53. Do not let guests double-order unintentionally; remind the guest who orders ratatouille that zucchini comes with the entree.

74. Let the guests know the restaurant is out of something before the guests read the menu and order the missing dish.

88. Do not ask if a guest needs change. Just bring the change.
Rules 1-50

Photo from The New York Times

Maybe its our traditional mindset, but we’re a bit horrified by a recent article from the New York Times, detailing a recent change in social habits of young adults.  The question at hand: what kind of restaurant is appropriate for a date?

No, we’re not talking about favorite venues for married couples or long-term cohabitants – we’re talking about the first date in a potential relationship – when that initial impression is very influential in moving a relationship forward and getting to know someone a bit better.

According to the Times, more and more young adults are scaling down their dates to more approachable and less costly venues such as tapas bars, burger joints and even pubs.  Disappearing are the white tablecloths and napkins and shared bottles of wine over romantic candlelight, and in its place are bare tables and shared plates of comfort food favorites.  They may be high-quality dishes, but also low-cost.

Those in favor of the shift argue that with today’s broad accessibility to celebrity chefs at home and through shows like Top Chef, diners are less impressed with formality and are instead seeking straight-forward food, but approachable and made with local and organic ingredients.

Regardless, we’re a bit dismayed by the apparent change.

While it may be limited mostly to New York and is almost certainly linked to the recession – the first date is a critical event and one that deserves careful consideration.  Certainly, it would be a bit over-the-top to book a corner table at a Michel Richard restaurant or the likes of CityZen, but isn’t much of the point of a first date to make it a special event?  One that sets the evening apart from an ordinary outing with friends and helps to make a lasting impression?

For the time being, at least, it seems that DC is not in danger of going the way of bar food and ramen noodle bars – a fact for which we’re thankful.

The New York Times, “Tater Tots for Two: It’s a Date!”

But one of the things that will turn us off from a restaurant faster than anything else is bad service from an inattentive or under-trained waiter.

It may sound harsh to say, but we once spent 2 hours for brunch at trendy new (but not that new) restaurant in town and we haven’t been back since.  There’s just no excuse for cold eggs that were left sitting in the kitchen too long.

That’s why we hope area restaurants and servers will take note of Bruce Buschel’s latest article for “You’re the Boss,” his column for The New York Times.  Buschel offers 50 rules for a new restaurant staff this week, with 50 more to come next week.

A few of the commandments include basic rules of hosting, such as:

1. Do not let anyone enter the restaurant without a warm greeting.

2. Do not make a singleton feel bad. Do not say, “Are you waiting for someone?” Ask for a reservation. Ask if he or she would like to sit at the bar.

5. Tables should be level without anyone asking. Fix it before guests are seated.

While others are less well known, but equally important:

17. Do not take an empty plate from one guest while others are still eating the same course. Wait, wait, wait.

23. If someone likes a wine, steam the label off the bottle and give it to the guest with the bill. It has the year, the vintner, the importer, etc.

30. Never let the wine bottle touch the glass into which you are pouring. No one wants to drink the dust or dirt from the bottle.

They’re not rocket-science, but these tips do go a long way toward an enjoyable meal – and are sure to help get a new restaurant off and running.