This is a screed of places and things that I have issues with.   It may be just me, but if you don’t want my opinions you probably shouldn’t be reading this anyway.

Browsers

If this site doesn’t look good in your browser, I apologize on behalf of myself and my programming brothers and sisters.  We write crappy software and our only excuse is you continue to use it and not demand better.

Restaurants

Park Place

On Main Street across from Freimann Square.

After 90 minutes they served me shrimp that was burned black and left to sit under the heat lamps until it was totally dry. I told the server the meal wasn’t edible, but that I had to leave for a show and didn’t have time to wait for them to fix it. She apologized and said she’d bring a certificate for a free dessert after the show. “Good enough,” I thought. Everyone makes mistakes, fixing them when you do is a sign of quality. Then she handed me a certificate for $2.50 off on a dessert. The dessert menu started at 5 bucks. Oh, and they still handed me a bill for the meal (which I paid). I got the hint, and I haven’t been back since.

In all fairness, Park Place is now under different ownership. Things may be better now. You go and tell me…

And under different ownership again…

And now closed…

Evidently we all have voted with our patronage.

Grocery Stores

Kroger’s

At State Street and Spy Run.

They’ve closed that store, so good for that.  But they’ve taken over Scott’s and are running them into the ground at an impressive rate.  Oh for the happy days when Scott’s and Roger’s were locally owned.

Wine Stores

Belmont Beverage – Downtown

That dump has been demolished to make way for Harrison Square.  So even if you’re opposed to the Harrison Square project at least it blotted this sorry excuse for a wine store from the map.

Newspapers

The Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, specifically their restaurant reviews.  What is wrong with the people running that paper?  Why do they let Cindy Larson, who knows nothing about food and doesn’t particularly like to eat it, write restaurant reviews?    Don’t believe me?  Think I’m being harsh?  Read this egregious example and judge for yourself.

Cindy Larson on Ethiopian food.

Gee, I wonder if Cindy, who insisted on eating with her left hand, knows why that’s not acceptable?

Other

Columbia Locker

Just east of the courthouse in Columbia City.

I’d been hearing good things about Columbia Locker, good meats, trying to grow the business by offering lunches, smoked ribs, etc. I went in and asked the lady behind the counter if they could get me veal bones for making stock. The answer? “No.” No explanation, no “I’m sorry”, no “I’ll check with our supplier.” Just “No.”. I looked at her for a bit. She looked at me. And I finally said, “Oh, well, ok, thanks anyway” and left.

I hope Wal-Mart crushes them like a grape. What does a small local business have to compete with except quality and service?  And they failed miserably on the service.

Update 6/18/2010.  Yet another reputable source (my mom) has been telling me of the quality of their meat, and the friendliness and knowledge of the staff.  Ok, I wouldn’t do this for just anyone, but for you Mom, I’ll give them another try.  If mom’s right, I’ll prominently post my mea culpa and a glowing review of the Columbia Locker’s excellence.

Dacor

It’s with a heavy heart I put Dacor on the list.  On one hand I love my Dacor range.  We have a 36″ dual fuel range.  The 6 gas burners on top put out hood melting BTU’s (that’s another story), the top is easy to clean, the cast iron grates are rugged, and there’s plenty of space for the simmer plate and griddle.

But, the convection oven has never worked well, things burn at the back the oven and are underdone at the front, defeating one of the advantages of convection.  The oven is spot-on at 350 degrees, and about 50 degrees cool at 300.  Trying to cook anything at low temperatures is an exercise in frustration.

The broiler (replaced once) is an accident waiting to happen.  It occasionally doesn’t ignite, but keeps cranking out the gas and will eventually light with a thump that blows the oven door open.

The control panel (also replaced once) would make Donald Norman republish The Design of Everyday Things with a chapter devoted just to it.  It provides no tactile feedback on control presses, so in some cases, but not all, it beeps at you to indicate you did indeed press it.  Setting the timers is a finger numbing exercise as you press harder and harder, trying to get it to respond.

The unit, 6 years old now, requires constant service calls, about one per year at 200 or 300 dollars a pop.

Dacor has dismally failed on bullet number 2.  Makes you wonder how they’re doing on the rest of them.

I’m about to write it off.  Oh, if you see one on eBay, go ahead and bid.