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Gypsy Soul, Casual Upscale in Merrifield's Mosaic District with Chef John "Bull" Engle - Closed


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As expected, the cocktails are great as well. Both RJ and BryanTetorakis were in the house. They run a tight ship!

If you read this, RJ, thanks a lot for the memorable lunch. You've got a great new spot on your hands.

The timing of this and RJ's post in the Rogue 24 thread mentioning the 4x4 deal again got me wondering - is there a schedule for when Bryan is in once place or another? Some friends and I have decided we need to make a better effort to get to some restaurants that have been on our list for a while and Gypsy Soul is included. I'd love to plan our visit for a time when we know Bryan will be there.

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My first visit today was for lunch.  Arrived around 12:15 and the dining room was only a third full, but it was closer to 80% by 1pm.  The restaurant is absolutely beautiful, with a great view into the kitchen.  The double doors at the entry are simply gorgeous.

I was pleased to discover that the lunch crush was available at tables and not just the bar.  Today's crush consisted of a pumpkin bisque, crab cake and chocolate pudding.  An absolutely amazing deal.  Hurry and take advantage before RJ figures out he's not charging enough.  I will not be able to describe the bisque in a way that does it justice...it was so rich and complex.  The crab cake was a nice size and served with house made chips and slaw.

I don't know why it took me so long to make it to GS, but I will be back again soon.

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Tonight was my third visit to Gypsy Soul.

First visit: Somewhere around early October.  My wife and I, and a longtime friend of ours back home from California.  (the three of us each grew up less than two miles from what is now the Mosaic District).  We got the pimento cheese dip and chicken skins for starters, both of which were very good.  I may be in the minority, but being on blood pressure and cholesterol medicine, for the chicken skins, the juice may not be worth the squeeze.  Main courses were crabcake, rabbit, and, for me, the GS burger.  Sides of corn and mac and cheese (plain).  Reports were good on the crabcake and rabbit, and my burger was one of the best I have had in a long time.  Service was handled mostly by a floor manager, as our server seemed pretty clueless.  In fact, I had to talk our friend into going here, invoking RJ's reputation as a chef, because she had read a number of reviews on Yelp complaining about the service.  We might have been in that boat were it not for an attentive manager.

Second visit:  Just me, about a week later, back for the GS burger.  I sat at the bar, and had a very attentive bartender, even though the bar was pretty much full and he was painstakingly making those fancy cocktails.  The burger was once again great.  I ordered it without onions, and Chef RJ overheard me, and said that the bun had onions in it.  I noted that I was aware of that from my previous visit, and that whatever amount was in the bun would be fine.  (I am not allergic, I just don't like them, and on the first visit, I pretty much ate the burger without the bun due to having ordered apps and sides).  He tried to talk me into trying the onions, but I resisted.  He still had a small plate of them sent out with my burger, which I tasted, but opted out of.  I can see, however, that an onion lover would probably go nuts over these.

Third visit:  Just me, tonight, with the GS burger as a backup plan, and thinking I would try something different.  I sat at the bar again, and was greeted reasonably promptly by the bartender, who provided a menu, water and a place mat.  My sip of water was pretty good.  That was as far as it went.  I sat for about 10 minutes, which seemed longer because I was the only person at my half of the bar (and there were only four people at the other half of the bar, which was manned by another bartender), watching my bartender meticulously attend to matters other than waiting on me.  He did some work on a couple of checks and carefully studied his work product while standing no more than five feet in front of me.  I had meanwhile studied the menu, was ready to order, and had my hands together resting on top of the menu.  Without even looking up, he moved over to mid-bar, where the food is run to the tables.  He reviewed the checks he was holding for a little while longer, and then went up into the table area.  After waiting a couple of more minutes for him to return, I decided that I had chosen the wrong night to eat here, and got up and left.  If it had been crowded and had it looked like he had a lot of balls to juggle, I would have hung in there at least for some additional amount of time.  Did I mention that I was the only one seated at his half of the bar?  Oh, yes, I did.

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Tonight was my third visit to Gypsy Soul.

First visit: Somewhere around early October.  My wife and I, and a longtime friend of ours back home from California.  (the three of us each grew up less than two miles from what is now the Mosaic District).  We got the pimento cheese dip and chicken skins for starters, both of which were very good.  I may be in the minority, but being on blood pressure and cholesterol medicine, for the chicken skins, the juice may not be worth the squeeze.  Main courses were crabcake, rabbit, and, for me, the GS burger.  Sides of corn and mac and cheese (plain).  Reports were good on the crabcake and rabbit, and my burger was one of the best I have had in a long time.  Service was handled mostly by a floor manager, as our server seemed pretty clueless.  In fact, I had to talk our friend into going here, invoking RJ's reputation as a chef, because she had read a number of reviews on Yelp complaining about the service.  We might have been in that boat were it not for an attentive manager.

