Gillian Clark

We are closed both Mondays and Tuesdays, and we are open for lunch on Fridays. Robin

Just hand me the fork. No, don't bother, I can eat with my hands. It's not my soul you need to worry about. It's the arthritis.

Lydia, Our waif is beleagured Paloma who spent the previous 2 hours and 45 minutes as first line defense. Paloma spends her Sunday mornings listening to all the sad tales of people who can't wait their turn, heading off the adults that zoom past her to steal a seat when she's taking names, and having her hair blown back from the yelling of not letting the card playing two top sit at a four top. At too young an age she has seen the ugly side of adults. But every Sunday she shows up with a smile on her face, and luckily she is wise enough to know it's not about her. You were correct with the "tired beyond belief eyes", and I'm sorry you weren't given more information you needed to understand the situation. What happened today was there was a waiting list of 9 tables at 1:45. In order to serve everyone that had been waiting and still be able to close down the kitchen before 3:00, in order to fully turn it around at 5:00, I had to make the unpopular decision to lock the door. Please come back and try us again. Robin

Do I have an accent?

Well....let's see. This is a tough one to answer. But it all comes down to the fact that the kitchen design only allowed for a 4 x 6 cooler. We pretty much stuff it to the gills Friday and Saturday. Unfortunately, my meat purveyors can only restock me on Friday. And there are no deliveries at all on Sunday. The balancing act is that we are closed Monday and Tuesday. I don't want to freeze anything or hold anything that long to Wednesday dinner. I am a freshness fanatic. So if I don't get it Friday...I'm not going to get it. But then I also don't want to get too much on Friday in case we're not busy enough to move it all. We were busier than I predicted so I got burned that time. I've upped my numbers a little so hopefully it won't happen again..but who knows. I eased up on pork chops this week because they didn't do as well as steak and chicken last week. And wouldnt you know they've been selling like crazy this week. I only have a few orders left for tomorrow.

I have often called Susan my mother. She has always been more than a mentor to so many of us that cooked with her. No one knows more about food than Susan. Her kitchen is the kind of space that is educational, nurturing, inspiring and full of humor. And even when I left her kitchen (well, she left first) she never really stopped teaching and inspiring. Every cook in DC has a friend, a coach, a shoulder, a brain to pick, and a conscience so long as they have Susan's phone number.

Heather...have you indeed been to CK...my kids are there everynight and have been for four years. We have kids that are regulars. We even have a collection of CK babies...Kids that have eaten CK in utero. Just ask Stretch...Baby Stretch was in for lunch two weeks ago. My kids are now 12 and15. Gillian

Wow...man. You did so say that I was basking in my glory. Right here at this post...which I later quoted. You are a piece of work Are you out playing with puppies? Will you gladly pay me Tuesday for a Hamburger today? I am stunned...that's right stunned that you took your post away.

Gosh...you are something aren't you. What got you so upset, man. The whole wine thing. As a matter of fact, I consider myself a big dog. I weigh over 200 pounds. I've never said I was a neighborhood place. You guys keep saying that. Check my posts. Did your son say Fucking in front of you and your wife...sheesh. If your service wasn't good why not come talk to Chef. Chef will straighten things out for you she sure will Do you really think I'm basking in any glory here? You're kidding me. I have one restaurant...one little restuarant that you guys jump all over because I dont do this or do that. Golly wow. Basking would mean that I was well, basking. Is that what I'm doing in front of that stove every service is basking. Do big dogs do that, Bask? I think I'm baking. Basking, huh? Friday, Saturday, Sunday is a total of six services for me. I cook for 600 people just on those days alone. Is that basking. I don't make enough money to bask. I do welcome your criticism, please don't think i don't. I have had Tom say some pretty rough things about me. I can take it. (Read his review when he was at Sidewalk.com of Broad Street Grill) I've been around. But to complain about something as vague as being rushed or to say that the worst thing was that the wine list wasn't memorized or that you don't like my tent cards. There is no way I can please you. Sorry about that. All we were trying to do was have a restaurant. So sorry I've failed you Waitman. I am so sorry. I will really, really try and live up to your expectations from now on. I'm not afraid anymore. But there will come a time when I leave you all and you won't have Chef to kick around anymore (just kidding)

