Service Rant - Just keep the drinks filled

Good help is hard to find. Why is a good waitress or waiter so hard to find? We don't think of ourselves as unreasonable people, we don't make lots of silly requests or demands. Just semi-competent service is all we ask for. This is the first rant in what will be a series on wait staff and service.

Keep the drinks filled! (non-alcoholic). How hard is that? If it is below the half way mark bring another drink. Don't ask me if I want another drink just bring it. The only time to ask would be if we are done with the food, maybe then we don't really need any thing else to drink. The worst is when it is totally empty and they have the nerve to ask. Here is a typical conversation:

Waitress: "Would you like another Coke?"

Me: "No thank you, I have the salvatory glands of a Saint Bernard and will be able to produce all the saliva I need to consume this dried fish on my own. In fact could you bring me some extra napkins I am drooling on myself already"

Now most times this isn't really the fault of the server. This can likely be attributed to poor training by the establishment. But both will pay, or at least won't get paid, in the end. The tip will be lowered for the waitstaff and the establishment won't see us again. You ever notice how some places you ALWAYS get good service? While others can be hit or miss? And then some are just always miss? Well the management of places where you always get good service know that service can make or break a meal. Off the top of my head I almost always get good, if not great service at Red Lobster and Steak and Ale. Why? Because these places have chain wide training systems for their employees. If they don't you are left to fend for yourself and pray that you get a competent waitress. And if you do find that diamond in the rough, tip her well and request her next time you go.

Review - Ten Yen Restaurant - Chinese food at its best

I have to open this blog with a review of Ten Yen, one of our favorite places to eat out. There are so many good aspects of Ten Yen.

I think first and foremost is price. Well, honestly the food is really good so maybe that should be first, but we'll start with price. If you don't mind sharing, a couple can eat a good full dinner for about $14. Lunch for two (sharing) can be had for less then $8. I say sharing because Ten Yen has a small issue with portion control. I don't know why and I am not gonna complain. Maybe the chef grew up poor and hungry and is making up for his lack of childhood food abundance. Maybe they don't care about making a profit on their food. I don't know, this is one of the great mysteries that is Ten Yen. An order of the lunch special almond chicken for $4.95 gets you soup (go for the Won Ton soup, it is GOOD), and egg roll (and yes the egg rolls are good, almost a meal by themselves), fried rice, and a heaping pile of chicken and gravy. If you order this by yourself you will need a to-go box. You might need a to-go box if you order this as a couple. They give you that much food. When you order as a couple they will add on $1 to share, you'll want to add $1 for soup and another $1 for a 2nd egg roll. For a grand total of $7.95 with tax and tip you are walking away for a sit down, full service lunch for two at only $10.

Ok, so know you know the prices are LOW and the amount of food is HIGH. I did already tell you the food is good. I didn't tell you it is fresh and prepared perfectly. Yes, Virgina there is a Santa Claus.

So what are the cons to Ten Yen you ask? Well the worst is that the interior could use some updating, it looks like an older restaurant. It looks like the last time they updated the place was when they updated the prices. 70's? 80's? Who knows? Who cares? It is clean and the food is great. And if they did update they would likely have to raise the prices, so I say keep it the way it is.

Another thing, we don't like the sweet and sour stuff. Other people do, I see them order it all the time, but we personally don't like it. Any other cons? Not really.

So what should you try if you go: Almond Chicken, Cashew Chicken, Steak Kow, Beef Peapods (add mushrooms for $1), Sesame Chicken, Shrimp fried rice and you have to try the Ten Yen Hong Kong Special (shrimp, chicken, and pork with veggies in a light white sauce over noodles - yum!) Everything is well under $10, except for the Hong Kong which is right at $10. All with more then enough food for two people. It is actually quite funny to watch a new couple order food. When it comes to the table they gasp at the size of the portions.

How to get there: 8997 Wayne Rd, Livonia, MI 48150-3622 Phone: (734) 425-8910

It is located off of Wayne road in that quasi area that is Westland/Livonia/Garden City/Plymouth. Directions via yahoo maps here. If it is your first time there, order a couple things and grab a to-go box :)