Second visit:  Just me, about a week later, back for the GS burger.  I sat at the bar, and had a very attentive bartender, even though the bar was pretty much full and he was painstakingly making those fancy cocktails.  The burger was once again great.  I ordered it without onions, and Chef RJ overheard me, and said that the bun had onions in it.  I noted that I was aware of that from my previous visit, and that whatever amount was in the bun would be fine.  (I am not allergic, I just don't like them, and on the first visit, I pretty much ate the burger without the bun due to having ordered apps and sides).  He tried to talk me into trying the onions, but I resisted.  He still had a small plate of them sent out with my burger, which I tasted, but opted out of.  I can see, however, that an onion lover would probably go nuts over these.

Third visit:  Just me, tonight, with the GS burger as a backup plan, and thinking I would try something different.  I sat at the bar again, and was greeted reasonably promptly by the bartender, who provided a menu, water and a place mat.  My sip of water was pretty good.  That was as far as it went.  I sat for about 10 minutes, which seemed longer because I was the only person at my half of the bar (and there were only four people at the other half of the bar, which was manned by another bartender), watching my bartender meticulously attend to matters other than waiting on me.  He did some work on a couple of checks and carefully studied his work product while standing no more than five feet in front of me.  I had meanwhile studied the menu, was ready to order, and had my hands together resting on top of the menu.  Without even looking up, he moved over to mid-bar, where the food is run to the tables.  He reviewed the checks he was holding for a little while longer, and then went up into the table area.  After waiting a couple of more minutes for him to return, I decided that I had chosen the wrong night to eat here, and got up and left.  If it had been crowded and had it looked like he had a lot of balls to juggle, I would have hung in there at least for some additional amount of time.  Did I mention that I was the only one seated at his half of the bar?  Oh, yes, I did

I'm in San Diego cooking at wine and  food festival, this is not what I want to read when i wake in the morning.  Can you please email me or even here and tell me who the bartender was, or even describe him.  I just looked at the schedule and say we had 3 bartenders on last night.

This should and will not happen again. I guarantee by the time the day has ended there will be major changes with this persons employment.

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Thank you again JBag57, I have found out who this was, now there has been some significant changes in his employment.  Please let me know when you would like to join us again I will certainly make sure you will have a great dining experience.

Please email me directly chefrj@gmail.com

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I'm in San Diego cooking at wine and  food festival, this is not what I want to read when i wake in the morning.  Can you please email me or even here and tell me who the bartender was, or even describe him.  I just looked at the schedule and say we had 3 bartenders on last night.

This should and will not happen again. I guarantee by the time the day has ended there will be major changes with this persons employment.

Thank you again JBag57, I have found out who this was, now there has been some significant changes in his employment.  Please let me know when you would like to join us again I will certainly make sure you will have a great dining experience.

Please email me directly chefrj@gmail.com

WOW!!   the power of reviews:

I'm passing this on to the instructors at the bartending school to incorporate into their classes on customer service.

As to the poor service and whatever actions R J Cooper took to react to the situation, I don't need to or choose to make any comments.

The power of reviews spreads across the business environment.  Terrible reviews can destroy businesses and they can kill jobs and employment.  Great reviews on the other hand will boost business and can reward great employees.  Reviews are amazingly powerful.

Businesses have to stay on their toes.  So do employees...in all businesses and occupations.  Lessons learned.

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Seems harsh to me.

I don't blame RJ for taking whatever steps he did in response to this very public complaint, but boy, it does make me deeply uneasy about us--Rockwellians--posting here about lapses in service by particular employees.  This guy failed to give attention to one customer for about twelve minutes . . . and it cost him his job, or some other "significant change" in his employment.  As others have done in the past, I'd strongly recommend that if you have a concern about the service, or cooking, for that matter, during a particular visit to a restaurant, the better course is to bring it to the attention of management in the first instance, rather than posting here.  It might be an aberration, or something easily remedied without any "significant" sanctions.  The public exposure on a site such as this or Yelp or Chowhound, by contrast, is much more likely to result in a more extreme response, because proprietors are understandably eager to counter the damage that is done by the public critique.