Okay folks....that was Robin with the "sucks" comment and the "nit picking". But I agree with her. I think that is a ridiculous criticism. I buy the wine and we don't have meetings and tastings every night...otherwise it would be more than $7 a glass. I know that my food is great. I work very hard at it and I care. I don't hire flunkies...its me back there making everything. We have had--like every restaurant in town--ridiculous turnover. We started the month with 4 new servers. This is why much of what a server may and should tell you is written on the menu in my own brand of New Yorker humor. Yes...sometimes a perfectly cooked salmon--just a little underdone inside-- fills a customer with horror. I've already stated in my menu how I cook things. So they have been warned. New servers are worrying about so many things (oh shoot they're human and make mistakes sometimes...wow ) We have 10 bottles of wine at least and I change the menu every three weeks. Some of my servers work one night a week. Is it a crime to have the wine written down so they don't tell you the wrong thing? Give me a break. As far as Barbara's comment is concerned about Sunday Brunch yes it is a zoo and yes you can wait almost an hour some days. We have had two pairs sit at a four top. There are also the two that waltz in passed the hostess and sit right down at a four simply to start something. Its not an easy dance to make people get up move in front of an entire dining room full of Woodley Girls being uncomfortable...there is no easy way to do it. Then there are the people that don't want to share their table. This is not an easy day for anyone when people come in don't want to cooperate for the greater good. Then there are the days there aren't any tables left for twos or fours and everyone has to wait. That is just how it is at restuarants. Cactus Cantina doesn't let you sit until your whole party is here...why should we? The servers know what is on the menu. They read it and try and learn it everytime I change it. But I think it is a lot to ask for them to memorize the wine list of (ten to fifteen bottles and 6 different beers) every night. Shoot why can't they read it to you? Is that really a fair criticism? Just be fair everyone, and we can all have a good time. We've been at this for four years now and it is easier and harder all at the same time. We had a terrible wait staff the first year and thank goodness they are all gone. But it is all we had. Now we have a group of kids who really try to make you folks enjoy yourself. But you know...some of them are going back to college, some of them are going to move to Chicago because they feel like it, some of them are going to find jobs that have a future. Some of you are out there thinking that we don't want to read negative comments about us here and we poo poo valid criticism (no matter how you slice it I think it is really silly to slam someone for not memorizing the wine list). We take some comments with a grain of salt and others we memo and send around. I enjoy talking abou the food business. It is pretty much what I eat drink and sleep. We have dedicated our lives to making CK better. We have printed out comments and letters and given them to our servers to read and if you visited us on 7/29/01 and then came on Sunday last you would think it was a miracle at how much better the service is. We are so hard on them sometimes I think they hate me. I don't serve them pasta and eggs for dinner. I serve them food from the menu (another expense) so they can tell you about the crab cakes, or the rockfish...because they've eaten it. Robin hired a hostess for Sunday...this poor girl gets yelled at and cussed at just because she won't sit a person out of turn. We have three servers and a bus person on sunday so the day will go more smoothly. For Sunday, there is little more we can do. The fact still remains that we only have 49 seats and a six burner stove. I would take that all to mean that we have listened to the comments here, on eGullet, and Tom's chat and tried to work with people to come as close to perfect as we can. We are trying. If I am going to have to listen to people tell me that not memorizing a wine list is a valuable criticism, then you are going to have to listen to me rant and rave about all that I do to make CK better. Kapeessh? And thanks Bilrus...I'm glad to see that we rank over McDonalds in your eyes. I wonder if they have supersize wine with that apple salad (so gratuitously marketed to black women...whats up with that?) do you play basketball? I will do everything that I can to make everyone feel comfortable and not rushed, if you all agree to do the same for me. Pass it around to all your friends that next time they dine out, they should bite their tongue before hassling the server about the ETA on their entree. I don't like to feel rushed either. As far as the wait on Sunday. Shoot. Not much I can do. We do have those days where there is no wait and we scratch our heads and say...Is there a David Bowie concert or something? But I am not going to make my servers memorize the wine list. Nope..I'm not. Because on Thursday a whole bunch more wine is coming in. That would be silly. They are going to have to read you the wine list. Some folks actually like to look at the bottle and do you know what they do...They bring it to you and let you hold it and see it. We even give you a little taste (that is if you are over 21). So lets all agree that we can say what we want as long as The Don approves and there will be peace among us. I don't take myself too seriously, and you guys shouldn't either (ahem) . We can all eat some good food and drink some good wine and even if the jackass has got to read it to us, what's in the bottle doesn't change. Or maybe they should sing the wine list....yeah...that's what we'll do next. He'll push play on the boom box and rap the wine list. Whaddya think? Gillian (Chef) (Not Robin) (Whatever)

