| rev:text
| - We were looking forward to the opening of this new French bakery and cafe at San Tan in Gilbert. It has a great location, the menu prices are reasonable, and the decor is warm and welcoming. Those are the positives. When you walk into a real French bakery, the smell of baked bread envelopes you. But at la Madeleine, it's obvious that none of the baking is done there because the aroma of fresh baked bread doesn't greet you at the door.
I dropped by yesterday for an afternoon sweet fix. When we walked in, it wasn't crowded so I wondered why all of the young people working there seemed so bewildered. There were five or six in crisp new uniforms standing in front of and behind the counter. We were there between lunch and dinner so, again, it wasn't busy. Yet, between chatting amongst themselves or looking lost, I had to ask for help at the pastry case.
The pastries were tasty, so we decided to return for dinner today. The setup, as other reviews have mentioned, is confusing. There's a sign that instructs patrons to wait for the hostess. Because there are actual printed menus (as opposed to a wall menu), we thought we were waiting for a hostess to seat us. That didn't happen. The way it works is that you're supposed to pick up a menu, which is fairly detailed, and figure out what you want while in line. Then you're called over to place an order, unless you want the café trio or any items that are ready-made. In this case, you move on to someone else who dishes up the food. The salad I ordered was supposed to have toasted pecans, which they were out of but were toasting more in the kitchen. OK...I said I'd wait. But they also kept my soup and quiche on a plate behind the counter, waiting for the pecans from the kitchen. After waiting several minutes, I went to the counter and asked for my plate. They offered to bring a side of pecans to the table when they were ready. The soup (lentil and kale) was delicious, but the quiche was cool...and the toasted pecans never made it to my salad. But I wasn't surprised. The guys in the kitchen appear to be in over their heads. My son and daughter ordered menu items, one of them a specialty. My daughter's sandwich was cold and looked like something from a refrigerated bin at a mini-mart. She didn't eat it. My son ate a portion of his "specialty," but said it was no better than cafeteria food. This place needs better management. They shouldn't be running out of food items, especially when trying to build its clientele. The cafe has been open only for two weeks, and it shows. The staff definitely needs more training. The quiches should be kept warmer, or should be warmed up before plating. This is just common sense.
We won't be back....except for pastries on the go.
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