The Knife

Gastropub: Shedding light on the meaning

Barenaked lightbulbs have become the beacon of choice for urban watering holes. That's The York above, a new gastropub in Highland Park. You'll also find the bulbs at 750ml, a new gastropub in South Pasadena and at The Village Idiot, a new gastropub on Melrose Avenue. To be determined: If "gastropub" is the 21st century synonym for "fern bar."

The York, 5018 York. Blvd. (323) 255-9675
750 ml, 966 Mission St., So. Pasadena. (626) 799-0711
The Village Idiot, 7383 Melrose Ave. (323) 655-3331

The Return of the Village Idiot, or, The Knife Learns A Lesson

Remember the commenter who posted a negative comment here about Village Idiot? Who posted the comment many times, on many different sites? The one who I called out as an Antichrist shill, which got me called out as a bad blogger, to which I responded with (in so many words), "Bite me"?

Anyway. I wrote to the Village Idiot-basher, asking for comment. And voila!

Dana -

Please write about the experience on your blog.  The experience I had at the restaurant was horrendous.  What grudge can a diner have against a restaurant? With the exception of at the end of the experience having to actually pay?

Too many times in this town we are seeing substandard service with the expectation that diners are to except [sic] the service as standard.  What happened to the definition of TIP?  Has that been lost in the suffle [sic]?  When a customer complains about a service in the service industry - is not the customer right? Shouldn't steps be taken to solve a situation?  Say a diner asks for a well-done steak - should they be concerned that when it comes out bloody and raw that no-one took the time to even check?  Should they just except [sic] it?  Tip the server and staff none-the-less?  Does that not send the message that sub-standard service is the norm?

What are the means for rectifying the situation?  What are the roads to warn others of the experience as not to have them be treated in the same deplorable manner?  What other means of "wake up and notice" can be taken for the service industry to remember that "service"?  If there was a negative experience at a restaurant, are not posting sites for those comments?  Or are posting sites for positive comments alone?  Strange that my comments received concern.  If I had posted multiple positive comments on multiple sites would I be receiving this email?

Think about it.

and then, not five minutes later...

Dana -

I had not read your post, nor had I read what was written in response to my posts on EaterLA prior to even sending the email below.  I am saddened that in a society of free speech and open forum for discussion I am lambasted and bombarded with criticism for posting an honest experience.  I was called a slut, a bad-business person and you went so far as to post my IP address.  All for following a given freedom in this country.

I guess I have learned my lesson and should not speak up when there is something wrong.  Just shut up and read.

Thanks for slapping my hand. 

_______________________________________

Good grief.

Bad Commenters Get Spanked: Outing the Village Idiot

Two days ago, I received a comment about Village Idiot -- a restaurant I like a lot -- that, had it been in print, would have probably qualified for libel.

"Bathrooms that were filthy... overflowing toilets... A 'chicken breast' plate that showed with leg, bone and skin all attached and a medium-well hamburger bloody and cold inside."

I'd just gotten back from Texas when this came in, so I didn't pay much mind. But props to Lesley Balla at Eater LA, who did. She noticed that in addition to the Knife, the identical sentiments appeared the same day on Citysearch, Digital Cities and five times on Chowhound.

For the uninitiated, this bears all the signs of an Antichrist shill alert  -- someone who makes outrageous claims to serve a personal vendetta. (Lesley puts her money on someone who's been screwed by a waiter, but I'm wagering a business deal gone bad.) And I quote: "The menu lacked imagination and truth." Yes, of course; would you like some veritas with your vino? I mean, who the hell says that?

I'll tell you who. According to the comment writer's i.p. address, it's someone at the Re/Max offices in Manhattan Beach. I've written "Carly" asking for comment.

Happy with The Village Idiot

The Village Idiot's logo. I like it because it looks like an outtake from The Phantom Tollbooth.

I don't pretend to understand why, but sometime you step into a restaurant and say, "Eww." Or "Eesh." And every once in a great while, it's "Aahh."

All hail The Village Idiot, which turns out to be a lot smarter than anything else that's held the space at the corner of Melrose and Martel.