Alexandria is known as a great area for eating out, with award-winning restaurants, famous and talented chefs — plus endless options for interesting cuisine.
But there’s more than amazing food involved in having a good experience at even the best restaurants. We talked to chefs, servers and restaurant patrons about what can make or break a night out.
“For me to keep coming back to a restaurant a few factors need to fall into place —service has to be good, the menu is good and the atmosphere is welcoming,” said local resident Shelby Smith.
From both sides of the table, communication and trust are key to a positive experience
“Have trust in the choices the chef and staff have made to ‘pack-age’ the experience for the best,” said Chef Christophe Poteaux, the chef and owner of Bastille restaurant. “For example, the dishes are designed with a sense of balance in textures and flavors to enhance the ingredients. Modifying the dish may result in a very poor representation of the cuisine. The same goes for the wine selections. Even you're not a fan of a specific wine, it was carefully selected after tasting it and comparing its character to the food prepared.”
However, if you do have any food allergies, be sure to tell the wait staff — it’s not possible for restaurants to list every ingredient in a dish and they will make modifications for your health and safety.
Branching Out
Chefs love seeing guests try something new! And, for some guests, eating something they couldn’t create at home is half the fun of eating out.
“Of course, we all have our go-to dishes at our favorite neighborhood spots, but be sure to mix in some more adventurous items – it’s a great way to find new go-to dishes!” said Chef Santiago Lopez, director of culinary operations at Alexandria Restaurant Partners. “As chefs, we love to flex our creativity and make things for the guests that they wouldn’t try at home.”
“Eating out provides the opportunity to eat food items I normally wouldn’t eat at home. We have cooked elaborate meals at home before and it’s a lot of work,” said Smith. “Going out to eat, allows my husband and I to enjoy delish food with each other and our friends.”
In fact, generic items that customers could have made at home are a real annoyance to some people.“We're paying a premium when we eat out, and that should mean something that isn't easy for me to replicate at home,” said Dave Roberts. “Or poor execution.”
Service
Service is the most difficult thing to balance for many restaurants. Both too much attention and too little attention are issues diners brought up, and poor service either way can kill an otherwise fun night.
For most, lack of attention is the bigger issue and one that will keep customers from returning to a restaurant or bar.
“Poor service is a mood killer for me, even over bad food. There are a lot of things that you can do bad, but bad service will definitely keep me from returning to a restaurant,” said Alexandria resident Chris Smith.
“Definitely service or disorganization. Nothing frustrates me more than a server who doesn't care or a place that can't get their act together. First and second impressions are what help people decide whether they'll come back. But servers are key, especially to those of us who have worked in the food industry,” said Ben Ortiz.
James Puffinburger brought up the other side of the coin: “A less obvious pet peeve is too much attention by wait staff. It drives me crazy when the server will not go away. There is one restaurant where the food is excellent but the wait staff stares at you while eating. It has impacted how often I go there.”
“While I don't need to be constantly attended on during my meal, I think it's important for the server to check in once in a while to make sure we have everything we need,” said Myra Mendoza. “Friendly servers are always the best to talk to!”
Either way, “Poor service will keep me from going back to a restaurant even if the food is good,” said Maria Buscemi.
Relax
“Most importantly, be friendly and be there to relax. We want to make this experience a good time, but it also starts with the guest being in the right mood,” Chef Poteaux noted.
No one wants to have a bad night, so be open, honest, communicative and polite — that goes for customers as well as the restaurants staff.
“My favorite guests are the ones that move right in and make our restaurant their home away from home,” said LeRone Duplessis, general manager of Joe Theismann’s Restaurant. “We have a great group of regulars at Theismann’s that we know we’re going to see a few times a week, and for every big game. They have their own seat, they know every-one’s names, and they give us great feedback that helps keep everyone on their toes.