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First a discussion on the impact of reviews on individuals who work in the restaurant industry is worthy of a separate topic, IMHO.   I reacted from the perspective of the bar school, its training, its efforts with grads looking for employment, and with regard to various grads working around the region, making them aware of the consequences.  Its not a topic I had considered earlier.

From the perspective of the school we have grads who range from newbie beginning bartenders, to experienced to managers to owners of establishments.  I'm aware of some who took our course  decades ago and can find their name referenced as an owner of a local establishment here at dr.com among other places.

I've already gotten feedback from those working in the industry;  some have referenced that a bad "yelp" review will at least generate a reprimand, and consequences can get worse for repeated bad mention by name.  On the other hand getting referenced by name with a positive review can earn an employee a substantial cash reward.

We also saw a five star review for a relatively small and new place wherein the bartender's service included an action he learned in our classes and it was positively referenced in the review.  Review commentary on yelp appears to have doubled since then and in a relatively short period of time.

The power of reviews transcends that of the establishment and can impact individuals both good and bad.  Well worth considering in all its manifestations.

The power and impact of reviews goes way beyond that of the establishment itself.

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As a service business owner of the non-restaurant type, I can understand chef's response to a terrible, shouldn't-have-happened kind of review. Some people leave my business not because I'm not good at what I do, but because they weren't cared for in the manner they feel was appropriate for the money they spent. We have more clients leave because of a receptionist's attitude than because of something I've done (and that receptionist is re-trained extensively or let go). Chef Cooper and his staff can be the most amazing chefs, but poor service will lose them money just as fast as if they sucked at their job, as evidenced in JBag57's walking out after a glass of water.

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As a service business owner of the non-restaurant type, I can understand chef's response to a terrible, shouldn't-have-happened kind of review. Some people leave my business not because I'm not good at what I do, but because they weren't cared for in the manner they feel was appropriate for the money they spent. We have more clients leave because of a receptionist's attitude than because of something I've done (and that receptionist is re-trained extensively or let go). Chef Cooper and his staff can be the most amazing chefs, but poor service will lose them money just as fast as if they sucked at their job, as evidenced in JBag57's walking out after a glass of water.

It's true.  I left a doctor's practice because, while I liked the doctor and her nurse practitioner very much, dealing with the front desk was a nightmare.  They treated every patient with complete disdain and disregard.  You could stand in front of them for 15 minutes while they were on a personal call and they'd never once make eye contact with you.  (I later learned that several people I knew had left that practice for the exact same reason.)

Seems like a good analogy to JBag's situation and I would have done just as he did.  No matter what business you're in, no matter how good your product, your FOH can cost you a lot of business if they treat customers/clients/patients/patrons badly.

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At lunch today I discussed this w/ the bartender at a place w/ great service and a customer whom I know has had both BOH and FOH experience:  With regard to this observation:

some have referenced that a bad "yelp" review will at least generate a reprimand, and consequences can get worse for repeated bad mention by name.  On the other hand getting referenced by name with a positive review can earn an employee a substantial cash reward.

..the experienced customer suggested all a staffer needs to do is have his/her friends show up at the restaurant, write a great review, mention their friend the server/bartender by name...give the place a 5 star review...and help the server/bartender earn an extra $50/100/150/200 from management.

The consequences, schemes, and twisting of reviews are potentially endless.

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Tonight was my third visit to Gypsy Soul.

Third visit:  Just me, tonight, with the GS burger as a backup plan, and thinking I would try something different.  I sat at the bar again, and was greeted reasonably promptly by the bartender, who provided a menu, water and a place mat.  My sip of water was pretty good.  That was as far as it went.  I sat for about 10 minutes, which seemed longer because I was the only person at my half of the bar (and there were only four people at the other half of the bar, which was manned by another bartender), watching my bartender meticulously attend to matters other than waiting on me.  He did some work on a couple of checks and carefully studied his work product while standing no more than five feet in front of me.  I had meanwhile studied the menu, was ready to order, and had my hands together resting on top of the menu.  Without even looking up, he moved over to mid-bar, where the food is run to the tables.  He reviewed the checks he was holding for a little while longer, and then went up into the table area.  After waiting a couple of more minutes for him to return, I decided that I had chosen the wrong night to eat here, and got up and left.  If it had been crowded and had it looked like he had a lot of balls to juggle, I would have hung in there at least for some additional amount of time.  Did I mention that I was the only one seated at his half of the bar?  Oh, yes, I did.

I'm really not trying to fan any flames here. I'm just curious: Are you an extremely shy person? Is there a reason that you did not say "Excuse me" loud enough for the bartender to hear you? How do you feel about the guy getting fired?

