For the week leading up to brunch, I had been perusing their menu online and drooling over different menu options. When we arrived on Saturday morning for our reservation at 9am we were made to wait until nearly 9:30 because table hadn't been set up. I immediately ordered a mimosa. The menu listed them as a special for $4. In Flagstaff you can get a decent mimosa for anywhere between $4 and $9 for mason jar sized drink from the Lumberyard. Since their special price was $4 and Josephine's is categorized as "fine dining", I was expecting a little bit more than store bought, over sugared orange juice and cheap champagne (the kind that gives you a migraine), especially when a better one with twice as much volume can be ordered from the Lumberyard on special for only $5.
To add insult to injury (so to speak), our drinks did not come until after we had put in our breakfast order. I should also add that by this point our waitress' short comings were becoming more apparent. Not mention I was sickened by the crusty dermal piercing she had on the top of her wrist. side note: I am all for piercings and body mods but, if you work in food service PLEASE make sure your piercings are clean or keep them covered!
I was willing to overlook the wait for our drinks, and the unhygienic piercing, because I was really excited for my breakfast. I ordered the Eggs Benedict Sardou which was described by the waitress as being two poached eggs with spinach and artichoke hearts served over a biscuit with potatoes on the side. Clearly, the above photo does not show eggs with spinach and artichoke.
While sipping my headache inducing mimosa, a totally different waiter (thankfully since I didn't want piercing dust flaking off into my food) served the eggs I had been looking forward to all week, except they weren't there. Instead I was served what looked to be the Josephine's Eggs Benedict. While it was still poached eggs, and a biscuit, it was not what I ordered. Normally, I am willing to overlook it but I had specifically showed the waitress the item on the menu and had to repeat myself three times. Maybe it was because the waitress had some issues understanding or hearing. I think she wasn't paying attention. But who really knows?
I must say that I love Eggs Benedict, but not the standard. I am not a big fan of canadian bacon and english muffins. I love quirky and unique versions one of my favorites being from La Bellavia, hence why I was interested in the Eggs Benedict Sardou. The house version (what I ended up being served) was made with a smoked pork loin and traditional hollandaise. It was rather good and if I were making it at home, it was something I would try to recreate, it just wasn't exactly what I was hoping for. I really like the use of a country style biscuit instead of english muffin though. I ended putting most of the pork loin to the side, because I just wan't feeling the piggy.
I did not send it back and I'll admit I really wanted to cuss out the waitress, but I refrained from that too. Mainly it was because we did not see her again until she brought the checks as she was helping another waitress serve a wedding party, but also because I was with other people and I did not want their meal delayed or ruined because I felt the waitress was inept. Also, the Josephine's Eggs Benedict was $3 cheaper than what I had ordered. However, she did not receive a tip from me and I made note of her piercing and the substandard service on the receipt and to the hostess.
Fine dining means that your establishment goes above and beyond other restaurants. Fine dining means great service and wonderful food. Fine dining means exceptional staff. Sadly, this particular visit to Josephine's did not display fine dining.
After writing this all out, I got to wondering:
How do you respond to having a horrible service and/or being served something different than what you had originally ordered?
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