Waitman, This wasn't all directly related to you. I was just replying after 4 years of reading how bad we suck...yes Bilrus on eG. There were a lot of people that wouldn't even come to the restaurant for the first time because of what we named the store. We've had people over he last 4 years make up out and out lies....especially on Tom's chat. I believe I did say that we do listen and try to make the best experience. It really isn't in our best financial interest to be the "Soup Nazis". As for the wine list on the back of the ticket book, our wine changes from day to day. Some servers only work a day or two a week and find out what wines are available when they come in. Is it really that bad that he has to check his notes? This is the kind of nit-picking that makes me log on and comment. I'm sorry you don't like the notes. Most comments we get are positive. Again, we can't win 'em all. As a matter of fact, one mother took one of the tent card (she got our permission) inserts home she enjoyed it so much. But "poorly read"? "Stunned"? I guess you DID need some wine that night

OK, Robin here (the other half of CK). I thought for a long time that if we ignored all this it would go away...but NOOOOO. Let's all be honest...for whatever reason we're the restaurant you all love to hate. I think if you come looking to be rushed you are indeed going to feel rushed. I have no doubt Waitman felt rushed. It reads that he came to prove WoodleyGirls point. Like Chef stated earlier we served 700 people in our little ol' restaurant last week (and we're closed two days so we can get a few more gray hairs reading reviews and blogs on our days off ) We can't suck THAT bad. Sure we have service issues...you'll never hear me denying that. You also have no idea how much I fuss at our waitstaff. They are all so over me. But no matter how much we fuss and holler they still come to our windows with the most ridiculous requests to make their tables happy. Because we are closed two nights a week we go out to dinner on both those nights. I can't tell you how many disappointing meals and service issues we have going out just twice a week. One white tablecloth restaurant in town the waiter poured an entire bottle of too cold wine all over one of Chef's daughters. There was no apology and only when we insisted was the bottle taken off our bill. Another night I was chased out of a very popular restaurant because I was tired of trying to make eye contact and get a bill. We left what we calculated as our tab and walked out after over 1/2 hour of being ignored. Only once we left did we get someone to pay attention....they thought we "dined and ditched". Lastly, one of eGullet's favorite restaurants almost poisoned us with spoiled potato salad. This is the first and only place online that these incidents have been mentioned, and I'm not naming names. Bad food and service is all over town. The owners try to make sure it doesn't happen, but no matter how hard we try we have to rely on others. We can't do it ourselves. It's my biggest wish for Colorado Kitchen and all other restaurants to stress to all diners that if you're so completely dissatisfied at your dining experience mention at the time. There is a good chance we might be able to make it better or offer an option. Don't go to a restaurant looking for something to go wrong so you can run home and anonymously rake a restaurant over the coals. If you're looking for a bad experience you'll find it. Well, there is my 2 cents

