Comments on: Reader Recommendations http://mainlinedine.com/rest/readerrecs.html Finally, a restaurant guide for Philadelphia's Main Line and suburbs Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:26:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Greasefire http://mainlinedine.com/rest/readerrecs.html#comment-19269 Greasefire Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:09:09 +0000 http://www.mainlinedine.com/rest1/readerrecs.html#comment-19269 First off, I can only pray that I haven't missed the point of three previous posts. I think this is all a bit much. It may just be this simple: The first two restaurants needed the table, the last one (avalon) did not. Just like that. Sure we can talk about restaurant popularity, the current economy and all the newspaper articles in the world...but it's probably not necessary. I'm sure if Avalon needed the table, they would've asked for it. I do agree that saying Avalon isn't popular is uncalled for....and yes I see you said "maybe". There are plenty of great restaurants that don't turn every table every night. As far as customers being called an "ignorant ass". Yup, that's how it works in the back of the house. We are a business that needs to turn tables when we can. If people aren't waiting, then who cares. If people need your table....then you gotta go. You wanna spend 4.5 hours at a table....try a country club. First off, I can only pray that I haven’t missed the point of three previous posts.

I think this is all a bit much. It may just be this simple: The first two restaurants needed the table, the last one (avalon) did not. Just like that. Sure we can talk about restaurant popularity, the current economy and all the newspaper articles in the world…but it’s probably not necessary. I’m sure if Avalon needed the table, they would’ve asked for it. I do agree that saying Avalon isn’t popular is uncalled for….and yes I see you said “maybe”. There are plenty of great restaurants that don’t turn every table every night.

As far as customers being called an “ignorant ass”. Yup, that’s how it works in the back of the house. We are a business that needs to turn tables when we can. If people aren’t waiting, then who cares. If people need your table….then you gotta go. You wanna spend 4.5 hours at a table….try a country club.

]]> By: wceats4u http://mainlinedine.com/rest/readerrecs.html#comment-19229 wceats4u Wed, 11 Feb 2009 12:11:39 +0000 http://www.mainlinedine.com/rest1/readerrecs.html#comment-19229 I didn't miss the point of your post at all! Perhaps you missed the point of mine. Lets say Barbera went to a "very fine" restaurant on a Friday and then a second "very fine" restaurant on a Saturday and was asked to leave both times due to her extended time at the table. She then goes to Avalon on a Tuesday at 7pm and is allowed to sit because they do not need the table a second time and she decides to post about all three online. Is then fair to say the restaurant is not popular because they didn't have two turns in the middle of winter on a Tuesday night but the "very fine" ones are popular because they needed the table on the weekend. I have not even begun to mention the dynamics of the amount of seating one restaurant has verses another. Didn't Savona just close some weeknights due to lack of business during the week? My point is, during these tough economic times when restaurants are struggling to stay open, someone has taken there time to make mention of something nice about a restaurant and you turned it around into something nasty. Trashing the reputation of a restaurant because they didn't throw a customer out! And to answer your question, yes the staff would be calling Barbera ignorant if she over extended her stay, saw people waiting and then waited herself for management to ask them leave before moving on. Online words can be very powerful, you should really consider the repercussions before being so casual. I didn’t miss the point of your post at all! Perhaps you missed the point of mine. Lets say Barbera went to a “very fine” restaurant on a Friday and then a second “very fine” restaurant on a Saturday and was asked to leave both times due to her extended time at the table. She then goes to Avalon on a Tuesday at 7pm and is allowed to sit because they do not need the table a second time and she decides to post about all three online. Is then fair to say the restaurant is not popular because they didn’t have two turns in the middle of winter on a Tuesday night but the “very fine” ones are popular because they needed the table on the weekend. I have not even begun to mention the dynamics of the amount of seating one restaurant has verses another. Didn’t Savona just close some weeknights due to lack of business during the week? My point is, during these tough economic times when restaurants are struggling to stay open, someone has taken there time to make mention of something nice about a restaurant and you turned it around into something nasty. Trashing the reputation of a restaurant because they didn’t throw a customer out! And to answer your question, yes the staff would be calling Barbera ignorant if she over extended her stay, saw people waiting and then waited herself for management to ask them leave before moving on. Online words can be very powerful, you should really consider the repercussions before being so casual.

