Do not go to Louise's Trattoria. Ever. Especially the one in Studio City.
I always knew they sucked ass, but after today's horrific experience, they suck even more ass, and I will never ever go again, even if it is for an obligatory work lunch. They:
1) Took over half an hour to take our order.
2) Took an hour to bring out our food even after my coworker had gone to a manager to tell him we had to be out of there by 2:00 to make a 2:30 meeting, and uh, could they please take our order?
3) Did not apologize to us when finally taking our order or bringing the food out.
4) Served another large party table, as well as several smaller tables, who had arrived after us...BEFORE US.
5) Cannot even make a panini right. The chicken breast was drier than the Sahara, and the whole thing tasted like ass.
6) Served my coworker a salad that had wilted greens in it.
7) Served my other coworker a tri-tip salad whose tri-tip had that nasty greenish irridescent film on it.
8) Finally apologized when we presented our tab to the manager sans tip and explained that their service and food sucked ass. Despite apologizing profusely, he said that the restaurant was short-staffed and that sometimes when that happens, one table tends to bear the brunt of it, and unfortunately today, it was our table. So is that why you and your other managers were out on the floor actually helping out by taking orders and serving food and such, and is that why we watched you and your staff give extra attentive service to all the other tables while you blatantly ignored ours? Fucker.
9) Always seem to make me sick. The last time I ate at Louise's (which was like four years ago for another work function), my stomach hated me for a whole day. I'm just waiting now...
10) Are going to get a big nasty letter from all of us in the next few days. Co-worker's in the middle of drafting it.
I can't believe I'm actually gonna say this, but I would have rather gone to the Olive Garden. Much better food and service than the shit we got today. And that's saying alot.
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13 comments:
Oh My, how terrible! Can't even do better then Olive Garbage!! My sincere condolences...hope you didn't get sick. How does a place like this stay in business?
Louise's Trattoria is pretty bad. I was there with my dad once and I dont remember what he ordered but it sounds similiar to that chicken breast you mentioned. I asked my dad how his meal was and he said "drier than a popcorn fart"
Yikes. For some reason, I'm immediately recalling the trailer for the upcoming movie Waiting when I read your post. Especially when you mentioned that "greenish irridescent film" on the steak. Do we really want to know what that was????
Hey everyone...
Update: I did get sick. Perhaps it was all in my head, you know, with the disgust of eating there and all. Well, whatever it was, I hope all the people that run that place get ass warts.
Kirk,
It always seems like its these kinds of places that stay in business, huh? Thats 'cause people that don't know food keep flocking back to chain places that are familiar, which is really sad.
Bandini,
That line about the popcorn fart is too hilarious, and dead on!!
Elmo,
Yeah, I don't want to know what that was either. I actually didn't see her meat, I was just told, but still, that's fucking sick.
This sounds like a support group for those psychologically and gastronomically damaged by Louise's. My turn... "Hi I'm Dylan (you guys say: Hello Dylan). I, too, have been to the one on Melrose. It was crap. I think i got some kind of ravioli and the sauce was so OILY. I spent like $30 for my friend and i. If i'm gonna eat italian, which is rare, i'm either going to cook it or just go to a mom&pop bistro. Stay away from those corporate craphole restaurants.
Funny review Pam.
mealcentric, i wasn't happy with iL Fornaio as well. say no to chain restaurants.
May I offer some impartial and constructive observations (along with a bit of warped/demented humor...if you're too sensitive like *umm*, some *other* bloggers, feel free to delete this post ;) )?
1. A lot of arse'in I see here ;). So I take it these 'suckers' are also BHS too? Lickers too...heh :-).
2. I suppose if they end up comping you free meals, and you went back there to discriminatory service again, you could try to file a lawsuit against them (where you and your co-workers the only non-Caucasians in the place?). I recall a class action case a few years back against the Colonel (Fried Chic) involving a bunch of those restaurants back east, but it was discrimination against blacks who are of course always ;-) being discriminated against. In that case the ease of doing that lawsuit, pretty much guarantees a big settlement, where the attorneys get rich on both sides, and the "class" get small potatoes and a public apology from the corporate bosses...BFD. lol. You'd be far less likely to get anything out of a discrimination lawsuit (assuming you could prove this happens repeatedly) in lovely LA, lol.