Yipers...here we go again. I was thinking about all of this feeling rushed business and would love to trade places with you guys. Can I tell you how many times I am just trying to take my time and make nice food when someone at table 6 not having an appetizer "cause I'm not that hungry" sends a waiter over to ask me where their well-done whatever is because they've been waiting a full 8 minutes...sheesh. Who's is rushing whom I'd like to ask. I resent the notion that I run some sort of Gestapo restaurant where everyone does things my way. Gosh...I wince sometimes when servers do the things they do...I ask them time and again to place the pork chop bone at nine oclock...but who listens to me? I don't have a plank to make people walk on...does Roberto or Frank get such a hard time. I remember that night of the tomato soup....it was Wednesday...and it was kind of busy. We had two servers that night and I know those guys very well. I can't imagine every getting "big city bustle" from one guy from rural PA and another from Mormon country. If they're moving fast its because its just the two of them in a dining room full of people crying for water, or lemon or whatever diners have got to have or they'll die. I can't imagine you got an eyeroll for wanting wine. Those guys love to sell wine. As far as the meat temperature thing---its helpful. People don't know what medium or well-done is sometimes. Sheesh. Not all diners are wordly like you whatever your name is. I had a woman ask for a well done steak with a little bit of pink one night. I've had kids break my stuff in good old ck. S&P shakers, sugar dredges...people walking on the furniture I'm still paying for. As for the small food description...I've had people order that little lobster corn dog for dinner...big construction worker guys...they've paid $12 and they're still hungry. Somethings just need explanation we thought....not an attempt to be oppressive. The well-done meat thing was a joke...gosh lighten up. Most people laugh at it. But I do think it makes for balsa wood and ruins a good piece of meat...but if you want it that way fine....i've made well done pork, bacon, salmon, rockfish, catfish, chicken, spring rolls, hashbrowns, eggs..you name it. If you want it that way...fine. I feel, however, as a professional its my duty to discourage that. You're not going to smoke in front of your oncologist are you? Every Chef's restaurant is like their ship. I dare you to go to any one else's place and ask them to cook like your mother or like some other chef. All of us take our food very personally. Years ago when I brought his whole issue up all I was trying to say was food is personal....you may not like how I make tomato soup...but maybe you'll like Roberto's. Even if I had his recipe mine would not come out like his. You're welcome to eat at his place though. Gosh folks let that whole cartoon of me go...its really not reality...ask Don. I'm really kind and gentle. But there is one thing all Chef's in this town understand...yes it is my boat but the diners pay my bills. I know that and that is why I work hard every day to produce the best possible food that I can. I fed over 700 people last week. I love my work and I'm proud of it...wait...here it is... . In my ship...I want to take everyone someplace nice...with local crabmeat...cause the stuff from Mexico may be cheaper...but it isn't as good. That's the kind of chef I am. If you want to get off and stay in Mexico with Julie, Capt. Steubing, Isaac and Doc...be my guest. I don't sail to Mexico...get me.

This is too damn funny. I had to laugh out loud. Johnnys Half Shell....LOL

I guess I was always just secretly hoping Mrs. Stretch was carrying and XX, but XY is okay, too... Has Stretch bought him a basketball yet?

Yes....Stretch I noticed you on Friday..... You ordered correctly. My finger was on that eject button and little baby stretch would have watched her (?? is it a girl?) long-legged father sail into the air and over to Buck's had you ordered a well-done burger and insisted on Fries.

You and Rocks are on to something. Oh, let me not forget my face so everyone will know I'm not cranky

Boy, I need to come and read this more often...sorry Don...Woodleygrl and I need to go out and have a drink together and straighten some things out. Strangely, Robin and I are not two Scroogelike owners back there. That's us in the kitchen...I'm the one in the hat. I would charge more for the food so that I could get out of the kitchen...also we went two years without alcohol...knowing full well that it would increase our revenue. We caved because...well...we need to pay bills and grow the business and it is what many of our customers wanted. We never look at the money until the end of the day and we see what has sold and whether we are meeting our goals for the day. To intimate that we are rushing tables out for more money is ridiculous. If we are pressuring anyone, it is the table of six that has sooo much catching up to do and is taking up two tables and we have people waiting and are dying to sit. If you've been sitting for brunch taking up a table for an hour or more...we're going to want you to wrap it up. But if there is no one wating...you can stay there all day. We are an independent restaurant...you rarely see that seat em and feed em and kick em out mentality in a place like ours. If we need the table its because we've got folks waiting. That's a pretty horrible thing to say about little old CK. You think if I were in this for the money...I'd be doing something else. We're trying to find a chair for that two top. We know when there is a crowd we are going to make goal...and if we don't there is always tomorrow. Sometimes I just want to get away from that stove. I'm not thinking about money...I'm thinking about how &%$*(* hot it is and if I have to scramble one more egg I'm going to scream. Those are the times I groan when the door opens. There are those crazy Sundays where I see the crowd just growing and growing. If I were Chef Scrooge I'd be giggling with glee. No..I'm terrified...I'm swallowing the big lump in my throat...wiping the sweat away and going, "Gosh, Robin...what the hell is going on today." Sorry Woodley, I'm not the crazy capitalist that you paint. I just woke up one crazy day 10 years ago and decided I wanted to be a chef. There is nothing on the menu over $20. We haven't change brunch prices in two years. Give me a break.

