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Review: Living In Emergency
Tonight just before 7pm the fire detector in the kitchen of Susan Feniger's popular new restaurant, "Street" malfunctioned. It detected a nonexistent grease fire and the sprinkler system sprayed a hot chemical down on the kitchen from behind the chefs, coating much of the food and sending everyone running out of the kitchen. Not only is the food a loss, but there are strict rules about this kind of thing both from the Health Department and Fire Department.
The restaurant had to be closed down for the night, and perhaps for as long as 24 hours. It was most likely an Ansul system, which removes oxygen from the air, according to the LAFD. The LAFD also stated that in this kind of event the alarm system will need to be reserviced and the Health Department will have to be notified. Let's hope Street is back up and running soon. We cannot go with out our Kaya Toast for long or we will start seriously jonesing.
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Unfortunately, those systems make QUITE a mess when they blow, and the clean up can be extensive. I wish them luck in getting it cleaned up and re-certified in 24 hours. It'll probably be longer than that.
A first glance at the headline made me think they were closed forever. I was sad.
Maybe I should re-word that to add the word "temporary".
Don't you think that someone with a reservation who drives down to a restaurant that is unable to open due to some problem of their making should offer SOMETHING to the disappointed diners? I was surprised that Street did NOT do that tonight! Even if it's just a free desert or cocktail during their next visit, I think that's the least a restaurant can do ...
We were the second and last table served at dinner, as I have discovered the secret for getting into popular restaurants is to eat during that early bird lull. I watched them explain the situation to two tables nearby. And yes, I was a litle surprised no recompense was offered.
I chalk it up to them being completely shocked and flustered by the unusual situation. The servers were the ones talking to customers - I think anyone with the authority to offer free meals on the next visit had bigger fish to fry at the moment. The hostess/maitre d' was busy calling all of the people with reservations for later that night to let them know.
Having witnessed the customer service at Street, I suspect that if diners were to inform them that they were among the displaced they would do everything they could to make them happy. Of course, just think of all of their lost revenue already. An entire night's food wasted, and the loss of another meal service or two. I would probably cut them a break.
Everybody wants something for free. Always.
I'm with the second half of Elise on this one. Just because my reservation got laid to waste, I wouldn't feel a sense of entitlement. How about feeling bad for the company that started up in the middle of a recession to offer a great dining experience to anyone willing to come. I can pay for my own gelatto in the face of financial hardships from someone else.
you can go to hell, gotohell ... i was prepared to pay $14 for bottles of hitachino and the like ... when you drive 30 miles to get to a restaurant only to discover it's closed, the very LEAST the restaurant can do is say "we'd really like you to come back as soon as possible & an appetizer or desert will be on the house when you do" ... i wasn't expecting a free meal ... as a business person, when i fail to deliver what i have promised, i always try to make it up to my customers