The US forum has a thread about pet peeves, and it struck me that a primary peeve of mine is the culinary fad of stacking/constructing a tower of elements and drizzling sauce/coulis, etc. around on the plate. You end up in a futile scraping exercise to try to get the flavor of the sauce, and the individual flavors of the piled-up food become indistinguishable. Frankly, I suspect some lazy chefs have embraced this practice to cover up sloppiness in preparing whatever is under the top ingredient.<BR><BR>Does this bother anyone else? Do you have gripes -- or for that matter special praise -- about restaurants when you travel?

Well, I guess this pet peeve is really encountered mor in U.S. restaurants than abroad, but mine is getting sandwiches in restaurants that are literally too big to even fit into my mouth. I've gotten huge burgers that were almost impossible to pick up and eat, and I recall getting a salmon sandwich that I had to eat with a fork and knife because it was just too big. Probably just goes back to the oversized portions that a lot of American restaurants are serving.

Yeah, I've got a pet peeve. My husband is always sitting across the table! In what country can you rent a decent dinner companion who doesn't turn his nose up at something new?

In the U.S....? The staff leaving my silverware on the table (after I've used it) for the next course!!!!!!!<BR><BR>In Europe....? A sommelier who insists the highest priced wine is the best.<BR><BR>

smoking--anywhere. I can never really enhjoy eating, or living, with smoke around. If it's noticeable when I enter, I don't stay, but sometimes it doesn't become a prolem until afte I've ordered.

I agree with Jayelle. Since I've been back from Italy, I've been browsing the gourmet delis looking for a good sandwich (loved the panini!), and they're all piled high. It's like we need to see instead of taste that's we're getting our money's worth.

My pet peeve is the phrase "Would you like to see the menu?" No I'll try and guess the entree's from the stains on your apron..!!

I'm with Kay re:the constructed entree or dessert but I'll generalize a little more. The whole area of dining has been made into such a cult that after awhile the "rules" seem to be more important than the dining, and the chef's wants and needs supercede the guests'. I generally try to avoid extra salt for the obvious health reasons, but it still bugs me to enter a restaurant with no salt or pepper on the table (not speaking of Asian, etc. types of restaurants) because it says, "we're in charge here and we plan to humiliate you if you don't accept the chef's idea of what you should eat."<BR><BR>

Pet peeve that applies far more to Europe than to the US but common in the US: How difficult it is to avoid caffeine. The idea of decaffeinated coffee seems to amuse or offend European restauranteurs and the idea of non-caffeine tea is just plain mysterious to all but those in the "tea rooms" that offer "infusions." In the US, there are many restaurants that offer an array of coffees and soft drinks, but only one brand of (usually lousy) tea -- and the soft drink array is determined by whether they have a contract with Pepsi or Coke. Your only decaffeinated choice is 7 Up or Sprite (the orange drinks are often caffeinated, btw!) and do I ever get sick of that over-sweet stuff.

Not a peeve, but an observation. Many European restaurants do not bring the bill until you ask for it, so we've learned the phrase "the check please" in the local language whenever we're visiting in non-English countries.

My pet peeve is a peeve about pets. Too many restaurants in Europe allow dogs to be brought in to sit or lie at the owner's table while they eat. Yuk!

whatcha got against dogs, Wayne? I wish more American restaurants would allow dogs. As long as they are well-behaved, of course.

Very funny, Andrew! Why not ask for a menu from _another_ restaurant. <BR><BR>Peeve in the US: the shatteringly loud P.A. system announcing "Jones party? Jones party of 5?" The beeper system is much better but best is coming to FIND us at the bar or wherever.<BR><BR>(It did provide a great evening for us once, however, while we thought up names for puns, etc.: "Necktie? Necktie party of one?" (for the Europeans, that's a reference to a hanging in the old west.) "Pitti? Pitti party of four?" Robin Williams classic: "Donner? Donner party?"<BR><BR><BR>Secondary peeve: canned music that's a little too loud. With the resurgence of jazz -- which I applaud as a jazz-fan -- it's gotten worse with rather mindless bee-bop being blasted all over some dining rooms.<BR><BR>

I don't like being asked "Do you need change?" after paying a bill. This is a U.S. thing. I much prefer "I'll be right back with your change" so I can say it's all set, if indeed it is, instead of sounding like a beggar. Nit-picky I know.

I hate the 'cover' charge that most restaurants in Italy charge. I'd rather a restaurant charge a little more across the board than charge me extra, especially if I don't want to eat the bread. It's very difficult to get them not to charge 'cover' if you don't want to eat it.

Kay, I thought that I was alone in my thoughts about "The Tower of Babel" or "The Leaning Tower of Pisa" on my dinner plate. I was hoping that a chef or cook was preparing my food and not a construction worker. You put it so well that I will print it and save it.<BR><BR>Another peeve that seems to be a companion to the above is when menus have a detailed description of the item including cooking methods, the ingredients of the sauces. Do they employ a Creative Writer for this. Each food has a name. This is fine for me. I don't need to know its pedigree<BR>

My biggest pet peeve:<BR>I like hearing about any specials that aren't on the menu, but only if they also say what the price is of each without being asked. By not telling you the price, they are hoping that you will order something expensive and be too embarrassed to ask in advance how much it is. I always ask how much the specials are regardless of whether I'm interested in ordering them, as a matter of principle. Very often the waitstaff doesn't even know, and equally often the specials are in a completely different price range from the other menu selections. I don't mind spending good money on a meal out, but I do believe one is entitled to know what it costs before ordering it, and as a matter of courtesy this information should be offered to the diner rather than putting the burden on the customer to ask. <BR><BR>The other thing I'm not crazy about, and I'm probably in the minority on this, is the "Hi, my name is Eric, and I'll be your waiter tonight" speel. Frankly, unless I'm a regular and have the same waitstaff frequently such that we've built up an acquaintance, their name is probably as irrelevant to me as mine is to them. It's a professional exchange, not a personal one. Second, if I need my waiter for something, I'll try to catch his eye or gesture to him or simply say "sir" as he's walking by. For some reason, waitstaff in Europe doesn't feel the need to introduce themselves to every diner, and they seem to get along fine.

I hate it when they run through a list of specials and then I look at the regular menu and all the "specials" are already on there==not specials at all. Who are they trying to kid?

Lisa - <BR><BR>I can understand feeling indifferent to the issue of the waitstaff introducing themselves by name, or that it's unnecessary, but why does it rise to the level of a pet peeve for you? I don't see the relevance if it being a "professional" situation rather than a "personal" one. People introduce themselves by name in professional situations all the time. Frankly, your comment smacks a bit of elitism, i.e. you simply can't be bothered with even HEARING a service person's name.

To respond to "H" who lacks the courage of an address -- why do you go to a restaurant? Is it for the food or is it to learn your "servers" name? I object to the "Hi, my name is.." for several reasons. 1. It sets a level of intimacy I'm not interested in. I'm there for the food. Not them. 2. It reduces the professionalism of the profession of waiter. Ask youself why you don't get this in a Paris Bistro??<BR><BR>On the other hand it can be helpful to know who *is* respsonsible for your table. The best version I heard of this was at NoMi in the Park Hyatt in Chicago where the server saud "I will be your server, my name is ____." That seemed a better, nore informative order for that information given their role for the evening.