[RPMcMurphy]

So, I believe it was Sunday, we went to Wegmans in Manalapan, NJ (a little far for us to go to the supermarket, but when you need those "special" ingredients). We keep hearing about "The Turning Point" which is right in the same shopping center. Suppose to have the best breakfast/brunch around. Well, perhaps we were spoiled from Nicholas, or just spoiled in general, but it was certainly nothing to tell mom about. I doub't I'd go back, much less wait 30 minutes for a table. It was just nothing special. I ordered Eggs Benny, and Laurie ordered a Spinach and Mushroom "skillet".

I judge Eggs benny by the Hollandaise sauce, and the way the english muffin is "cut". By cut, I mean not cut with a "machine" (yeah, you can tell, and I want my ridges, no smooth tops!). The Hollandaise sauce, was "eh" and underseasoned. Not enough cayenne if any at all. The ham, a little burnt? The tomatoes, a little "taste like subpar supermarket tomatoes". (not to mention, it's not an eggs benny with tomato, it's then called a bastardized version of "Eggs Blackstone")
On to Laurie's skillet. It wasn't a skillet. It was a bunch of potatoes cheese spinach, mushrooms and eggs, cooked separately, piled onto a (skillet shaped?) plate and put under a salamander. She said it wasn't "bad" but it was nothing great. What would have made it worth it, would have been to cook each "skillet" in an actual skillet, as 1 dish, then serving it in that same skillet it was cooked in. THAT would have been better.

The Hawaiian Espresso drink we ordered was good, but who can go wrong with whipped cream? The service was OK, it was a busy place. My guess is (and sorry for offending) that this is the perfect place for people who don't ever cook breakfast themselves, because if they did, they would realize how "un-special" it is.....
....or we are just snobs.

p.s. the plates looked not dirty, but "beat up" marks all over them...time for new ones, not even the greasy spoon diners in NJ have plates that look that bad!

p.p.s. Look at the measly cup of "fruit" sad indeed

p.p.p.s the check was 31$ + tip.

[kuan]

Oh you got a Denny's breakfast for a Ritz Carlton price.

It's all about expectations. High price, high expectations. I'd be ticked off and believe me I've had tons of experiences like yours. I never learn I guess. Maybe it's my built in optimism.

[boar_d_laze]

You're starting to judge restaurant food against what you can do at home. One of the things you can do is make a great hollandaise. Another thing you can do is organize a lot of different foods and get them on the plate at the same time -- and plated attractively at that. What used to be miraculous is now less so. It happens. Relax. Enjoy. Be glad someone else is doing the dishes.

On the plus side, my daughter is visiting from Santa Rose and we took her to Triumphal Palace this morning for one of the best dim-sum brunches ever.

BDL

[phatch]

Yes, it's a terrible curse to be able to cook a better meal at home for less. You just have to enjoy the company more to make up for it. My moment was after a Chevy's Mexican chain had finally come to utan many years ago. it was getting good talk among my friends. We went once. I left saying I could make better food at home. We never went back.

It's a jading experience. But it has its pluses too.

Phil

[jbd]

RPMc,

As long as you can somewhat "enjoy" and be thankful for a more than occasional MRE (meal, ready to eat) you're not a food snob

I agree with Kuan's comments.

[Ohyum]

My hubby belongs to a men's formal bridge club. Each member takes a turn hosting the club each year and a formal dinner is served, either homemade or catered. The ONLY thing he has to say about his night is if the food was tolerable. THAT is a serious disadvantage to having two excellent cooks in the household. For us it is easy and enjoyable. It's hard to feign excitement over mediocre food, but I certainly don't expect the same excellence from other people/restaurants. I only go out when I'm tired, it's not convenient to cook at home, or as a social courtey. Our family joke is that our leftovers taste better than what most people in town are eating fresh.

[chrose]

I don't think you are becoming spoiled facts are facts and Kuan is right. It's all about price and expectations. If I am paying a lot I expect my moneys worth. My wife doesn't like to go out because as she says "why spend money when I can get the same or better at home. Me I just like going out, and yes I do critique everything, but when it's good and I am satisfied I am very happy! But when it's not, like your experience, I feel ripped off.

[izbnso]

Just wait until you start to get into pastry, it is even worse. You will find that most desserts, even at better restaurants, are lack luster at best. (For those who live in booming metropolises where pastry chefs are kept on staff, I envy you.)

The most you can hope for is that the chef has decided to develop a special sauce for the bread pudding or the cheese cake doesn’t taste too much like the box it came in.

The last time we ate out at a highly recommended up scale place, the steak came out sitting atop a giant puddle of steak sauce that tasted like a “doctored” version of A-1 and the celery root potatoes were like celery root stretched with instant potato flakes. We took it as an omen of things to come and didn’t even bother with desserts. We ordered fruity cocktails instead.

PS: Please tell me those plaid shorts in the picture belong to your fiancée, they just aren’t very manly.

[RPMcMurphy]

I'm so manly I can wear plaid shorts and get away with it......kinda like how Prince(The artist formally known as) can dress in heels and still get the prettiest girl...



(shhh don't tell NRatched I posted this picture, she hates it!)

p.s. when DO have the prettiest girl....you can wear whatever you want

[Ohyum]

What a BEAUTIFUL photo of you two! I hope you have it framed somewhere in your home!

[NRatched]

I have to say, I think part of the problem of the whole experience was our expectations. I got raving reviews from co-workers as being "very quaint, amazing home cooked, etc....". It just didn't seem to be much better than a Perkins. And if it was $10 cheaper it would have been more acceptable.

p.s.
i LOVE my fiance in plaid shorts

[DC Sunshine]

You should have both photos framed and in your house for all to see - they look great

Expectations of an experience can deflate it when you don't see it as the ones who recommended it do. Going into a place with an open mind (not saying that you didn't!) can leave you more room to move judging the visit and the food. I'm glad the service was decent. As has been said, when you can cook as well as many places you end up, its hard to want to go out sometimes. But we all need to, if just for the sake of a meal off, and no mess to clean up after.

Most times I've been to a place that was recommended by others, it has not been rewarding, even after reading foodies reviews. We now try and avoid going to those places, and treat it as a mystery tour to "discover" a place, for better or worse, by ourselves.

One person's experience and expectations will never precisely match up with your own.

P.S. That fruit bowl is an added on afterthought...twas very sad indeed...slices of melon and a couple of grapes?

DC