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Now I think you're being harsh, Mark.

Jbag57 didn't get this guy fired, he just documented his experiences.  RJ, the boss fired him, which may be harsh, but it's his place to do with what he chooses.    Are we not to post bad reviews on this site?

Yeah, Jbag could have flagged someone down, but I've been in his situation too"¦"¦.you're (nearly) the only one in the place, but suddenly you're invisible.  The people who are supposed to help you become masters at not making eye contact, and you sit, and sit, and sit, getting madder and madder, and finally just leave.  Often times you don't have that option (like the DMV), but you're not required by law to eat at a certain place.

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These are the same laws we live by at both GS & R24 service is a lifestyle not a job.

1. Not acknowledging guests with eye contact and a smile within 30 seconds. First impressions count!

2. Not thanking the guests as they leave. Last impression!

3. Not remembering the guests' likes and dislikes!

4. Not opening the front door for guests.

5. Silverware set askew on the tables.

6. Tabletop that isn't picture perfect.

7. Forks with bent tines.

8. Unevenly folded napkins.

9. Chipped glassware.

10. Tables not completely set when guests are being seated.

11. Dead or wilted flowers on the tables.

12. Tables that are not leveled.

13. Salt and pepper shakers that are half empty.

14. Salt or sugar crusted inside the shakers.

15. Carelessly placed items on the tables.

16. Table linen with small holes, rips or burns.

17. Clutter or junk. Watch the trays, gueridons [small tables], etc.

18. Pictures on walls not leveled.

19. Tables not properly cleared.

20. Burned-out lightbulbs.

21. Clattering dishes. Be quiet!

22. Dropping china, silverware or glassware.

23. Murky or smelly water in flower vases.

24. Wobbly tables or chairs.

25. Broken chairs.

26. Needing to be center of attention. Give the ego a break!

27. An "I'm doing you a favor" attitude.

28. Socializing with certain guests while ignoring others!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

29. Being too familiar or excessively chatty.

30. Having a visible reaction to the amount of the tip.

31. Ignoring obvious attempts to get attention.

32. Making light of a guest's complaint.

33. No sense of humor.

34. Orders that arrive incomplete.

35. Not acknowledging guests as soon as they're seated.

36. Not providing service to tables in order of their arrival.

37. Wrong pacing: meal service too fast or too slow.

38. Not providing a place for meal debris -- e.g., shells!

39. Food sitting visible on gueridon [small table].

40. Necessary condiments that don't arrive with food.

41. Lack of eye contact.

42. Talking to the order pad.

43. Not repeating each item as the guest orders.

44. Not naming each item as you serve.

45. Addressing the woman as "the lady." (Times are changing!)

46. Thumbs on the plate during service.

47. Stacking or scraping dishes in front of guests.

48. Approaching a table with another table's dirty dishes.

49. Entering the guests' conversation without invitation.

50. Interrupting or asking questions while a guest's mouth is full.

51. Handling silverware by the eating surfaces.

52. Holding glasses by the bowl or rim.

53. Language that is too formal or casual.

54. Asking men for their orders before asking women.

55. Not having total focus when at the table.

56. Giving guests the feeling of being "processed."

57. Not really listening when spoken to.

58. Being too hurried to be attentive.

59. Not establishing rapport with the guests.

60. Appearing stressed or out of control.

61. Not bringing something the guest requests.

62. Providing inconsistent service. (Dig down, you can do it.)

63. Not bringing a replacement (sugar, butter, etc.) before taking the empty one away.

64. Not removing extra place settings.

65. Inability to answer basic menu questions.

66. Not knowing what brands are carried at the bar.

67. Placing a cocktail napkin askew or upside down.

68. Not warning about hot plates or beverages.

69. Dropping plates instead of presenting them.

70. Not bringing all the serviceware needed for the menu item.

71. Serving with an elbow in the guest's face.

72. Inconsistent service methods.

73. Not refilling water or coffee.

74. Not moving with the "speed of the room."

75. Not checking back within a few minutes of serving the course.

76. Not visually checking on each table regularly.

77. Not clearing one course completely before serving the next (e.g., toast, finger bowls).

78. Removing plates before all guests are finished.

79. Clearing plates without permission.

80. Not clearing plates promptly.

81. Vanishing waiters.

82. Not continuing to service the table once you have presented the check.

83. Watching while the guest completes the credit card slip.

84. Dribbling wine on the table while pouring.

85. Resting the wine bottle on the rim of the glass.

86. Spilling food or beverage.

87. Wet, stained, or incorrectly added checks.

88. Poor personal sanitation practices (touching, scratching, etc.).

89. Standing around doing nothing.

90. Using poor grammar when addressing a guest.

91. Pointing in the dining room.

92. Rattling pocket change.

