Talk of The Villages Florida
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Talk of The Villages Florida (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/)
-   Restaurant Discussions (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/restaurant-discussions-90/)
-   -   Evans Prairie declining (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/restaurant-discussions-90/evans-prairie-declining-159266/)

dbussone 08-08-2015 03:30 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by kcrazorbackfan (Post 1097453)
You sure don't. We went to Sonny's last week to split a rack of Pitmaster's Championship ribs for $13.99; the plate was brought out and there was 6 ribs. I asked the server if this was right and was told yes. Asked for the manager and was told the same thing. Told them 6 ribs is not a rack and to take the ribs back and to bring me the bill for two teas and two side salads.

That's not even a half rack for goodness sakes. At least Oakwood gives you a full rack to split.

jnieman 08-08-2015 03:34 PM
That really isn't even a half rack. If you had gone to Oakwood you would have had plenty of food to split.

Shimpy 08-08-2015 03:38 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chatbrat (Post 1097273)
Its pretty hard for servers & bar-persons to be up beat, when the snow birds are gone- they are basically making subsistence living during the off season. Also the cheap people who barely tip & eat & drink low price specials don't help things, either
Maybe they should have a welfare donation jar up front. I always tip at least 20% unless the service is very bad but don't call me cheap because I don't care to order high end dinners that are usually high in fat which I can't eat. Also don't assume snow birds are all high tippers. Back when I moved to Florida in the 50's the big hotels and restaurants closed for the summer and the wait staff had NO income.

Walt. 08-08-2015 06:14 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by kcrazorbackfan (Post 1097453)
You sure don't. We went to Sonny's last week to split a rack of Pitmaster's Championship ribs for $13.99; the plate was brought out and there was 6 ribs. I asked the server if this was right and was told yes. Asked for the manager and was told the same thing. Told them 6 ribs is not a rack and to take the ribs back and to bring me the bill for two teas and two side salads.
If everybody would do that instead of "we'll take it this time... but order something else next time" things would change fast enough.
For years this forum was loaded with people complaining about how crappy the Havana was. Then they would turn around and say how hard the work is... those people need the jobs... we have to support the restaurants (no matter how lousy)... sometimes they got a half-way decent meal (with bad service). They would give them "one more chance"... again and again...
There was no reason to change. Everybody kept going there. Express your displeasure and tell them you will try again in six months... if they're still open. Three or four of those would get their attention.

lambchop285 08-08-2015 08:10 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by jnieman (Post 1096910)
It doesn't take much to spoil a person's opinion of a restaurant and not want to go back. One bad experience stays in the back of our minds like, oh don't order the chicken, remember what happened last time. That is why restaurants need to be on top of their game all of the time.

This week we went to Gator's Dockside. Have been there about 10 times since they opened and have always had great food and great service. We ordered 10 wings and the early bird special for $8.99 shrimp platter and also ordered two drinks. Our bill with tip was $32.95. There was a photo of numerous beautiful shrimp displayed over a plate of fries. When the meal came I thought they had just brought the fries, then peeping out were 4 tiny battered shrimp. We asked the waitress if it was right and she said you don't get much with the early bird specials. These shrimp were the kind you get at Publix with 45-50 in a bag for $11.00. We sent it back and ordered a burger which was good. The manager came over and we told her about it. She said you get 5 shrimp. I said you realize how small the shrimp are, right and she said yes, it's the early bird. I would suggest not ordering this early bird special at Gator's Dockside unless you eat before you go. The service was great but it kind of ruined it for us to go back there because we felt ripped off.
If u only give a restaurant a try "once" shame on you.... go to NYC and give a restaurant a try once.... see how far it gets you...

manaboutown 08-08-2015 08:40 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by graciegirl (Post 1096893)
And the Cane Garden Stir fry hit the spot and it was ten bucks I think. The very tender and nicely spiced chicken was crispily fried separately with breading and placed on top of the noodles and veggies and some fresh Cilantro (?) was sprinkled on it.The water chestnuts added crunch and the service was just WONDERFUL. Our server brought sunglasses for daughter Helene who had forgotten hers. We sat outside and it was warm, but breezy.


I must say we could have eaten dog food and enjoyed it with these treasured friends of fifty years, but the food was good.
Well, GG, I hope the cilantro did not come from here! Cilantro and Other Foods to Avoid This Week

The reality is the restaurants within the The Villages have a "captive" clientele and for the most part compete only with other restaurants within TV.

graciegirl 08-09-2015 08:10 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by manaboutown (Post 1097608)
Well, GG, I hope the cilantro did not come from here! Cilantro and Other Foods to Avoid This Week

The reality is the restaurants within the The Villages have a "captive" clientele and for the most part compete only with other restaurants within TV.


We're still kickin'. The cilantro didn't do us in.;)


I enjoy making simple meals for the three of us so don't feel the lack of quality as much as some do because we only eat out once or twice a week generally. We have our favorites and our favorite things. Brisket sandwich and cabbage soup at Toojays, Burgers at Arnold Palmer. Catfish at the Lighthouse. Ribs at Oakwood. Swiss Mushroom Pizza at Mallory. Many things at Glenview, Many things at Cane Garden. Many things at Carrabas. Spaghetti with meat sauce at Stavros. Fish Tacos at Orange Blossom Garden. Chicken livers with cream sauce and onions at Toojays. Beef on Weck at McCalls, Salad bar at Ruby Tuesdays. AND KFC original. But...we DON'T eat it there. lol. OH and breakfast for dinner at Bob Evans.


