James Corden breaks silence on allegations of abusive behavior at New York restaurant: ‘It was ungracious’ Read more
It was a typical Saturday night at the Brasserie Bouchon. People drank a lot, and, crucially, they were served by waiters in black trousers and white shirts. The food was good and the service outstanding. The waiters were not overbearing.
But they weren’t the only people who were overbearing. I had to be careful not to leave my wallet in my coat.
I was with my friend Alex, eating the best meal I had ever had in New York. The waiter kept coming back for seconds, and then for thirds. He came back for minutes. We didn’t get home until past midnight, so I was able to have the rest of the night with Alex, just watching TV.
My friends, who have all been there, insist that this was the most polite group I have ever sat with at a restaurant in New York, ever.
So why did it feel as if it was the worst meal I’d ever had? The reason is that the Brasserie Bouchon is a restaurant, albeit a small one by American standards. It is not a five-star restaurant that serves expensive food, or a four-star restaurant with a big name on the plate. It is, at best, a two-star restaurant, where the waiters are not only polite but also efficient.
They are also not overbearing.
I had had bad experiences in the past that had made me less willing to leave my wallet on the table. I did not want to go to a place where I would be treated like a second-class citizen.
I am a well-paid television host, but I don’t have a table at a five-star restaurant – I would make sure someone else was paying for it.
But that’s precisely what the waiters at Brasserie Bouchon did for me – they charged me in advance for being a second-class citizen.
“We don