93. Walking past items dropped on the floor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

94. Answering a question with a question.

95. Soiled or ill-fitting uniforms.

96. Filthy footwear.

97. Slouching or poor posture.

98. Distracting accessories.

99. Obvious hangovers.

100. Bandages on hand.

101. Smelling like cigarettes.

102. Excuses for anything -- anytime.

103. Personal conversations loud enough for guests to hear.

104. Whining or complaining.

105. Arguments or displayed anger.

106. Flirting with guests.

107. Speaking in incomplete sentences.

108. Not serving hot food hot.

109. Cold bread or rolls stale around the edges.

110. Incomplete orders.

111. Improperly chilled wine or beer.

112. Drinks without a stirrer or straw.

113. Improper glassware.

114. Dried-out or slimy fruit garnish.

115. Lukewarm coffee.

116. Overly strong or weak iced tea.

117. No fresh glass with a fresh drink.

118. Water, iced tea or coffee not promptly refilled.

119. Coffee in the saucer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

120. Pouring anything from a stained container.

121. Awkward, improper or inept wine service.

122. Popping a champagne cork.

123. Pouring regular coffee into a cup instead of decaf.

124. Not getting the order right the first time.

125. Serving the wrong drink.

126. Not serving wine promptly.

127. Dirty or spotted flatware.

128. Crumbs on chairs.

129. To be continued ...

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I appreciate that Bart came to my defense, and that is essentially how I felt when leaving the place.  I am glad that the bartender did not get fired, and I don't know whether the relegation exactly fits what I, last night, considered to be indifferent service.  I did post with some emotion, after feeling a bit like I was "fired" as a customer.

RJ, that is a huge list of demands you put on your servers, and I respect that you ask that much of them. I also appreciate your sharing these with us.

I think that my post conveyed that he did not fail on #1 and #35, and, ultimately, those may probably most important.  I think that #41 and #81,and the attendant aftermath, were not up to my expectations.

I am not sure I should lock horns here with somebody with the reputation of Mark Slater, but I guess I will:

I am somewhat tempered in speaking my mind normally, which might be taken as being shy.  I felt that I was being polite in not interrupting the bartender's work at the register.  So I did not say "excuse me" when he was at the register directly in front of me.  I guess I was somewhat dumbfounded in his leaving the register to look over what seemed to be checks for tables on the floor, and his movement up onto the dining floor, without even so much as saying "I will be back with you shortly" or some equivalent eye contact connoting something to that effect. At those points, my "excuse me" would have likely been heard by a considerable number of patrons, and would have made me feel uncomfortable.

I am equivocal about whether I should have just mentioned to the manager why I was leaving, as opposed to posting the reason here.  I tend to not fare well when making irritations known on site.  I did not anticipate the minor s-storm that ensued.

I want this restaurant to succeed in the long term, because I am old and want to have RJs fare available out in the suburbs, without requiring me to go downtown, except when that moves me.  In particular, I am having a craving for the chicken fried steak that is apparently only served on the brunch menu.

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I appreciate that Bart came to my defense, and that is essentially how I felt when leaving the place.  I am glad that the bartender did not get fired, and I don't know whether the relegation exactly fits what I, last night, considered to be indifferent service.  I did post with some emotion, after feeling a bit like I was "fired" as a customer.

RJ, that is a huge list of demands you put on your servers, and I respect that you ask that much of them. I also appreciate your sharing these with us.

I think that my post conveyed that he did not fail on #1 and #35, and, ultimately, those may probably most important.  I think that #41 and #81,and the attendant aftermath, were not up to my expectations.

I am not sure I should lock horns here with somebody with the reputation of Mark Slater, but I guess I will:

I am somewhat tempered in speaking my mind normally, which might be taken as being shy.  I felt that I was being polite in not interrupting the bartender's work at the register.  So I did not say "excuse me" when he was at the register directly in front of me.  I guess I was somewhat dumbfounded in his leaving the register to look over what seemed to be checks for tables on the floor, and his movement up onto the dining floor, without even so much as saying "I will be back with you shortly" or some equivalent eye contact connoting something to that effect. At those points, my "excuse me" would have likely been heard by a considerable number of patrons, and would have made me feel uncomfortable.

I am equivocal about whether I should have just mentioned to the manager why I was leaving, as opposed to posting the reason here.  I tend to not fare well when making irritations known on site.  I did not anticipate the minor s-storm that ensued.

