Today is a sad day for a spot in the Miami area that I refuse to call hot! compliments are due where it is deserved, but today it is with a frown that I bring this review to light.
Kitchen 305…(I had to take a breath for a minute to be able to look for the positive..) great decor, located inside of the Newport Beachside hotel and resort, seem to be a great hangout spot when it is not too crowded. Spacious, inviting (on a good day!) female DJ and live music.
It is human nature to focus more on the negative than the positive so I had to get the positive in the light before I get into the overall experience, so here we go…”Goddess night” a promoted event on Wednesdays apparently where women eat and drink on the house, not likely an invitation I would have passed on,…totally common sense if all I have to do is show up, so why not?!! Although my purpose for being there was more of a business social with very pleasant company, I have to say the place left me with an after taste that will make me think twice whether I want to go back or not.
After waiting about 30 to 45mns to be greeted, we decided to take matters into our own hands so hijacked an empty dirty table …then again the cute waiter I grabbed was nice enough to show us to a table with a view of the pool, when I explained our sad situation…so ok that was a positive, but nonetheless upsetting!!
As we sat down and greeted by our waitress 10mns later, we ordered and proceeded with our meeting. About 3 minutes later the “appetizers (salad and cold clam chowder)” made it to the table…normally you are given quite some time to be able to finish your first meal..but this wasn’t the case I was half way through my chowder when the main course was making its way to the table…so alright I can understand when something is given to you for free beggars cannot be choosers but wait it gets better…
My dear friend wanted her clam chowder to be reheated because it arrived at the table cold…have you ever seen a bothered face? the kind of face that tells you “I-will-do-it-because-I-have-no-choice-and-it-is-my-job-but-if-it-were-up-to-me-I-would-have-shoved-that-clam-chowder-in-your-face” type of face ..well so was the face expression of that dear waitress…Lord knows what she did to that food as she brought it back and dropped it on the table and turned away as if that task was the worse we could have asked of her.
We had the chance to eat desert…it wasn’t all bad since I do have a sweet tooth, so between the chocolate cake, vanilla cake, the flan and the key-lime pie …we just wanted to forget about the previous mishaps.
Unfortunately as we were ready to wrap up, the night took a turn for the worse ..Never…I really mean..NEVER IN MY LIFE..have I had to experience such ungratefulness. Let me remind you…THE FOOD WAS FREE..WE HAD TO PAY ZERO…ZILTCH…NADA..NIET…our responsibility only rested on making sure the waitress gets paid for her services.
Its common sense..great service equal great gratuity …are you with me so far?!…just like poor service equal meager gratuity in the service industry…this was the icing on the cake…we all agreed upon leaving a mere $8 for the poor service that she had provided…well prepare yourself because this is where it gets good..she picks it up, counts the money in front of us and says “$8…don’t you know gratuity is 15%???”
Needless to say I was appalled not only by her reaction but also by her cojones to be able to say such monstrosity to our faces…we were the bigger person and left it at that and walked away, we had better things to do that night then to argue with a waitress who doesn’t know how to be grateful, after all it is Christmas, we thought she probably has 5 kids at home that she needs to feed and is frustrated by her job…but technically 15% of zero is what???? that’s right you got it..ZERO!!!!…
So Kitchen 305, I would urge you to educate your staff when it comes to the little things that make a difference…like good service for example, without the excuse of ” oh well it was a busy night” because I have experienced better in worse conditions.
So I know I was a little long in my review but …my blog…my opinion..my review…you may have a difference experience than I had, I’m not discouraging anyone to go, so until next next time for the what’s hot and what’s not from yours truly!!
-Deuces