| rev:text
| - My experience at Q Haute, to say the least, was ... weird.
An example of "fine dining," the food that Q puts out is actually ... very good! Everything is well prepared, seasonal and tasty ... so much so, that it pains me to feel I should give this restaurant 2 stars ...
However, it is the system of ordering that is really quite cumbersome and makes this restaurant less than functional. So much so, in fact, that the servers REALLY just want you to choose the "Chef's Tasting Menu," so they don't have to quibble with you or the chef about what you actually want.
So, what then, is the alternative to the Chef's menu?
Well, you can do a 2 course meal for $57, a 3 course meal for $73 or (you guessed it!) a 4 course meal for $89, all chosen form sections marked "First Course," "Middle Course," "Second Course (Entree)," and "Third Course."
Okay, simple enough.
"But," the waiter says, "when you choose the 2 course, you can make one selection from the 'First Course' and one from the 'Second Course.' If you choose the 3 course, you can select from the 'First Course' OR the 'Middle Course,' the 'Second Course' and 'Third Course.' BUT if you choose the 4 course, you can select one item from each ... but ultimately it's what you want!"
Oh, okay. Well, we'll split a 4 course tasting so we can taste everything.
"Um, no sorry sir, you will have to do two 2 course meals."
Okaaay. But then we can't choose dessert from the Third Course?
"No, if you want to have dessert, you will have to do one 2 course meal and one 3 course meal."
Uhhhh ... okay. Then we'll have two items from the First Course, one from the Middle Course, one from the Second Course and one from the Third Course.
"Ah, no sir, because each course meal MUST come with one item from the Second Course section so because you are doing a 2 course and a 3 course meal, you MUST select 2 entrees."
Confused???
YOU SHOULD BE!!!
This system of ordering seems to me to indicate an arrogant chef who can't abide with people who do not choose a progression of dishes. A chef who very likely just wants to show off by forcing people to taste a multitude of offerings.
Perhaps that is unfair, but from the wait staff's tense demeanour and near-embarrassment in walking you through the menu, it is clear that they are uncomfortable with the system of ordering. A system that is not helping the customer choose what they want and forcing the staff to make excuses and apologies.
And this is unfortunate because they are PROUD of the food that comes out! They wax poetic on all of the dishes, but they are handcuffed by the system put in place.
My final complaint is the pricing. When you break it down, if these items were priced "a la carte" (which is maybe why they are not!), these prices would likely be higher than a restaurant like the Ranche or the Living Room, which I consider to be some of the nicer places to eat in the city.
So the summation of my long-winded plea to Q is this:
You have great food, you have a great location ... don't throw it away by being so rigid with dysfunctional set-up of your menu! Remember, the customer is ALWAYS right!
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