]]> By: JPH http://mainlinedine.com/rest/readerrecs.html#comment-19228 JPH Wed, 11 Feb 2009 03:06:56 +0000 http://www.mainlinedine.com/rest1/readerrecs.html#comment-19228 wceats, i guess you miss the point of my post... Barbara said she had been asked to leave 2 "very fine" restaurants within the last 6 weeks. She also said that the "most wonderful" part of eating at Avalon was the fact that they were not rushed. If you are a server at a popular mainline restaurant, than you know as well as I do that Avalon did not have to turn that table...that's why Barbara was able to sit there for 4 1/2 hours. You also know as well as I do, that if Avalon could have booked a later reservation on that table they would've and Barbara never would have been given 4 & 1/2 hours. It's fairly typical at a busy restaurant to give a 4 top 2 hours. So, I guess you’re saying that 2 times in the last 6 weeks restaurant staff members were in the back calling Barbara and her party ignorant asses…? I’m not really sure where you’re going with that one… And yes I did read the article in the post… I also read the one in the wall street journal. The point is, if Barbara was asked to leave, it’s because these restaurant were busy enough to need to ask. Again… refer to my previous post wceats, i guess you miss the point of my post… Barbara said she had been asked to leave 2 “very fine” restaurants within the last 6 weeks. She also said that the “most wonderful” part of eating at Avalon was the fact that they were not rushed. If you are a server at a popular mainline restaurant, than you know as well as I do that Avalon did not have to turn that table…that’s why Barbara was able to sit there for 4 1/2 hours. You also know as well as I do, that if Avalon could have booked a later reservation on that table they would’ve and Barbara never would have been given 4 & 1/2 hours. It’s fairly typical at a busy restaurant to give a 4 top 2 hours. So, I guess you’re saying that 2 times in the last 6 weeks restaurant staff members were in the back calling Barbara and her party ignorant asses…? I’m not really sure where you’re going with that one… And yes I did read the article in the post… I also read the one in the wall street journal. The point is, if Barbara was asked to leave, it’s because these restaurant were busy enough to need to ask. Again… refer to my previous post

]]> By: wceats4u http://mainlinedine.com/rest/readerrecs.html#comment-19225 wceats4u Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:38:43 +0000 http://www.mainlinedine.com/rest1/readerrecs.html#comment-19225 JPH perhaps you didn't read the NYT's article last week on how empty restaurants are right now during the week and how much they are bending the rules to keep customers happy. I have been to Avalon several times both during the week and on weekends and I agree the place has been pretty quiet the few times I have gone during the week, but weekends seem very busy.I am a server at a pretty popular mainline restaurant and I also agree that 4 1/2 hours is a ridiculous amount of time to spend at a restaurant. However, I think you are wrong to trash a restaurant because they didn't need the table at 8:30 or 9:00 and allowed a customer to enjoy there time there un-rushed. I can also promise you that no restaurant employee wants to ask someone to leave unless they absolutely have to. No matter how nice you think they are...the truth is we are in the kitchen calling you an ignorant ass who must be blind and dumb not to see all the people waiting for your table! JPH perhaps you didn’t read the NYT’s article last week on how empty restaurants are right now during the week and how much they are bending the rules to keep customers happy. I have been to Avalon several times both during the week and on weekends and I agree the place has been pretty quiet the few times I have gone during the week, but weekends seem very busy.I am a server at a pretty popular mainline restaurant and I also agree that 4 1/2 hours is a ridiculous amount of time to spend at a restaurant. However, I think you are wrong to trash a restaurant because they didn’t need the table at 8:30 or 9:00 and allowed a customer to enjoy there time there un-rushed. I can also promise you that no restaurant employee wants to ask someone to leave unless they absolutely have to. No matter how nice you think they are…the truth is we are in the kitchen calling you an ignorant ass who must be blind and dumb not to see all the people waiting for your table!

