Our server at Ceres Table was a polished professional, with good knowledge about the menu and a clear passion for food. I was embarrassed for her every time we brought an issue to her attention. She’d clearly worked in successful restaurants and took pride in her job. I wonder if she is trying to figure out how the heck to get out of this horror show before it puts a black mark on her career.
The manager she kept bringing over to our table seemed to be
trying his best too, but he didn’t execute quite as well. After a gap between our first course and
second, he came over to explain that the crudo we ordered had been 86’d. With his apologies, he said he was going to
bring something over to us “on the house” to make up for it. That never happened. Between that incident and the multiple times
he’d come to our table in response to us sending dishes back uneaten, we’d seen
each other enough that by the end of the night, we all knew it was over. He apologized again for all of the mishaps,
and said he really wanted to bring us something – anything we wanted – to make
up for it. He practically pleaded with me
to ask for something, but I think we both knew that it just needed to end. The last thing I wanted at that point was to
get another dish that I’d have to send back.
We didn’t starve at Ceres Table, as our meal started with a
hefty portion of burrata, wax beans and bread, all of which was delicious and
filling. After that bright initial note,
it was hard to believe the steep downturn the rest of the meal took. I’m trying to think of a way to wrap this
post up with something hopeful. But no,
the level of ineptitude I experienced last night offers not even a glimpse of
hope about this place.
Ceres Table
3124 N. Broadway,
Chicago, IL 60657773-922-4020
