Minor Annoyances #1...or What Gives Me Agita?

I figured I'd start a little recurring feature about things that slightly annoy me when I go out to a restaurant or to a bar or to a restaurant with a bar. Or to a bar that serves food that isn't a restaurant. Okay, maybe these things really annoy me. Because they're friggin' annoying. See if you don't agree - and maybe add a few of your own.

Last night, Significant Eater and I went out to a place called Palena Cafe. It's the lower-priced cafe attached to the restaurant called Palena (and that might be annoying, but at least it's a good restaurant...I mean cafe. I think). If you've never heard of it, that's because it's located in Northwest Washington, D.C. , and really, who follows D.C. restaurants except people who live here? And your occasional senator, congressman, lobbyist, etc. And Spike.

I digress...back to annoyances. So here are a few, which is not to say anything bad about the restaurant (cafe) since they can apply anywhere and often do. It just so happens that a few of them happened last night.

When we got to the restaurant, after putting our name on a wait list (20 minutes - quoted correctly - yay) we went to the bar. Big loudmouth guy, sitting sideways on a barstool, pontificating, taking up about 3 spaces at the bar. Done with his drink even, and not ordering another one. So there's No. 1 - sit straight unless there's nobody milling around trying to get a drink or a seat. It's a bar, not your living room, douche.

Which brings me to No. 2. Unless you're the only one there, take your handbag/coat/poodle/

Duane Reade bag off the bar stool. It's for people, not your personal coat check area.

Which brings me to No. 3. Take your damn umbrella or your damn pocketbook off of the bar. You probably had it on the floor of the subway before getting here; it's nice that you don't care about anyone else except yourself, and you might like eating off the floor, but we don't.

Oh, No. 4. Ask any bartender. The garnish tray is not your personal appetizer area. Keep your disgusting fingers out of the olives/orange slices/whatever.

Into the restaurant.

It really bugs me when the restaurant is out of the one thing I want to order. At 8 P.M. What did you do, make one of those? And then what I order sucks.

How about the reach? Across my face/body in order to fill a water glass or remove a plate.

Or maybe worse, to clear away my plate - when Significant Eater is still eating! You know, because she likes to eat alone. No partial bussing, please.

And here are a few of my favorite exchanges when dining out:

Server: "What will we be having for dinner tonight?" Me: "I didn't realize you'd be dining with us."

Server: "I like everything on the menu. It's all yummy."

And finally, at least for this installment...when I'm paying the bill, don't ask me if I want any change. From my $50. For the $30 check. Just bring it - your tip is likely to be bigger.

Now, I know I have a few more. I just can't think of them right now. But I always take a pen and paper with me, so I'll be writing them down and blogging about them more. And I'm sure you must have a few. Do share.

David Chang Does What? Yeah, Right...

In the current issue of Food & Wine magazine, there's an article by Gisela Williams entitled David Chang Attempts to Veg Out.

Now, I don't know Chang personally, but historically his restaurants have generally been more about meat, seafood and poultry - pork, for sure, but beef, lamb and veal have made the cut too. I mean, there were even notes on his menus suggesting that vegetarians might want to think about eating elsewhere. One main course at Momofuku Ssam Bar involves a whole pork shoulder - bo ssam - which is usually ordered by a group of 6 or more diners and has to be ordered ahead. Another (at Momo Noodle Bar) is the fried chicken - also to be ordered in advance and involving two whole chickens , one fried in the Korean style and one southern American style.

And all of a sudden, Mr. Chang goes veg. Interesting, huh? Yes, it seems he was "stressed out." With 5 restaurants to his name, no doubt.

So, what did he do? According to the article, he took a time out in South Korea (his ancestral country) to explore temple cuisine, the traditional vegetarian food that has been cooked and eaten by Korean Buddhist monks and nuns for centuries.

Whew - I'm glad he got that under control. Seriously though, it seems as if DC was getting a little tired of all that pork and starting to love his vegetables. He wouldn't be the first; hasn't Batali undergone the same "transformation?"

But please - does this have to become news? Well of course - because he's David Chang. And obsessive food freaks that we are, we must know. It's all good and there are some really nice recipes to go along with the article.

So David - eat your vegetables. Stop stressing out. I'm going to try a recipe or two from the article. Looks like they'll be really tasty - especially with some pig on the side.

Dudes Cook? According to the Post

This was going to be a blog post about cookies. But then I saw this:

"Dudes do food

More NY guys are cooking at home (and impressing the ladies, too!)"

Here's a link to the article in today's NY Post, where you can read additional gems like:

"Who do women have to thank? For one, the Food Network, for making the act of filleting a fish a masculine affair"

If you're learning to cook from the Food Network now, you've got a lot of problems.

That's all. I have to go bake some cookies. Short rant over. I like to rant about things that are newly discovered when I've been doing them for 40 years.