The Latin King

"Well folks how is everything so far for you?" I ask as I refill their waters.

The lady at the table makes a sour face.

She pokes at her chicken caeser salad with her fork.

"This isn't what I ordered," She says.

I flip open my notepad, sure enough, chicken caesar.

"Ma'am you ordered the chicken caesar, yes?" I ask.

"Yes I did, but this isn't a caesar salad."

Lets see...

Chicken, check.

Romaine, check.

Croutons, check.

caesar dressing, check.

"Well ma'am, what's wrong with it?"

"It doesn't taste right."

I remove her plate,"ma'am, I'll go personally make you a new one, ok?"

This is returned with the same sour look, of course.

I run back to the kitchen, throw the exact same ingredients together and run it back out.

She tries it again, same look, "I'm telling you this isn't a chicken caesar salad!"

I'm exasperated, "miss, I made this salad myself, I assure you its correct."

She pushes it towards me ,"the Latin King's chicken caesar is much better than this, I don't know what this is but I don't want it anymore."

"Well ma'am that's how we do our chicken caesar."

The the gentleman speaks up,"I don't like my shrimp fettuccini, it doesn't taste right."

Oh Christ!!!

"The fettuccini at the Latin King has much more flavor," he continues.

"Sir, what would you like me to do, would you like a new entree?"

He replies,"it wouldn't be as good as the Latin King."

He shoves the plate aside.

"Sir, is there anything I can do at all?" I ask.

"We'll take another two glasses of wine."

"Certainly sir."

Of course its house Merlot, one glass costs more than the entire shitty bottle that's imported from Chile of all places.

I drop off their wine and go find the GM.

I explain the situation.

"Go give them some desert on the house, we'll comp their dinner," he tells me.

"Folks I'm sorry you didn't enjoy your meal, can I offer you some desert on the house?"

They order the tiramisu.

I deliver the goods and a few minutes later as I walk by a hand grabs my elbow.

I cringe.

Its the "gentleman"

He pulls me close.

"This tiramisu is terrible, the Latin King's is so much better than this."

"Who is your chef?" He goes on.

"The chef at the Latin King is excellent, this man clearly doesn't know his way around a kitchen."

Ya, I'm sure he'll be happy to hear this I think to myself.

I wrench myself from his grip,"Sir, I'll bring you your check."

"But your manager said our dinner was on the house!?" The lady said with an alarmed look.

"Folks, the dinner is, the wine isn't."

I return to the server station and print up their $20 check.

I grab their credit card and upon returning with their receipt I am asked...

"Have you ever eaten at The Latin King?"

"It has much better food than you have here, I just wanted you to know that."

I set the check book down, "then perhaps you should eat there next time instead, sir."

p.s. I love The Latin King.