I want this restaurant to succeed in the long term, because I am old and want to have RJs fare available out in the suburbs, without requiring me to go downtown, except when that moves me.  In particular, I am having a craving for the chicken fried steak that is apparently only served on the brunch menu.

Hey, thanks for the response. I wasn't looking to "lock horns" with anyone. As a restaurant manager, I've seen people get up and leave without saying anything many times before. It always makes me wonder what I, as the manager, missed in terms of the interactions with the staff. Naturally, I would prefer that a customer come up to me and tell me what is bothering them so that I can immediately right the situation myself and pay personal attention. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen as often as I'd like. Again, thanks for the response.

Mark

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I am somewhat tempered in speaking my mind normally, which might be taken as being shy.  I felt that I was being polite in not interrupting the bartender's work at the register.  So I did not say "excuse me" when he was at the register directly in front of me.  I guess I was somewhat dumbfounded in his leaving the register to look over what seemed to be checks for tables on the floor, and his movement up onto the dining floor, without even so much as saying "I will be back with you shortly" or some equivalent eye contact connoting something to that effect. At those points, my "excuse me" would have likely been heard by a considerable number of patrons, and would have made me feel uncomfortable.

I am equivocal about whether I should have just mentioned to the manager why I was leaving, as opposed to posting the reason here.  I tend to not fare well when making irritations known on site.  I did not anticipate the minor s-storm that ensued.

I completely feel this.  The times I have spoken up in the face of disappearing service, either with an "excuse me", or going to the manager, the interactions the rest of the time are either passive aggressive or so overly fawning that I am very uncomfortable.  And depending on when this happens, I prefer to slink out quietly or just grin and bear the bad service and move on with my life and perhaps not come back.  And to be clear, I'm not referring to any experience at Gypsy Soul here.  To get on topic, the chicken skins at Gypsy Soul are delicious and the lunch deals make me wish I worked anywhere near there.

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@RJ:   That is a long list.  I don't see any way much of that will be ingrained unless:

1.  you have a training manual with all those items listed with explanation where needed.

2.  management staff walks FOH staff through the list during training.

3.  Its reinforced over time.

Much of it seems like common sense, but in point of fact its not for a lot of staff.  They've simply never been trained across the board with regard to all of those items.  Its a higher level of expected service than what many FOH staffers expect.  On top of that its often a transient staff.

But of course, good luck with it.  If your staff meets the expectations of that list it would give extraordinary service.   In my experience the 2 long term establishments that do something like this with documentation and extensive training are Clydes and GAR.  Even with that I see references in reviews here and elsewhere wherein Clydes' staff has fallen down on the job.  (haven't noted those negative comments with GAR, but I could easily have missed some).

Its interesting to hear how this type of "front of house" lack of service hits other industries, specifically referenced above are doctors' and vets' offices.  I've listened in on various phone services to front offices, receptionists, staff that answers calls (with regard to monitoring web advertising programs).  Its interesting to hear how bad, across industries, the skill in answering calls is;

A lot of business is lost in this area, just as existing clients leave doctors' offices or other services because of the lack of training in these areas.

So weak training in the F&B industry front of house is not unique.  But it is more vital as it is so easy to blow all the hard work behind a well prepared meal, for certain service lapses.

As a customer experiencing what JBag experienced I too would have walked out.  If there was a manager I may have referenced the issue.  On the other hand doing so, would have left me feeling somewhat guilty fingering the staffer, so I might not make the effort.  OTOH, a review could have the same result....obviously.

Overall it stuns me when bartenders do what was done in JBag's case.  It seems so elementary that the first step of the job is to engage, interact, and serve the customers.  Bartenders that stretch themselves a bit, and build regulars are hero's to their employers and to the restaurant.  Its measurable.  Not all employers look at that all the time, but some do.  When they evaluate that they see who is performing and who isn't.

In our case for the bar school I discussed this topic a while back with one employer.  Bar sales were down.  Their busiest evenings were staffed by people with the most seniority.  Those bartenders had gotten "lazy" for lack of a better word.  The managers/owners gave them an opportunity to cure...and the long term bartenders didn't.  They were replaced.  Sales increased.

With current POS systems its easy to see all of that data.

The entire series of comments above is very interesting, and very enlightening.

