so I won’t mention them here.) I just think this place will be relegated to a lunch spot with “The Posse” or a bar dining locale. And there is nothing wrong with that – I have a slew of places in that category in my mind.

I dream of walking into a bar where the rule is “We serve no crap. If you want a Bud, MGD, Mich, or Coors you have to go someplace that serves shitty beer”. I want to go to a restaurant where the waitstaff says to the patrons, “Gentlemen remove their hats at the table”. I want to be present at a time when the “house sport coat” has to come out because some guy didn’t wear a jacket to dinner (Moment of truth – I always see this in the movies, but I have never seen it happen in person). I guess I once again want what I can’t have!

This week’s Food Memories include a lovely foie gras as part of a tasting menu for our Anniversary dinner, Jack’s first NYE on the town, and being the designated driver for a gals’ lunch to celebrate friend Janet W’s birthday.

Super strong beer that was gifted to hubby from his sister – we couldn’t figure out how to open it because of the way it was sealed!