Letter from a Reader: No Fun Eating Pancakes

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Hi FP!

I am so glad that aside from newsworthy BIs, magazine cover updates, interesting polls, celebrity evolutions,  attention-inducing pictures and awesome prizes, your site has become the vehicle to express the often unheard voice-of-the-commons, so to speak.

My horror involves this acclaimed (though only in East Coast US), recently opened whole day breakfast restaurant located in an upscale portion of the metro. You see, my US-based sister has been bragging that she frequented this place and all their entrees are so good. So when they opened a branch here in Manila a couple of months ago, I was ecstatic.

I am from a far-flung place and had only the chance to fly to Manila last April 29 due to some work-related errands and having a meal in the said resto would have been my 'reward' to myself for all the work that day.

After braving the scorching heat and a few misses since I am unfamiliar with the place, I was able to locate this resto. I entered and waited for a few minutes and I was given a table near the kitchen so all their servers passed in front of me, in short I was positioned where I can be easily seen by all their servers. It also had an astounding view.

I ordered iced tea and their best seller - pancakes. The diabetes-inducing tea was served immediately. Few sips and I requested for some water to dilute its sweetness. I was having a grand time as I checked the view, took some pictures for Instagram, familiarized myself with the menu, just immersing myself that I was already inside this restaurant that I had longed for to visit.

After thirty minutes, I asked for a refill of my tea. Forty five minutes after and I already stopped sipping my tea or else I might need insulin shots the next day. I asked for a water refill instead. Fifty minutes. One hour. I noticed that the orders of a group of eight fifty-ish women that were together with me when I entered were complete yet my single order of their bestseller, whose process of cooking I believed they have already mastered being a bestseller, was still nowhere in sight. What is so difficult about cooking pancakes? 

I tried to stretch my patience further until I was able to call the food server's  attention. In my cool tone I asked her if it is really normal in their restaurant to wait for more than an hour for a single order - a run-of-the-mill bestseller that can be made straight from a 'cookie-cutter mold'. She called the attention of the server in charged of me. The latter then said that she thought I only ordered tea.

I almost blew my top on hearing this and if not for the alta vibe of the place,I would have made a scene. One won't go to Hong Kong to eat at McDonalds. Ergo, I went to their restaurant for the pancakes. And coming here to drink their tea did not make sense either. This is not CBTL. The server promised to hasten my order and in three minutes, wallahhhhhh, my order came. Please take note that she had not asked me what was my order again when I cornered her but she was able able to give me my exact order. Liar, inefficient or plain dumb: you decide.

Afterwards, I was so disgusted that I could not recall how my order (pancakes) tasted like. I just played with it, mashed it and drew pictures on it just like a child disgusted with his food. I paid and hurriedly left bringing with me my nasty experience.

Thank you very much FP for giving importance.

Lanie

Note: Letter edited for brevity

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