Maybe not gourmet, but adequate. Actually quite yummy.

Challenger 08-09-2015 08:51 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by TomW (Post 1096865)
They do some things well but for the past year or so the service level has declined significantly while the food prices have jumped by quite a bit. I counted over 20 times when we were completely abandoned by the wait staff during the middle or later part of the meal. We live close to EP and eat there often. I've discussed this with management with detailed specifics on poor customer service but continue to be disappointed. A few years ago, we watched the decline of the Havana restaurant which was then our local CC and now I see the same thing happening at Evans Prairie. I encourage anyone with an interest in the quality of our local CC's to speak to the management when the food or service is excessively below standard.
I won't eat in the dinning room at Evans, Bonifay, because the noise level is so high, that it is very difficult to hear when people speak in normal conversational terms. There seems to have been no attention to noise mitigation in the newer CCs. When there are crowdded conditions , my guess is that the decibel level is at unhealthy levels.

Does anyone else see this as a problem?

golfer72 08-09-2015 09:00 AM
Nobody beats the bar service at Mallory!

Boomer 08-09-2015 09:52 AM
Typo? Or Freudian slip?
 
When I see the common typo that says dinning room instead of dining room, I smile and think, "Ain't it the truth, all too often."

I don't think there is such a word as dinning but the word din, as we all know, is defined as a loud, unpleasant, and prolonged noise.

Therefore, dinning room is a good name for what too many of our CCs and other restaurants refer to as a dining room.

There is an app for that, of course. I have one called Sound Meter.

I admit to wondering if restaurants are designed to be noisy so they can turn the tables faster. Some have all the ambiance of a junior high school cafeteria.

fred53 08-09-2015 10:26 AM
This comment among...
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by graciegirl (Post 1096893)
And the Cane Garden Stir fry hit the spot and it was ten bucks I think. The very tender and nicely spiced chicken was crispily fried separately with breading and placed on top of the noodles and veggies and some fresh Cilantro (?) was sprinkled on it.The water chestnuts added crunch and the service was just WONDERFUL. Our server brought sunglasses for daughter Helene who had forgotten hers. We sat outside and it was warm, but breezy.


I must say we could have eaten dog food and enjoyed it with these treasured friends of fifty years, but the food was good.
a discussion on Evans Prairie is known as trying to hijack a post...

Challenger 08-09-2015 10:45 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Boomer (Post 1097729)
When I see the common typo that says dinning room instead of dining room, I smile and think, "Ain't it the truth, all too often."

I don't think there is such a word as dinning but the word din, as we all know, is defined as a loud, unpleasant, and prolonged noise.

Therefore, dinning room is a good name for what too many of our CCs and other restaurants refer to as a dining room.

There is an app for that, of course. I have one called Sound Meter.

I admit to wondering if restaurants are designed to be noisy so they can turn the tables faster. Some have all the ambiance of a junior high school cafeteria.
Of course I meant "dinning room"---Wish my fingers weren't so fat!!!!

Boomer 08-09-2015 11:11 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Challenger (Post 1097761)
Of course I meant "dinning room"---Wish my fingers weren't so fat!!!!
Thank you for smiling with me, Challenger, I sure understand about fat fingers, and when my fingers don't sabotage me, autocorrect does.

If you get an app that measures decibels, you will be appalled at the level of noise comparisons in many of our local "dinning rooms."

dotti105 08-09-2015 05:03 PM
We view Evans Prairie CC out our Lanai windows. But haven't eaten there in several months. I must admit, we haven't been to Belle Glade lately either.

My gripe is that the menus are so similar, and mediocre. The Ahi Tuna at Belle Glade was excellent, and the Pork shank at Evans Prairie is excellent, but most of the menu at both places sounds like cafeteria food to me. Many of the entrees sound very similar and look very similar.

For some reason Bonifay, which has basically the same menu, doesn't bother me so much. It is much more casual and with the Beach theme, so I end up ordering their salads which are quite good.

I guess I just expected too much, thinking that each CC would have it's own atmosphere and menu. Certainly not the case off of Pinellas.

A group from our neighborhood went to Hemingway's at Havana last week and the food, service and atmosphere were excellent. I know that was not the case a year or so ago, so maybe there is hope for Evans Prairie and Belle Glade. But Man, they gotta lot of work to do to provide better service and a menu that is not so very dull.

simpkinp 08-09-2015 08:29 PM
Hemingway's at Havana has changed because the owner of Lopez CC took it over. Notice they changed the name to distance themselves from the horrible reputation of the old Havana CC. It has a different menu from Lopez with few similarities, like a couple of soups. Their specialty is fish from Honolulu Fish Company. The food is very good. The four Country Clubs under discussion are owned by the same person, management is spotty because he can't be everywhere. Bonifay was better when it was the only one he owned. Now they have similar menus at all four so there is no differentiation. It's like having one restaurant in four places. Sad. I like the different character of the clubs above 466A.


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