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To RJ's credit, the service that we had on a recent weeknight dinner was excellent; I wish I could recall the female server's name.  She was attentive without being intrusive, friendly, and very helpful with suggestions, including, after we told her that we are pescatarian, recommending that the shrimp and grits would still work without the sausage.  We hadn't thought to ask about that, and they were great (loved the unexpected onions).  We also really appreciate the thoughtfulness of the nonalcoholic cocktails on the list; the bf wasn't drinking that night due to a medical issue (not that anyone needs an excuse not to drink, but we've recently become attuned to nonalcoholic offerings because it's a recent-onset thing), and his toasted coconut mocktail was as excellent as my boozy order.  (Bryan is such a great talent, we've had many enjoyable drinks at SpiritsBar/Rogue 24!)

And those honey-orange glazed carrots, mmm -- I'm going to attempt to recreate them for Thanksgiving this week.  (RJ, you should put out a cookbook and share your secrets!)

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My 25 and 29 year old sons will be with us for the Holidays and both are interested in experiencing the "craft cocktail" thing.

At Rogue 24, the bar was really conducive to conversing with the "mixologist" and Bryan explained a lot of what he was doing. Does the bar at Gypsy Soul lend itself to the same kind of interaction? Any suggestions for good alternatives? PX is not available for the nights we are looking at and Columbia Room has their closing down, special guest  events (sold out and would not permit the kind of interaction we are hoping for.) We are in Northern Virginia, which is why Gypsy Soul has appeal,  but one of us (me?) will stay sober enough to make the drive back from DC if necessary.

Thanks for any input.

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Our first visit to Gypsy Soul was for brunch several months ago; we were frankly. disappointed by the food.  We decided to stop in for lunch yesterday. Found the food greatly improved -the sauces for the oysters were good, loved the grilled radicchio salad and we both enjoyed burgers (although I could taste the flour on the fries). No lunch special was offered and when I asked, the waiter seemed to ignore my question.  We had a huge ironic laugh when I read the Arlington Magazine review later in the afternoon because like the reviewer, we also encountered "no." When I ordered iced tea, the waiter pointed to the $6 tea-fruit juice mix on the menu and said this was the only iced tea.  He said "no" when I asked for a taste of it.  Seriously?  You couldn't pour me a couple sips? Next I asked for hot English (or british as it's referred to on the menu) breakfast tea.  "No. We're out of it." Seriously= how can you be out of black tea?  Couldn't someone walk next door to Mom's Market and buy a box (or to Target or wow- to Capitol Teas)?  Finally, we were first offered  a cramped two top when the restaurant was less than a quarter full; we were moved to a four top but no one offered to take our wet coats/umbrella (did see the "host" take the coats of four women who came in later but most of the guests were sitting on their wet outerwear.)   On balance- food positive, still needs work on the service.

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Could you please tell me the name of your server.  As well, we don't flour our fries. So I cannot imagine what you have tasted. Please expand on that for me so we can better the product.

We don't do specials because we change our menu daily.

And we were not out of tea. Why I need to know who the server is.  We brew our iced tea, they should have let you try it, I apologize for that, it shouldn't have happened.

And we do have a coat closet, don't know what they were thinking.

please email me directly  chefrj@gmial.com

thanks

chef

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Could you please tell me the name of your server.  As well, we don't flour our fries. So I cannot imagine what you have tasted. Please expand on that for me so we can better the product.

We don't do specials because we change our menu daily.

And we were not out of tea. Why I need to know who the server is.  We brew our iced tea, they should have let you try it, I apologize for that, it shouldn't have happened.

And we do have a coat closet, don't know what they were thinking.

please email me directly  chefrj@gmial.com

thanks

chef

"We don't do specials because we change our menu daily."

Perhaps peepers was referring to the three-course "Lunch Crush"?  That's still available, no?

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Will be back on the menu next weekend.  Funny thing, it must be in the stars. Bridgette, the older and smaller of our twin girls, said to me about an hour ago, " Papa, you have to put back on the pig head got it!" I replied "Oh, I didn't know you were the boss!"  She said, "Really? the proper replay is 'Yes Chef, Got it!'"  And so there is my day. 

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ALL RIGHT ROCKHEADS............YES DON I AM USING ALL CAPS SORRY............GYPSY SOUL WAS CHALLENGED  BY THE FAIRFAX COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT TO A CHILI COOK OFF....WITH PROCEEDS TO GO TO THE WORLD FIRE FIGHTER GAMES........

10 BUCKS FOR TWO BOWLS A BALLET AND 3 DOLLAR HIGH LIFES!

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OK, I am probably in, but need some further DEETS.  (is that term still used outside of the bug spray world?)

When? (I assume the where is at Gypsy Soul, but maybe not)

Would I get a ballet or a ballot? (or maybe I misunderstood entirely)

Can you do a $5 IPA in lieu of the Champagne of Bottled Beers?