Chef here, Woodley girl, sorry you don't feel comfortable at CK. Were you there at brunch? A crazy Sunday Brunch with a wait all day long and a throng of people angry because they have to wait makes me uncomfortable too. Most of our customers know what to expect on Sunday. As for our seating policy...we only have 15 tables and in the beginning (about four years ago) we let people sit where they wanted. There were two at four and the like. Well, what started to happen is that a hoard of fours would come in and we couldn't seat them...they'd leave. This kept happening. Soon, especially on Saturdays, we'd have an empty dining room. An empty dining room at 8pm on a Saturday was making my accountant tear his hair out. I'm sure most of you understand that staying in business means you have to have a full dining room. This policy just seems to work for us. We have customers that have been coming since day one and they all understand. We have a few that have a problem and no longer visit us. Sorry, that's just how it is sometimes. I have been eating out for years. Even before I was a chef. I don't think I ever fussed over the seating; okay, once when at a Chinese restaurant they sat me in a booth--the place was empty--right in front of the bus bucket where all of the bus boys were piling huge smelly duck sauce smeared plates. I asked to be moved. Sometimes, we do have the dilemma where only groups of two come and we have nothing but fours open. This causes all of us in the restaurant great anxiety and stomach churning. Even I am back there peeking into the dining room while I'm cooking food for the 49 people sitting down. There isn't much we can do about this. I find that we have some customers that just don't want to wait. I've waited more than an hour to eat at Pizzeria Paradiso...shoot...I've even waited more than 45 minutes to eat at Houstons. Colorado Kitchen is one of those places that is so small the prospective diner can see everything and sometimes makes incorrect suppositions. I get glared at by people that have waited 10 mintues for their well-done pork chop or burger..some of them are quite irate. Others come to the door and are shocked that people are waiting. They're surprised that this little out of the way place in the 'hood is drawing such a crowd. I see them with their mouths hanging open...I know exactly what they're thinking. They are in no mood to wait. Then there are the Goldilocks Couples that take the hostess on a tour and make her take them to every avaliable table so they can see how they like it. They are shocked and insulted that they were originally taken to a table in the back. The next couple is shocked and insulted at the attempt to be seated up front. It's not an easy business and as much as we try to make everyone happy, we still must do what makes the most sense in running this business. That means not everyone (even when the place is empty) can sit at the table of their choice. We've had customers insist they need to sit at a large table and complain that the place is empty. Well, as soon as they've gotten their drinks, the door swings open and hundreds of people storm in and the very table of four they had their eye on is seated and there are six more four tops waiting to sit there. This is what happens at a little 15 seat restaurant. My next place (if there is one) will have just one really long table--made of rough hewn wood. I'm at Colorado Kitchen every day and there are times people cuss me out because they can't sit at a large table...even when they are alone and it is 5pm. They're sooo angry at me over this little issue--I'm stunned. I always think that there is some other problem in their life. They call me things and accuse me of things that I can't repeat here because of decency laws. But I know my building...I know that there are nights that we are packed at 5:30. Sometimes I'm wrong and we're not and that four top is empty for hours. But I can't take that risk. Those of you who have seen me in a T-shirt know that the scars on my arms are just the outward sign that I take this very seriously and that Robin and I care a great deal about delivering a worthwhile product. We aren't trying to be ornery....just trying to do our best. Sorry, you are not comfortable, Woods, but there are hundreds of people who are. There are hundreds of people that want great food and don't care where there bottom is in respect to the GPS satelittes over head. Gillian PS: Although can be a wait later on, there is usually plenty of room early on Saturday and its the same brunch food (except there are waffles on Saturday, French toast on Sunday. Dinner on wed and thur is easy seating as well...before 7pm. Try dinner Woodleygrl. All of those people waiting on Sunday makes my blood pressure go up too.