In times of uncertainty and distress, there is nothing better than comforting food, a good drink, and service that makes it feel like home. On a crisp, remarkably cold day, a restaurant off of Rt 78 West, named Trap Rock Restaurant & Brewery, provided a much needed respite for The Pear Tree Project team and their next ‘On the Road’ excursion.
Upon entering, we revelled in the revolutionary inspired design and illumination throughout.
Greeted with a smile and a warm salutation, we were escorted to a booth with small churchlike pews for seats. A friendly and inquisitive senior man with an intriguing accent and Sam Adams garb inquired, would you like a libation. Heartily, we responded, “yes, of course.” Within minutes, a perfectly executed Negroni appeared before us, (a Negroni is made with gin, sweet vermouth and Campari, and is typically served over ice and garnished with an orange peel).
The waiter, Francesco, asked if anyone else wanted a drink from Sesto San Giovanni, (which is near Milan, which is in Italy, for those of you keeping score at home).
“Au contraire, mon frère.”
Our tart Bosch, (otherwise known as the C.P.O), selected a Sangria punch consisting in part of pomegranate and prosecco served in a stout wine glass, (Sangria is a traditional Spanish wine punch and typically combines wine, fruit, sweeteners, spices and soda water).
To accompany the food, a surprisingly tasty, creamy and out of season lobster roll was presented for consumption. A toasted brioche bun and chips complimented the delicious shellfish.
A vegetable laced frittata, cubed potatoes and side salad was nearly devoured. Overall, the grub and the service was above par.
… Eighteen hours earlier, we unfortunately encountered a bogey, (a score of one stroke over par, in golf), in a sports bar named Oh’ Brian’s on the Green, in Clark, NJ.
This was not our maiden voyage here, but it will be our final.
The point of venturing out to eat and sharing your experiences via word of mouth, social media, reviews on Yelp etc. is to hopefully discover new frontiers. Establishments whose stories are grand and cuisine is inspiring; whose cocktails are well-balanced and atmosphere is inviting; and of course, whose servers are settling, instead of idiotic. If this sounds harsh, it is meant to and for good reason.
As mentioned in previous blogs, our Chief Pear Officer is lacto-vegetarian, (one who consumes all plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, and nuts, as well as dairy products like milk, cheese, yogurt, and butter – and we mean MASSIVE amounts of cheddar, burrata, mozzarella, blue, cream, feta, gouda, gruyere, brie – you get the picture), so when she ordered the tots that are traditionally tatered, we figured she was safe.
No, mon ami.
Unbeknownst to us the gravy, which was listed on the menu, but requested on the side after explaining to the waitress we had a veterinarian in our midst, was also drizzled all over the tots. When questioned about the unexpected sauce on the tiny potatoes, a second server came over and said he would check with the kitchen.
“Thank You, our good man,” we thought.
He returned in a timely fashion to let us know the gravy was “plant-based.”
(Pause, head-scratching, complete stupefaction) – did this imbecile actually just say that.
Oh he did, and there is a chance he actually believed it, which while being alarmingly moronic, is certainly forgivable. What was not permissible was the next 90 minutes of confrontational crap we endured.
After a third server came to the table and confessed the meat gravy was in fact not vegetarian, but disseminated this obvious update in a snarky manner, we were told the item would be removed from the bill. This news was met with a jovial thank you and true appreciation, yet she proceeded to walk by us, (no exaggeration), at least 15 times during the rest of the evening with an attitude of pure belligerence.
We attempted to have some fun with it for a bit, and gather enough fodder to write a precise piece for this weeks ‘On the Road’, however, by the end what should have been a simple, human error and something to look back at and smile, can accurately be described as a hostile climate.
The culmination was when a stranger, well someone we thought was just some dirty napkin collecting freak, aggressively grabbed a crumpled paper towel off the table, glared at us, and strolled off. Turned out he was yet another worker bee buzzing around trying to lead us toward an exit. Once we realized he worked there but decided not to clean anything else off the table – like say dirty plates or empty glasses – we decided maybe we should flight and not fight.
Within the confines of today’s culture, those among us with commonsense in their minds and empathy in their hearts, fully comprehend these small micro-aggressions are not worth engaging, even if it is your nature to be the scorpion.
A better alternative, find a new joint to hang your hat, tell your tales, and drink some blue curacao.
Did You Know – The history of blue curaçao is somewhat mysterious, but it can be traced back to the 15th century in Spain. The liqueur is made by soaking the dried peels of the laraha orange in alcohol, and then adding food coloring to give it its distinctive blue hue.