you must be a great dinner guest, SJ - no awkward pauses when you're at the table.

not to mention your demanding friend. I wonder what sort of replies he gets, just supposing that the waiter hasn't wandered off suffering from terminal boredom.

Most likely question from SJ's luncheon companion:

"Do I get fries with that?"

...well, they tipped today, 10eur on a 165eur bill at Bodegón Alejandro...I must say that it´s been a memorable meal and the atmosphere, service and meal have been excellent.

SJ LOL, "What constitutes medium rare is a known, not subjective at all. Since you are not much of a meat eater, perhaps you were not aware of that fact." Luckily I grew up amongst chefs, hotels and restaurants and know the industry and the meats pretty well. There is no widely held definition on steak cooking. You may think there is in your country but with around 7000 million people on the planet I believe your views are subjective

In terms of Cauli, I doubt if I have to pass your test. I know steamed cauli when I see it. :-)

Just now writing up a report on Spain and Portugal in Depth. Advice we received was rounding the bill off or pay about ten percent, so tipping expectations aren't as high as in the U. S.
Agree with mikelg as to small tip, no obligation.

cauli [aka calabrese amongst the farmers around here according to my farmer neighbour] is dirt cheap in Cornwall and served with virtually every roast or carvery meal, usually boiled to death in a white sauce. So no excuse whatsoever for serving it so al dente it was raw as bilbo says.

and surely there is only one way to serve food - i.e. the way the customer wants to eat it.

I note you do not say whether you sent the meal back for undercooked cauliflower bilboburgler. Nor do you say whether you even asked if that was how the chef/cook intended it to be. I'm willing to bet you did neither. So again, I will say, speak up.

Yes, annhig I am in total agreement that the food should be served the way the customer wants it. However, don't forget to add the customer must make it KNOWN how she or he wants it. Otherwise, there should be no suprise when it is served the way the cook/chef prefers it.

Congrats on getting them to tip mikelg.

...thanks, sojourntraveller...just one remark about the meat or vegetables cooking: been eating in remarkable restaurants since Saturday (not necessarily Michelin starred, the Basque Country takes great pride in the quality of its cooking at any place), and in zero of them we have been asked how we want our meat / fish /veggies cooked. As said before, over here it´s just one way. No complaints from my guests yet.

BTW, we are having homemade sandwiches today at a friend´s place...kind of fed up of superb food, I never thought I´d say this!...:)

Glad to hear that raising the subject with your clients got a positive response.