Part two of this week's Eater Reader Mailbag. Want to get in on the fun? Your musings welcome to the tipline, as always.
IN RE: EARLY ISSUES AT BLT BURGER:
1) "I just wanted to share with you that I decided to try BLT Burger for lunch in Sunday afternoon. After waiting for 40 minutes for our food, we got up and left. The table next to us had been waiting for over an hour, and our waiter did not come by once to apologize or offer any explanation. The place is small and only serves burgers - it should not take over an hour. And, there were a handful of empty tables. LT needs to get this place together or it will not last."
2) "So, my wife and I have been to BLT Steak about a half dozen times since it
opened and have always had a great experiences there. So we were thrilled when we first heard that the BLT empire was expanding to include BLT Burger. We have now been to BLT Burger twice, once four weeks ago during the soft opening, and again this past weekend. We will not be going a third time [continues...]"
More BLT fun after the jump, plus last rites for Tang Tang.
[continued] "...Both times our food came out wrong, not once, not twice: three times. We saw our waiters write down our orders so we don't think it was them (they have their own issues, like having to be asked three times over about 20 minutes for a soda) but the kitchen staff apparently just puts whatever they want on the burger they send you, regardless of what you asked for. Both times while there we saw the tables around us going through the same thing - ordering but not getting their drinks, getting the wrong drinks, sending their burgers back.
It's a shame because every meal we've had at BLT Steak has been superlative, and when we had the miserable experience during BLT Burger's soft opening we chalked it up to the place being new and not officially open. The managers the first time were really helpful too, despite the kitchen trying their hardest to repeatedly screw up our food. But it's a month later and the same problems are persisting, if not actually worsening, and the manager's response this time was apologetic but basically just "oh well." It's incredibly disappointing for any restaurant to not have their shit together this badly, but for a group of the caliber of the BLT Restaurants? Avoid this place until they get their kitchen straightened out."
IN RE SHUTTERING/REMANAGEMENT OF GRAMERCY CHINESE LEGEND TANG TANG:
1) "I have been ordering in there for years and always a perfect meal...it was THE BEST CHINESE. and it came before you even hung up the phone..THAT FAST. Last night i placed an order and for the first time in 10 years..it took over 30 minutes..and the food arrived in different containers then usual and the actual meal was terrible! SAD DAY IN GRAMERCY!"
2) "The cold noodles were essentially the same, although it should be noted that like most places like this, there is a fairly ludicrous turnover rate amongst the chefs and wait-staff, so quality varies wildly around the median... still, for my money this is the best 'generic' chinese food in town."