Sounds like a great challenge!

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This is one word I thought I'd never see you type. :)

Why a smart phone is only as smart as its user.........

OK, I am probably in, but need some further DEETS.  (is that term still used outside of the bug spray world?)

When? (I assume the where is at Gypsy Soul, but maybe not)

Would I get a ballet or a ballot? (or maybe I misunderstood entirely)

Can you do a $5 IPA in lieu of the Champagne of Bottled Beers?

Sounds like a great challenge!

the deal   every monday through march.....lunch and dinner

ballot  sorry phones tries to out think me

no ipa.....only champagne of beers special

the winners get swag from patriot harley davidson

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HELLO,

THIS IS A COMMUNITY OUT REACH MESSAGE FORM GYPSY SOUL RESTAURANT TEAM TO ALL ROCKHEADS!

CHILI, YES IT IS SPRING, HOWEVER ITS FUCKING COLD, AND I HAVE HAD THE BEST TIME COOKING, LAUGHING AND BUSTING BALLS WITH THE VARIOUS FAIRFAX COUNTY FIREFIGHTERS, THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS. THE CHALLENGE ME AND THE CULINARY TEAM TO CHILI COOK OFF FOR THE MONTH.

MONDAY, YES, THIS MONDAY IS THE LAST EVENT. TURKEY CHILI. 

ALL THE MONEY RAISED IS GOING TOWARDS THE FAIRFAX FIREFIGHTERS FOR THE WORLD GAMES RIGHT HERE IN FAIRFAX.

I KNOW MOST OF YOU HAVE 10 BUCKS IN YOUR POCKETS. HELP THESE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OUT, COME TO GS BUY TWO BOWLS VOTE WHO'S IS BETTER, BUY A BEER FOR 3 BUCKS.  

THESE MEN AND WOMEN WHOM SACRIFICE THEIR TIME AND LIVES FOR US A COMMUNITY. LET US SUPPORT THESE FOLKS.  THE HOUSE THAT GOT THE MOST VOTES ALSO WINS A TOTAL PIG ROAST PROVIDED BY US.

ROCKS. YOU HAVENT EVEN CAME.  

COMMUNITY COMMITMENT SUPPORT 

THAT IS ALL.

---

[RJ, I'm not going to retype your message, but I'm going to progressively decrease the size of the font each time you do this going forward. B)

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A couple of weeks ago, a trip to Leesburg brought the family past Gypsy Soul and naturally we had to stop for Sunday brunch. The donuts were crazy good. Crispy with a soft, lemony center. I had the chicken fried steak with eggs. The gravy had a great sage flavor. Our two little boys (ages 5 and 6) ordered a Mac and Cheese, and an order of pancakes respectively. Both were devoured.

After the meal, we pointed out RJ to our sons and said he was the chef. The 6 year old asked if he could go thank him. "Of course," we said. And he wandered over. The 5 year old said, "Can I thank him too?" We said sure, and watched them both walk over to RJ. I watched the 6 year old say something, and heard RJ thank him. I then watched the 5 year old say something... and saw RJ laugh and exclaim "Hanks???"

Oh. Crap.

The 5 year old is a maniacal fan of Hank's Oyster Bar and their Mac and Cheese, regularly declaring it the "best in the world." Before he returned to the table, I knew what had happened. But I asked anyway.

"What did you tell the chef?"

"That his macaroni and cheese was good, but not as good as Hank's."

"That was really rude. Why did you say that?"

"You guys said I should always tell the truth."

A discussion (and some clarifications) ensued.

Mortified, we walked by RJ on our way out to apologize and tell him that everything was fantastic as always. He laughed again and said "At least he was talking about someone I know" and then gave the boys some brownies. A real class act. (And for the record, I tasted the Mac and cheese and thought it was better than Hank's.)

Those moments have been embedded in my cooking soul. The innocence of a child who is able to express is more greater than the "educated" palate of food critics and writers.

They have no fear to express themselves with sincerity and clarity. Children have the ability to not hide behind "pen" to express satisfaction or dis-satisfaction. The strength to express to an adult (especially to me I could be an intimidating in stature) should be nourished to never feel the need to hold back your true feelings.

As we go into adulthood and are taught not to "hurt" ones feelings, as parents we should nurture this behavior and show them how"express ones self's feelings with out disrespect or being crass" which will lead them to have a tremendous amount of self esteem.

Your a great parent, be proud they can express themselves with such conviction.

They still gave me a hug.

chef

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