Put a Fork In It
By DAVID FACCONE
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| Shown are some of the wine selections at Exclusively Napa. |
Dear Dave,
Last month’s column about my disappearing waitress ignited a firestorm of e-mails telling me about all your restaurant pet peeves and unusual experiences and how I think they should be handled. I can’t address them all, but here are the two that were most popular.
The Missing Dinner
It seems like this has happened to just about everyone.
As your table is being served, your server realizes one dinner is missing. The server quickly explains he or she will be right back with the missing dinner. The first mistake was just made. The server should not leave the kitchen without first checking the order. The fact it was discovered tableside tells us it wasn’t checked. As time passes, the situation becomes awkward — especially if you are entertaining clients or new friends.
What do you do — start eating, or wait? Send it all back, or start over? If the meal arrives in the next few minutes, it’s no problem. It probably came up right after the other meals in the kitchen, and the server left in haste without it.
The problem is if the meal does not arrive in a timely manner. Then you know someone missed it, and it is now being prepared, while the rest of your group has already begun eating. Either way, just like in life, honesty is the best policy.
The server should immediately inform you of the error and what he or she is doing to resolve it. At that time (not after dinner), the customer should be informed the dinner will be comped. Many of you indicated the free drink you received was not appropriate, and I agree. Thanks for the e-mail, Mindy in McHenry.
Noisy Neighbors
In this scenario, for whatever reason (and some of them can’t be printed here), you have been seated next to a table or booth that’s ruining your evening. The causes can vary from a baby crying to an obnoxiously loud patron (kind of like that sports fan at the stadium who just can’t be a good neighbor), but the solution should be universal.
Management should immediately take control of the situation and do their best to solve the problem. Whether you are moved to another table or the offending party is asked to leave is up to management.
When all is said and done, I can tell you I want the offended party happy and wanting to come back. And if that means comping their entire dinner, so be it. A free dessert or cocktail doesn’t make up for a ruined evening. A happy customer telling all of his or her friends how great management was in the situation is the desired result here. John in Woodstock, thanks for your e-mail.
A quick note to Barb in Crystal Lake — the color of another woman’s dress at the next table is not a sufficient offense and would not be considered a reasonable annoyance. Now if her hairdo was offensive — well, maybe.
And The Award Goes To
The winner of consistency and excellence this month goes to my friends at The Tracks in Cary. I hadn’t been there since the Best of the Fox Awards came out and was longing for one of their burgers.
Not only did I have one great burger as usual, but man do they have some great wings. I love that local tavern feel you get when you walk inside. The Stella on draft is great, and Chrissy never let our glasses get empty.
Great job, guys. I’ll be back soon.
Up For Review
Exclusively Napa
We’ve got a new restaurant in town, and it’s a winner.
Exclusively Napa is a jewel of an addition to downtown Crystal Lake. The friendly wine bar is the joint effort of owner Dr. Dennis Keller and general manager Bob DePalma. You might know DePalma from his wine shop in Algonquin, which he owned for 15 years on Route 31.
The décor at Exclusively Napa is very inviting, clean and cozy, with lots of wine racks, a central bar with cocktail tables and chairs up front and dining room tables and chairs in the back.
DePalma explains the menu is American tapas, inspired by the melting pot of America. What that really means is they have an inexpensive 20-item menu that will knock your socks off!
You will love grazing your way through it. Classically trained chef David Witt also posts daily specials. The flatbreads are sensational, and the Sweet and Spicy Bruschetta is a great interpretation of the classic. They even have pulled pork sliders and a jumbo shrimp cocktail.
But wait, what about the wine bar? Well, rest assured — whatever your level of sophistication, you will find it here. They have wine from $12 a bottle to $150 a bottle, but that is not the aspect in which DePalma is most proud.
As a result of his almost continual Napa Valley travels, he is able to provide a phenomenal value to his entire inventory. Believe me — there are no false airs here.
“If I can deliver a $15 bottle of wine that’s fabulous, I’m very happy,” DePalma says.
“It’s all about value.”
Not a wine fan yet? No worries. Exclusively Napa has a complete bar service, including some great bourbons and beer, or they will be glad to start you off with some taste portions from the featured wine list.
“I love introducing beginners to the world of wine,” DePalma says.
That’s why they have tastings and wine classes, and plans are in the works for DePalma to take a group of customers on his Napa Valley wine treks.
Exclusively Napa is at 35. N. Williams St. in Crystal Lake. For reservations, call 815-479-0770. They open at 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, at noon Friday and Saturday and by appointment on Sunday.
Da Baffone Cucina Italiana
For those of you who have been following my column, you already know how much I love this restaurant.
That’s why, as they approach their one-year anniversary, I’m so happy I have a chance to talk about them.
First off, in Italian, da baffone means man with the big mustache. Go figure — no wonder I love it. Now, as much as I would like to say it’s named after me, it’s not. The namesake is for owner Camille Giangrande’s father.
The family operates a sister restaurant on Dad’s farm in Italy, who came for the opening here. Like all great Italian restaurants, this one is family run. Giangrande’s husband, Dominic, along with Dominic’s brother, Tony, and his wife, Renee, round out the ownership. One of them is always there, and sometimes all of them. Believe me, you’ll feel like family before you leave.
I’ve eaten here with a group of 10 and with just my wife. And either way, the food is always great. Chef Sal Sadanelli puts out the best authentic Italian fare and always has some seasonal specials every night.
Born in Naples, Italy, Sadanelli graduated from Auburn Culinary School and brings all the tastes of southern Italy right here to Crystal Lake. As a guy who grew up in the restaurants of Little Italy in New York City, I describe his food as the best possible combination of Old World Italian and modern Italian.
On any evening, I might go in and have a simple bowl of rigatoni in marinara sauce or Sadanelli’s grilled pork chops in Parmesan-Gorgonzola butter with roasted potatoes and grilled asparagus. And either way, I’m doing backflips.
That’s one of the great things about da Baffone — they can do it all. If you want to really enjoy life, try the Frutta di Mare. It’s Giangrande’s and Sadanelli’s favorite, and it is an adventure in local deliciousness. I always have several appetizers, and one of them is Salsiccia and Peppers. Have it — it’s enough for three.
The drinks are big and plentiful, as is the wine list. I like to start with one of their original martinis in the bar and then move into the dining room for dinner.
Da Baffone Cucina Italiana is at 111 N. Main St. in Crystal Lake. For reservations, call 815-893-6149. They open at 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
Congratulations, da Baffone, on your one-year anniversary — and many more. Buona fortuna.