]]> By: JPH http://mainlinedine.com/rest/readerrecs.html#comment-19224 JPH Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:51:58 +0000 http://www.mainlinedine.com/rest1/readerrecs.html#comment-19224 Barbara, maybe Avalon didn't rush you along because they're not that popular. The two time I've been there, the place has been empty. I don't know of any popular restaurant that would give you 4 and a half hours on a table. If you're eating at a small restaurant or a very busy restaurant, they are always going to have reservations booked on the table after you unless you have a later time slot... that's how they stay in business. If you're someone who likes to linger on a table (and it sounds like you are... 4 1/2 hours is a long time to spend at a restaurant), then maybe you should make a reservation during the week when "fine restaurants" are less busy. Thats just my experience. I never mind being asked to vacate my table if a)the restaurant is very busy, b)Ive been given ample time to enjoy my meal, and c)the folks are nice about it. Barbara, maybe Avalon didn’t rush you along because they’re not that popular. The two time I’ve been there, the place has been empty. I don’t know of any popular restaurant that would give you 4 and a half hours on a table. If you’re eating at a small restaurant or a very busy restaurant, they are always going to have reservations booked on the table after you unless you have a later time slot… that’s how they stay in business. If you’re someone who likes to linger on a table (and it sounds like you are… 4 1/2 hours is a long time to spend at a restaurant), then maybe you should make a reservation during the week when “fine restaurants” are less busy. Thats just my experience. I never mind being asked to vacate my table if a)the restaurant is very busy, b)Ive been given ample time to enjoy my meal, and c)the folks are nice about it.

]]> By: Barbara http://mainlinedine.com/rest/readerrecs.html#comment-19222 Barbara Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:40:47 +0000 http://www.mainlinedine.com/rest1/readerrecs.html#comment-19222 Avalon - West Chester: The food was very good. The bussing service could have been better. But the most wonderful part was that they didn't rush us along. Twice during the past 6 weeks we have dined at "very fine" restaurants and were asked to vacate the table at the end of dinner because others were waiting for the table. We sat down at Avalon at 7 PM and left at 11:30 PM, and they never tried to rush us. We will definitely go back!!! Avalon – West Chester:

The food was very good. The bussing service could have been better. But the most wonderful part was that they didn’t rush us along. Twice during the past 6 weeks we have dined at “very fine” restaurants and were asked to vacate the table at the end of dinner because others were waiting for the table. We sat down at Avalon at 7 PM and left at 11:30 PM, and they never tried to rush us. We will definitely go back!!!

]]> By: PQ http://mainlinedine.com/rest/readerrecs.html#comment-19075 PQ Sat, 31 Jan 2009 19:22:16 +0000 http://www.mainlinedine.com/rest1/readerrecs.html#comment-19075 I'm surprised there's no review for the Spring Mill Cafe on here. I think they've been open for decades now. I’m surprised there’s no review for the Spring Mill Cafe on here. I think they’ve been open for decades now.

]]> By: D http://mainlinedine.com/rest/readerrecs.html#comment-15649 D Fri, 03 Oct 2008 13:25:19 +0000 http://www.mainlinedine.com/rest1/readerrecs.html#comment-15649 the Wooden Iron has closed and according to a sign out front is opening as a Flanigan's Boathouse on Sun Oct 5th. Looks like they are moving in some booths and opening up the bar area a little more. the Wooden Iron has closed and according to a sign out front is opening as a Flanigan’s Boathouse on Sun Oct 5th.

Looks like they are moving in some booths and opening up the bar area a little more.

]]> By: hc http://mainlinedine.com/rest/readerrecs.html#comment-15626 hc Thu, 02 Oct 2008 19:27:23 +0000 http://www.mainlinedine.com/rest1/readerrecs.html#comment-15626 Love the site. check it once every two months or so (thats how often we get out) Patty Macs, Regular for breakfast. Coffee could use a kick up the ladder, but the home fries are just right. Love the site. check it once every two months or so (thats how often we get out)
Patty Macs, Regular for breakfast. Coffee could use a kick up the ladder, but the home fries are just right.

]]> By: Maureen http://mainlinedine.com/rest/readerrecs.html#comment-14415 Maureen Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:29:19 +0000 http://www.mainlinedine.com/rest1/readerrecs.html#comment-14415 Patty Mac's Cafe 814 Lancaster Avenue Berwin, PA Best home style food you'll ever have at an affordable price! Try the Belgian waffles or any of their home cooked delights. While they are more of a brunch place at the moment, I hear they plan to open for dinner in the near future! Patty Mac’s Cafe
814 Lancaster Avenue
Berwin, PA

Best home style food you’ll ever have at an affordable price! Try the Belgian waffles or any of their home cooked delights. While they are more of a brunch place at the moment, I hear they plan to open for dinner in the near future!

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