We dine out in the area frequently with a couple of close friends. In fact, we take turns trying to do "secret dinners" with them, each driving the four of us somewhere in the area to "surprise" the other couple. Last night, we drove past Killington and to a place named "Corners Restaurant" on Route 4. (If you check this out on line, you'll see mention of "Chef Brad" there, but he left some time ago and the restaurant just reopened in early July, with a new chef.) This restaurant used to be wonderful, so we decided to try it under the new management./chef.

We had 6:30 reservations. We arrived about that time and sat down to have drinks. (There were several other parties at various tables and the dining room was reasonably busy. Table settings were attractive and the drinks were fairly prompt. Our waiter was a mature man who was pleasant, and we settled in for an enjoyable evening.)

After a reasonable time, one person ordered seafood cioppino, one shrimp scampi, one carbonara, and one salmon. (All were in the low 20's pricewise.) The salmon choice seemed odd because the waiter said it came with "mashed potatoes", a bit unusual! (Rice was not offered, so my wife asked for fettuccini as a starch.) We also ordered salads.

As we chatted over our drinks, small breads came, with butter, as well as some good crackers and a bit of cheese spread. So far, so good!

After what seemed forever (about 3/4 of an hour), the salads arrived. These were adequate, on attractive plates. We had noticed that there were several wait staff, too, perhaps with just 2-3 tables each, so help was plentiful, but the kitchen seemed slow! We then began to notice that several salads kept coming from the kitchen, and that our water glasses were kept filled, but no entrees were coming out!

After another HOUR, we gently inquired of our waiter if dinners were coming! He said "Soon, soon..."

Another half hour went by, at about 8:30 or so, still with no dinners coming out, we could tell that others were growing impatient, too! In fact, about TWO HOURS after we arrived, the next table over (5 people) summoned their waiter and asked him when dinner was coming. He said (for the second or third time) "in a couple of minutes", whereupon they asked for their check (for their salads only), paid, and left! Another couple behind us did the same thing -- paid for salads and LEFT! We began to think of doing the same thing! Something was obviously amiss in the kitchen.

When our waiter came to apologize (yet again), I asked if the chef was in the kitchen or if someone else was filling in! He assured me all was well, and said that our dinners would be out soon.

Finally, at about 8:45 (!), our dinners arrived. My wife's salmon was delicious, but the pasta was NOT fettucini; it was plain spaghetti, plopped on the plate with the salmon, and no greens. When she inquired, the waiter went away and brought back a separate plate of green beans.

The cioppino had been ordered WITHOUT pasta (when the choice was offered), but came with a lot of spaghetti in with the seafood, as if ti "stretch" it instead of more seafood. The woman who ordered it also said it was rather tasteless and lacking, but by then she (like all of us) was hungry, so she ate most of it -- but not the pasta, as she picked around that.

My friend who had ordered scampi found it "lacking much of any seasoning", whereas anyone knows that scampi should be pretty heavy on the garlic!

My carbonara consisted of a bowl of penne (as I had ordered), with chunks of sausage and ham and whatever in it, but was very dry, with almost no sauce of any kind, except for what appeared to be some watery liquid at the bottom, which had probably drained from the penne! I asked the waiter for a bit more sauce, and he went to the kitchen and brought back the bowl all but unchanged. Like the others' dinners, my carbonara was VERY low on flavor, even after I added considerable grated cheese, salt and pepper -- something I should not have had to do with a good meal!

We all agreed that this was NOT a satisfactory place to dine. In fact, when the hostess came to (yet again) refill our water glasses, we asked her if the service was always this slow! She said she did not know because she had only been there for 2 days!

Granted, this restaurant had been open for just 7 weeks. However, that should be enough time to square things away, and to be able to serve decent meals promptly.

Our waiter was a decent man, and we felt badly for him -- and for the other waiters, all of whom obviously were struggling to appease upset patrons! Our waiter gave us our bill and told us he had not charged for the drinks to try to make up for the slowness, and we thanked him -- and tipped him rather well, considering, since the kitchen was not HIS problem, after all! We then left, quietly vowing not to return! (No, we did not ask to speak to the manager, because HE was also the supposed "chef"!)

This was sad. Here was a restaurant that COULD have done very well, but, unless it changes what it is doing very quickly, it will probably not survive.

A restaurant is a really difficult business to run well. Generally the owner is a businessman who hires a chef (who may or may not be good) or a real foodie chef (who can't begin to run a business). The rate of faliures is enormous.

This just sounds like another one.

2-1/4 hours from the time you sat down until your entrees arrived is nuts! (But I'm curious what you think is odd about mashed potatoes with salmon -- I love that combination and have had it at more than one decent restaurant).

I can understand how mashed potatoes MIGHT go with salmon (and I LOVE mashed potatoes, myself), but it somehow seemed odd in a "nice restaurant" vs some kind of rice pilaf, wild rice or something a bit "nicer" -- know what I mean?

Actually I do not care for rice with salmon. Depending on the "mash" of the potatoes (Duchesse, comes to mind), I would prefer them.
I am beginning to "warm" to the recent use of legumes, particularly lentils, served with salmon.
The OP did the right thing by the waiter, who deserves to be in a better run restaurant. He did his best, and it was the kitchen's fault.
I HATE it when this happens, and you get sort of trapped between the amount of time "invested already, and making a statement that this is just not acceptable. It is up to the chef/management to make the front work with the kitchen. WHERE was a manager!!

"WHERE was a manager!!"

I found this about the joint on TripAdvisor:

"The owner is a loudmouth flatlander. I've been tempted several times just to leave without my food because I didn't feel like hearing his rants."

I guess he was shooting off his mouth somewhere.

happytrailstoyou:

Where did you find THAT comment?

I did not see it on TripAdvisor!

wow, some restauranteurs just don't seem to get it!