Comped

The last few days I haven't had much time to get a good meal--read: not fast food from the food court--but since I had a slightly bigger window between the third and fourth films today, I decided to try and get a decent sit-down lunch/supper. I wanted to watch some NCAA basketball too. So I hoofed it from the cave-like atmosphere of the movie theater and ascended to the third floor to get something to eat and watch some hoops.

I'd eaten at this place the previous week. I wasn't overly impressed then, but it's not like there were many options at my disposal. I sat next to some folks who complained about their meal, but I'm not usually one to voice my dissatisfaction at a restaurant. So maybe I should have known better to go there, right?

It should have been a clue that I ought to turn around and leave when my request to have one of the TVs in the place tuned to the college game. (All of the TVs were on the Cleveland Cavaliers game.) The waiter said he would do it but promptly forgot. All right, fine, whatever. The next time I saw him was when he delivered my food, and he did change the channel then.

I ordered a stir fry. Can't be too difficult to mess up, right? The two main problems were apparent from the first forkful. The dish was excessively salty, and the rice was undercooked and crunchy. The dilemma is what to do. The waiter had pretty much disappeared--the place wasn't busy whatsoever--and I was up against the clock to eat. Keep in mind that all I'd had as of 4:00 p.m. was two doughnuts, a banana, a small coffee, and a hot fudge sundae from McDonald's. (I'm as appalled to admit that as you are to read it.)

I tried eating what was there anyway, but after a few more forkfuls I knew there was no way I'd come close to finishing. It may have been the worst meal I've ever been served at a restaurant. I composed the universal symbol for "done"--fork on the plate, napkin on the table--and waited for my server. I was still considering not saying anything about how bad it was. For shame, I know.

The waiter asked if I wanted a box. I told him the problems I had with it and that I didn't have time for a replacement dish. The meal, if you can call it that, was comped, which is what anyone in their right mind would have expected. Still, this wasn't exactly a win. I still hadn't eaten. I think it's safe to say I won't be patronizing this place at next year's festival.