Owners Eat Humble Pie--From Their Own Kitchens

Restaurateurs who don’t respond to the complaints of their dissatisfied customers have been targeted in this column a lot lately. Why they don’t respond indicates an unprofessional attitude that is difficult to comprehend.

Why not take the time to answer? Why not apologize--even when you don’t think the customer is right? Eating humble pie, even if it isn’t your favorite dish, seems a small enough price to pay for keeping the public’s good will.

In any case, two more letters of complaint to restaurants have just arrived. But this time they are accompanied by copies of intelligent letters of response from the restaurateurs.

The first complaint, from Neilan Tyree of Los Angeles, detailed a sort of restaurant hell night he and a guest suffered recently at Le Chardonnay on Melrose Avenues--mix-ups with the reservations, confused service, miscellaneous rudeness, etc. Robert Bigonnet, co-proprietor of Le Chardonnay (with chef Claude Alrivy), replied promptly to Tyree, explaining his own position but also noting, “It is with sadness I see our efforts and sacrifices annihilated by a succession of mistakes on a night I was not hosting.” Ultimately he says, “Nothing will make up for a bad experience, but the least we can do after the fact is not to accept the money from you.” A check reimbursing Tyree in full for the cost of his meal was enclosed.

The other pair of letters came from state Sen. Robert Wagner of South Pasadena. He was disappointed in the quality of the food at Twigs restaurant at the Capitol Hill in Washington, and called to complain to the hotel’s general manager. “I have investigated your comments and couldn’t agree with you more,” the hotel representative replied by mail. “I appreciate your comments as it is a way we are able to improve. . . .” Again, a check to cover the cost of the dinner was enclosed.

Kudos to both establishments from this corner. Every restaurant can’t refund the dinner tab of every dissatisfied customer, of course--but in these particular cases, I’ll bet both places have made friends for life.

The flip side of customer relations is a letter written by Dieter K. Wantig and Christian D. Desmet, proprietors of the Seashell restaurant in Woodland Hills, which was sent to Calendar by Wantig and Desmet. It, too, is a reply to an unhappy patron--but it seeks to fight back and deny the validity of the customer’s complaints. Because one of the things the patron complained about was the quality of the coffee, the restaurateurs reimbursed him for that amount alone--a vaguely contemptuous gesture, it seems to me, like leaving a 2% tip for a waiter.

I’m sure Wantig and Desmet feel they were correct and their patron was wrong in this matter, and I’m sure they feel much better now that they’ve gotten back at him. I’m sure they don’t need his patronage, or that of anyone else who presumes to find fault with their eating place. Lucky them.

VIVE LE GLASNOST : Moscow now has its first French restaurant in modern times. Le Riviera, opened by the food service firm of Potel & Chabot, sits on a boat in the Moscow River, near the city’s International Commerce Center. Authentic French ingredients are reportedly brought in twice a week via Air France.

WHAT’S COOKIN’?: Monique in South Laguna matches Matanzas Creek vintages with a six-course dinner Monday. Aperitifs are served at 6:30 p.m., with dinner at 7. The all-inclusive price is $70 per person. . . . Caruso and Me in San Pedro features the wines of Guenoc with a seven-course repast Wednesday at 7 p.m. Price is $40 prepaid and $45 at the door. . . . And Scandia on Sunset Strip hosts a five-course wine dinner Thursday at 7 p.m., featuring the wines of Robert Mondavi. Cost is $65 per person, including tax and tip.