urbanSTL

Chris,



We did like 3-400 more covers than every other restaurant during the week. And that was with our standard 1.5-3 hour table turn. So every night, was pretty much a zoo.



Lizzie,



If you don't mind me asking...how much was your check? We had a couple servers who didn't understand the menu for restaurant week, also. I think there was some who served a single serving portion to a table of two. Only charging for one, mind you, but it was supposed to be $25 per person, and each got a choice of an A La Carte entree. Which I believe would contain about 9-10 pieces of meat, for each person.



The restaurant week menu was a choice of a cheese appetizer, an A la Carte entree, and a chocolate dessert for $25 each. The A la Carte entrees listed, are always on our regular menu, but we do have additional meats available on our regular menu. That's pretty consistent with what other restaurants do for their restaurant week offerings.



I hope you weren't too unsatisfied that you don't give us another try, because I think you'd be missing out. Restaurant week did a good job of giving us more visibility, but it was a very limited menu. I hope you take the time to give us another shot, as I'm sure you'll be much more impressed.

Lizzie,



If what you're saying is true, I would send a PM to Dave. I'm working tomorrow night, and I'll mention something to him when I see him. The experience you had is, uh...highly unusual, for Simply Fondue.

I'm hoping to go to Simply Fondue in the the next couple of weeks and was wondering if there were any recommendations from those of you who either work there, or have gone in the past. I'm excited about going, although I'm slightly nervous since I've seen many complaints about the service on saucemagazine.com. I like downtown and so I'm hoping that my experience is a good one. So any suggestions? Trent, any particular drinks to think about?

Yikes. The reviews on Sauce are pretty telling. Granted some are due to being new, but big red flags go up at the ratio of good to bad reviews.

If you like martini's, just check out the list and go with one that sounds good. My hint: They all taste good.



For cheese, I recommend either the spicy pepper jack or Mediterranean cheese. For your salad, anything with a vinegarette dressing. Probably the Spinach/Strawberry salad is best. Then, I recommend getting a broth to cook with, my favorite is the Shiner Bock Cajun. And don't miss the Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin, Bacon Wrapped Tenderloin, Ahi Sesame Tuna, Jamaican Jerk Chicken, and the Pecan Encrusted Mahi-Mahi. Those are my favs. Obviously, if there is something there you don't like, switch it up. We've also got scallops that are delicious, a 6 pepper beef that is popular, and a Roasted Garlic Chicken.



With the chocolate, you can't mess it up. It's melted chocolate, it's gonna be great no matter what you pick.



As for the service woes, we're currently in the process of settling on a good staff. We've had some serious fluctuation, and things appear to be settling a little bit. We've hired two new servers, and both are very good, as well as the staff that has held over, the ones that are good. So it's been a little harder than I think most imagined. But I think things are greatly improving.



And another thing to consider on that, if you take all of the people who have had poor experiences, versus those that have had great-outstanding experiences, I'd like to think that most people have had the latter. Are there screwups? Yes, but our service isn't poor. But then, I haven't read anything on sauces website.

bprop wrote:Yikes. The reviews on Sauce are pretty telling. Granted some are due to being new, but big red flags go up at the ratio of good to bad reviews.

Guess I'll have to register on Sauce when I have the time and weigh in with my two cents. I've been to a lot of the city's better restaurants, and I'd put SF in the top ten for overall experience, maybe even the top five.



BTW, you can't go wrong with trent's recommendations either.

What's weird is I actually know about a couple of those bad experiences on the Sauce site. One of them was Saturday night. It happened, and there is no excuse, just a mess up.

trent wrote:I just wanted to give everyone here a heads up.



Simply Fondue is starting a Happy Hour at the bar. The happy hour includes $6 martinis, and $1 off everything else (all drinks). We'll also be rolling out the aforementioned, and long awaited bar menu very soon. Happy Hours are 4:30-6 pm, and 9 pm to midnight.

That new bar menu is absolutely great, I was talking to one of the owners extensively about it the other day. Also, Trent is a top of the line bartender.

Most places you go will have a Happy Hour run until 6. People get off around 5, that's why its actually called Happy Hour, and not Happy Hours. We decided to run our Happy Hour from when we open at 4:30, until 6. And then we have run our 'late night happy hours' from 9-12.

I'll be heading to Simply Fondue tonight for dinner and will be ready for a great and tasty time! [/u]

Harmony,



What's the review? I hope it went well...

trent wrote:Harmony,



What's the review? I hope it went well...

The review is here: http://www.riverfronttimes.com/2007-10- ... ork-in-it/



Seems complicated and too prone to error given the investment, although I'd like to give it a shot sometime.

It's a different kind of dining experience. And it should be tried, at the very least.



But even if you're not a fondue fan, we have a great bar, and wonderful drink selection. As well as a good, and growing, wine list.

innov8ion wrote:

trent wrote:Harmony,



What's the review? I hope it went well...

The review is here: http://www.riverfronttimes.com/2007-10- ... ork-in-it/



Seems complicated and too prone to error given the investment, although I'd like to give it a shot sometime.

oh ho hum, another cranky smart-ass review from the always predictible RFT.



I've been trying to get DH in to Simply Fondue but he thinks "cheese" and is not a cheese lover. This reminds me that there are choices besides cheese. He's a meat and chocolate guy, and this will please him.



We've got an anniversary and a birthday coming up in our household next week and I'll put Simply Fondue on the list for one of these celebrations.



This place sounds like a lot of fun for a destination type of evening. Actually, it reminds me of destination dining. YOu want to take a set of freinds along because the dining period is rather drawn out and it provides lots of time for socialization.

GelatinousEndive wrote:oh ho hum, another cranky smart-ass review from the always predictible RFT.

Gets old, doesn't it? And it's one of the reasons why I rarely read that rubbish anymore.

Sounds like the writer just doesn't like fondue.

The people that complain about having to cook their own food are going to be the ones that just don't like the experience. There's not a lot you can do with those types. Just let them be. I just look at it as a completely different dining experience. Its fun to get a few friends together and sit at a table for a few hours just walking through the meal, having fun, talking, and eating.

Maybe they should have sent someone who was more open-minded about the fondue experience to review this place on its merits as that kind of establishment. Would they send someone to review a sushi restaurant that didn't like raw fish?

southsidepride wrote:Maybe they should have sent someone who was more open-minded about the fondue experience to review this place on its merits as that kind of establishment. Would they send someone to review a sushi restaurant that didn't like raw fish?

Yes.

BTW,



I'll be bartending tonight if anyone is interesting in stopping by to talk about the city of St. Louis, it's progress, or if you're just more interested in drinking...whatever. Remember happy hour 4:30-6, late happy hour 9-12.