3. If your intention is nothing more than venting rage, you can send such a letter to the actual store; but if you want something other than that you'd be more successful in doing some research/phone calls to determine who you would want to contact at the corporate headquarters of the chain. Make sure you document as much and as in the most detail as you can provide, including your receipts. (make duplicate copies of everything). Then mail your complaints via Certified Mail (when there is a lawsuit either pending or already filed, attorney's will always send all correspondence to insurance companies via Certified Mail, for the purpose of proof should it be necessary to submit proof to a court). Certified Mail signifies more serious intentions.
4. Mention all conditions surrounding your getting sick, and state to the corporate headquarters that should they not appropriately remedy this offense, you are considering contacting the LA Heath Department. If an inspector finds unsanitary conditions exist, they could order the location shut down, which could result in bad publicity for the chain. You could also contact KCBS, as I think they still do an occasional story about restaurants that are rated C or B, but have obvious health code violations. There are of course many restaurants that are worse than your experience at Louise's.
5. Too bad you did not have your digicam. You could have taken pictures of them constantly attending to other tables while you assert (though you can't really prove it) that they were ignoring you. It always helps to have some visual representations of what went down, but again, that's not real 'proof'.
6. I'm not sure what you are referring to by that green color on the Tri-tip, as it was cooked correct? Raw meat in the refrigerator will develop a iridescent green hue after a week or so, especially thin sliced ham. Thats normal aging process, heading towards spoilage, but you'll not likely get sick from that until the meat is older still.
7. While wilted green salad is not a pleasing appearance, it's not usually spoiled food. That really mushy dark green rotting veggie smell that I think DL got on her chain restaurant endeavor to Newport's Fashion Island was I think much worse. If wilted greens offend, tell them to replace it with fresh or tell them you don't want it, as it's unacceptable to you and no reason to pay for it.
8. My guess on many of these items, is they pre-cook a lot of it put under a heat lamp to keep warm. Start out with over cooked chicken breasts, then hours under heat lamp, you get cardboard. Yet another item, if as bad as you said it was, I would demand a replacement, or refuse to pay for what they did offer.
9. If managers/assistant managers are giving you problems like that, absolutely make sure you are writing their full names down, and let them know you are unhappy with the service and you intend be reporting this occurrence to corporate headquarters as a formal written complaint. Some managers still don't give a rat's arse, others may change their tune when they comprehend that you intend to do something about the deficient service at that location.
10. I tend to avoid all chain operations, except an occasional Marie Calendars...mostly for the pies ;). But even famous single locations will get you lousy food. Not sure why everyone raves about I'N'Out burgers...they're bland; but Pink's dogs? and that fav of Sarah and Rachel in Culver City...Titos? Gawwwd, I remember how eons ago when I was in high school, Titos was a favorite of my photography, yearbook, graphics art teacher; like everyone else they seemed to love that Mexican fast-food junk food. I couldn't palate Titos. I'd much rather get 'Mexican' fast food at Galeggos Mexican Deli (Open Saturday's should you find yourself in the area) down on Venice just east of Centinela. But to each his own, some people like Louise's, some people like Guinness Stout...no accounting for people's tastes. Clinton had Williams-Selyem Pinot Noirs at many state dinners, yet his vice was Mickey D's (Monica and others, lol).
11. I seriously doubt you'll get any 'cash' out of it as mealcentric suggests. But you could always request a refund of your bill, if you kept copies of the receipts.
12. I haven't had any bad experience from Louise's in WLA, but I only ordered once when they were handing out those discount flyers. IIRC, the food was pretty bland, and even with discount still over-priced for the low quality; so I never bothered with them again. Had I had your initial experience, that alone would have made enough of an impression to never go back, even from co-worker peer pressure.
I will not frequent Louise's ever again! The last couple times I've been (once this year and a couple before I moved out to MI), I had never really been pleased with the food or the service. Always just kind of blah and eh. But reading your experience just takes the cake! They are forever banned in my book!
Wow, you actually found a place with service worse than La Creperie?
lacheesemonger
after reading your post I have a headache and I feel sick.
where can I send my certified mail?
Wow, this post was kind of shocking. I've only ever been to the Louise's in Pasadena, which is fairly good to occasionally very good both food and service-wise (and fast). What the hell is going on at the other ones? Gross! Then again, the Pasadena visits were in 2003ish.
You could have taken pictures of them constantly attending to other tables, as you said
What the hell is going on at the other ones?
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