Good Food, Horrible Service

This being San Francisco, the choices for dining are limitless. Thursday four of us went for Thai at a local chain, OSHA. We chose the Glen Park location for its convenience.

The decor is fairly standard at each of the restaurants: molded white walls, interesting tableware and slick, soothing colors. The servers and assistants are stylish as well; being more concerned with their looks than with the diners.

We began our meal with crab Rangoon, which consisted of six wontons filled with a crab/cream cheese combination and deep fried. The presentation was beautiful, and the taste was nice if uninspired. We already noticed that the service was shoddy....

Our next dishes came quickly: pork larb, volcanic beef, and spicy string beans with calamari. No one asked how spicy we wanted the dishes, so they made them "medium". All were nearly too spicy for any of us to eat. Generally one is asked, but our server was much more concerned with his hair. Quite annoying. When asked a direct question, he would respond with a blank stare. Either he was high or just stupid.

A bottle of wine was ordered and served totally without fanfare. Strike two! Usually at least some pretense is made to act like the server knows how to wait tables; this was basically dumped into one glass and the bottle left for us to pour. Lazy and idiotic. If you have a restaurant, you serve the food, and you pour the wine. Simple or open a hamburger joint!

The service continued to disintegrate. Noone came back to the table until two of our party stood up and waved their arms and shouted. All subtle attempts to call the server, the server's assistant or anyone were in vain. We were offered water AFTER completing our dinners.

The food was good, not great. The presentation was beautiful on each dish. The actual flavors were a bit heavy and overspiced. We left about 1/3 of each dish except the pork larb. Looking at the restauant check, the larb was marked "medium" as well, however it was completely bland. No consistency.

The check finally came, after all four of us stood up and looked at the server who was busy adjusting his hair once again. The rest of the staff was totally oblivious. I paid the bill with on my card and added a gratuity. Upon checking on line when I got home, I noticed that the total and the receipt total differed. Strike three!!

Seems they can not do much correctly. Presentation is important, but not everything. Groom before you start working. If you want a career as a model/waiter/actor move to LA or New York.

I also got violently sick later that evening from the food....the end of a perfect meal? for $90 it was no bargain!

Avoid OSHA 6 in Glen Park at 2922 Diamond St.

First Review...Local restaurants--Horeca

Everyone has an opinion on the local restaurants, and usually the less said the better. The neighborhood is packed with places to eat, but there are not many good ones. They come and go frequently, and surprisingly some of the worst are the longest lived. Service in the area has always been mediocre at best, but the prices warrant both 5 star food and service.

However, without being too cynical, I thought I'd share some thoughts when dining out.

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Chowin' down on Church St

This pleasant usually packed restaurant was nearly empty for lunch, perhaps because the music was deafeningly loud. The place is always clean and is usually populated with a great mix of neighborhood regulars. In my years of going there I have never had a bad dining experience. That in itself is amazing.

The server had to repeat the special three times, over the blare of the not very well chosen music. She was smiling and seemed not to notice the intensity of the jet engine-like roar.

The special of the day was mahi-mahi served over truffle oiled infused pureed parsnips. It was perfectly prepared, and came as a complete suprise. Chow is know for comfort food that is well prepared, but does not generally put out a dish of this caliber. The fish was flaky and delicate, and prefectly grilled. The real hit was the parsnip puree. It turned out to be the most enjoyable lunch I have had so far this year, except for the unwaiveringly horrible blare of eardrum shattering discordant music. Maria, my server, was genuinely enthusiastic about the entree as well, and came back several times to comment and ensure that all was well. For $14.95 it was a bargain. Generally the prices are around $10 for a lunch entree, but considering the quality and obvious care that went into the dish, it was more than worth it. Chow will not disappoint, and offers a full bar and outside patio seating in the rear of the restaurant. Just bring earplugs!

Chow, 215 Church St

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Prepare Yourself

After leaving Chow I stopped by my favorite bakery cum cafe just down the street, which occupies the spot once held by Just Desserts. The pastries and bread are beyond belief. It is worth a trip to the area just to gaze at the counter, laden with a wonderful variety of cookies, French pastries and artisan breads. The prices are low, the people are nice, and the atmosphere is casual. A great plus is the open kitchen, where one can view the bakers plying their craft. A must when anywhere near Church St! Very European and very delicious.

This trip I bought a loaf of seminola sesame bread, which was beyond words. Delicate and delicious, it transpored me back to the streets of Paris with one bite. When I questioned an item, I was immediately given a sample to see if it was something I would enjoy. For a quick, cheap holiday without leaving the city, try Thorough. There is outside seating on a small rear patio. Sandwiches and soup are also available, as are coffee drinks, teas and cold beverages.

Lovely, sweet, and a city treasure!

Thorough Bread and Pastry, 248 Church St