I remember eating a dessert crepe there, too. It was wonderful. Did you have that?

I meant to fire off a letter to the Napa Rose after dinner with a large group of friends, never got around to it. Let me know what kind of response you got get.

Unfortunately, I just haven't felt compelled to darken their door since then.

Sadly, Gn2Dlnd, I feel the same way. But, I also felt at $300 for 3, they needed to have some feedback.

Don't know if I will get anything back, if I do, I will let you know.

What happened at Napa Rose?

You got?

There's some good grammar.

What was the beef (just asking out of curiosity)?

Availability of a selection of non-chain restaurants was one of the big draws of the city of Orange when we were looking to purchase property. While there are chains that I will eat at, I feel much happier eating at independent establishments with unique character.

I'm less picky regarding retail, as long as the products are of good quality. Thus, I'll shop at Target and Costco and such. KMart, and WalMart I avoid because I perceive their merchandise to be generally of lower quality.

I would shop for clothing at more independent locations, however I don't have the budget for most boutique stores, nor the patience to seek out the affordable ones. Though I tend to hold off buying suits until my dad is in the mood to spend a day in the garment district (partly because of the great deals and partly because he always ends up paying for at least one suit for me. Who am I to argue?).

As for Bubba Gumps across from Disneyland? I don't fault the business decision, but it still depresses me that there is no business incentive to risk an independent establishment. It's pathetic that the choice is "high price" or "medium price chain." It's even more pathetic that people value price (as in, "It costs more, therefore it must be better")/image over actual food quality. I've mentioned before the sad story of our favorite Italian restaurant in Irvine. Down the street from a very mediocre chain-style place, where the food was blander and the prices higher, and yet the little independent place with wonderful food (no tentacles or eyeballs, just delicious southern Italian cuisine) and reasonable prices was always empty and eventually went out of business. Sad.

No, I had a savory, NA and I brunched.
It was yummy and I would eat there again in a heartbeat

The trouble is, if you have a foreign Bear and Stoat, in SFO, they might just think that oh, let's see... Joes Crab Shack was in fact a one-off unique restaurant. (which is what we thought)

Foreign people don't got a lot of no chains to go by.

Now I DO feel touristy. :(

Thanks Hon, I like you a lot too !

Fixing a menu was like pulling teeth with these people. Initial phone calls were made over a week in advance, the menu finally got set the night before. No adjustments were permitted because "We would have needed more time for that." No beverages for at least ten minutes after being seated, no coffee served or offered with dessert. One guest's meal was not to their liking and no wait staff came to the table to make sure things were okay, the meal was never fixed. Despite the fact that the reservations and subsequent phone calls all mentioned that an anniversary was being observed, only the restaurant host acknowledged the anniversary. Zero mention from the wait staff, even as coffee-less dessert was being served.

I will say that a nice meal was enjoyed, don't get me wrong. The evening just didn't rise to the expectations one has of Disney, and certainly not the expectations one has when spending that kind of money. I mean, a new outfit was bought, for goodness' sake!

Actually, kudos must be given to the host, who went above and beyond in maintaining the surprise aspect of the evening. I have no idea how many guests were actually fooled into thinking we were going to Storyteller's, but the host maintained the deception even as we were "waiting for our table in the more comfortable Napa lounge." :snap:

All in all, without a serious talk with restaurant management, I won't book the Napa again for any similar gatherings. :upsidedownsnap: