Au Gourmand

Mr “cedricgerald”, Thank you for your story. We are very sorry that you did not have a very good time at Au Gourmand. Allow me to give my point of view. And let’s start with the “not good behavior part”: - your table was booked for 7:30 pm and you arrived at 8:00 pm, without calling to inform us of you delay, and not apologizing for it when entering; - you were with a baby which is not a problem as long as we are advised in advance and as long as he is not disturbing other customers with his cries and screams ; and it would have been much more preferable for the other customers (we seated, that night, 40+) if you had not changed his diapers in the very dinning room. Now, about your different points: - “the waiters were very pushy for wine (we didn’t order wine)”: you did not wish any wine, which is your right and my staff and I never push for that, including at your table; - “the waiters were not smiling”: it is not true. They smiled, even if, sometimes, it was difficult because of the place taken by your stroller and your different demands (for example, “do not serve your mains while we change the baby”, or “can we have another potato/truffle amuse-bouche, because we gave one to the baby”). And you told me that the service was very nice; - “the food was tasteless and in small portions”: in that case, why did you tell me “thank you, the food was very good” AFTER we had the argument about the check (I will come back to this topic later)?; about the size of the portions, it is your opinion, and I will not discuss this point; - “very limited selection (3 or 4 appetizers and main dishes)”: it is, indeed, your choice and policy to offer 4 appetizers, 4 mains, 2 cheeses and 4 desserts. As you pointed out during the dinner, we serve only fresh food and home made dishes. We do not use any ready-to-use or processed products, including the juices that are made the old fashioned way (not with powders and water). A policy praised by the vast majority of our customers and food critics; - “the location with several ‘adult bars’ on the same street within 50 meters”: I will not answer this strange argument; - “the very close and small table”: you were seated at a separate table, which means not close to another one; the tables for 4 are of a regular size. I understand you may need more room when you come with an unannounced baby, but in that case you may feel more comfortable in 2 or 3 Michelin-stars restaurants, which allow more space for their customers – but not for the same price; - “the dessert [and not “desert”] took more than 30 minutes to arrive”: considering all of the above, we were quite anxious not to make your presence last longer and we sent the order for your desserts in advance, so they were served to you 5 minutes after you had finished your mains; - “the manager pushed our stroller”: I –the manager- did not push your stroller, I tripped on it as it was in the way, mainly when you pushed it yourself to another table were elderly English people were seating. You were certainly hoping that they would do some free baby-sitting. And now, let’s talk about the biggest problem for you, regardless the quality of the food or service you praised: the application of the 30% discount. While discussing, I went on La Fourchette website to show you the differences between the red “booking button” with the discount and the grey “booking button” without the discount. You didn’t want to understand that your wife made an error while booking and accused the system to have a failure. You told me that silly would be the person who would reserve without the discount, which is not a nice thinking about other customers. You also accuse me to have “shoot”. If I had done that, I would be in jail. So, I did not “shoot” you nor did I shout at you. For one good reason: it is not in my temper. And another good reason: it would have been inconvenient towards the other customers. About my “aggressiveness”: I tend to react the way people talk to me. You were on an aggressive mode, so was I. Anyway, to stop the argument and be able to take care of my other satisfied customers, Ii decided to end the discussion and apply the discount even though you were not entitled to it. And yes, despite your recurring praise about the food and service when you left, I invited you quietly and softly not to come back again at Au Gourmand. Which I am sure you will not do. To end, you gave Au Gourmand the award of “the worst restaurant and the most dishonest place”, the latest item being at the limit of a public insult. But, who is dishonest? Me, granting you with a rebate you were not entitled to? Or you, unpleasantly demanding this rebate, although you did not correctly made the reservation?