Skewered by the service
Here it is Sunday morning. We’re home, in our robes, playing on the computers, and Gail is eating reheated leftovers from Friday night in Modesto. They smell so darned good it makes me write about the dinner.
We ate at Skewers, just a block from the host hotel. A modest place that serves Iranian food, but nobody will call it that because of politics, so they call themselves a kabob house, or Persian.
Cement floor, no tablecloths. Totally generic decor–it could be a Chinese restaurant next week with no difference.
As soon as we sat down, they brought a basket of unleavened bread, fresh off the grill. Drinks were planned and orders taken. Gail and I both had the rack of lamb. It was scrumptious.
The red things on the rice are barberries
On the other hand, it wasn’t very hot. And therein lies the problem with Skewers–the most eccentric service we’ve had in quite some time.
There were 6 of us at table. Jerry ordered a salad, and 4 others ordered the lentil soup, advertised as being fresh made every day, sitting right there on the stove in the pot. Jerry got his salad.
Then, a long time later, came the soup since they said they had to get a quick stove repair because of a technical issue. Which should have come with the salad, of course. Especially as it was supposedly ready. But no, the soup came much later.
Then, 1 minute later, came the entreés. Since we wanted to enjoy our lentil soup (and it was very good), we sent the meals back. That may have been an error on our part.
Finishing our soups, we called for the main event. Five meals were delivered, although they weren’t very hot. So not hot that Gail asked for more, hot, rice, which was delivered quickly.
Poor Jerry, who had the early salad, did not get his meal. They decided it was too cold, and were going to re-make it. So he watched as we ate. They asked him if he wanted something and brought him plate of their excellent house hummus and more warm bread to tide him over until his plate came.
As most of us were finishing, Jerry’s dinner arrived. The bad news is that is was so slow, the good news is that it was hot and he enjoyed it.
Prices are quite reasonable, the food is good, the service is bizarre. It’s like they not only have never run a restaurant, they have never eaten at a restaurant and don’t know how it is supposed to work. The food just comes out randomly.
If you are staying at the Doubletree, Skewers location is unbeatable. The food is very good, the service is an adventure. Fortunately, I travel with Gail “Flexible” Giffen, so we had a good time. The place was full of bridge players, and they all seemed to enjoy their meals as much as we did.
And the leftovers are still great on Sunday.
Totally Unauthorized 