A Restaurant Others Can Emulate. I have been dining at Chaise Café for over a year. My first experience was for Father’s day brunch, in 2013. On that occasion the food was wonderful, exceptional in fact, however the service was slow, so unfortunately I had to leave my wife and daughter to finish eating, as I needed to leave by 11:40 AM, so I wasn’t there to enjoy dessert or the final courses.
About a month ago, my wife and I visited again for Sunday brunch. The brunch is creatively done, as the server continues to bring a variety of dishes, including potatoes that were “real with the skin” which I love, a selection of vegetables including kale, a platter with bacon and sausage, eggs benedict, a plate filled with lovely fruits including fresh figs and gooseberries, and an amazing French toast for dessert with a to die for fruit blend (blueberries, blackberries, etc.) that was homemade, not overly sweet, and delicious. Service was slow but acceptable, and the coffee was rich and flavorful. I should mention that they provide real maple syrup (which you would expect, but not every restaurant does), and if we were not watching our waste lines, we could have asked for more food.
We were impressed enough to go back the very next week, but unfortunately, something had changed (I’m guessing the chef), as this time service was painfully slow, and the food and service did not measure up to the visit the week before. My wife and I decided that we wouldn’t go back.
This morning (June 29th) we thought we might reconsider and try Chaise Café again, thinking that perhaps this was just one bad day. I decided to look on this website to see reviews, and I read a review that was highly critical of this restaurant, from confusing the initial reservation, to making just about every mistake that could be made during the meal.
What impressed me was the response from the owner of Chaise Restaurant. The response admitted that the criticisms were all true, and explained that there were changes that were made at the restaurant (including the loss of a chef) that contributed to the experience. The owner encouraged the writer of the critical review to give them another chance that they had taken their criticism seriously, and every member of the staff had read the negative review and were motivated to improve every aspect of the dining experience thanks to the critical review.
Based on this impressive response, I called the restaurant this morning, and explained our disappointing experience at our last brunch. The lovely woman I spoke with told me that they had a new chef, that the brunch yesterday was successful, and she encouraged me to give the restaurant another try.
I arrived about 30 minutes later, and was greeted by the woman who had taken my call. This time the service was far better (faster), and everything served was very good. Some dishes could have been warmer, but in general, the experience was positive enough that I will return.
My main criticism, which was noticeable at my first visit, and has been a continuing issue with me personally, is that the hard surfaces in the restaurant dining room act like amplifiers for all sounds. Today a baby shrieked at the table that was farthest away, and it was so loud where we were sitting, I almost had to hold my ears. You can easily hear every conversation at other tables. I feel they should invest in some sound deadening materials, which could be easily placed on the ceiling or walls, to help absorb some of the sound. There is a wonderful Winnipeg company that specializes in sound absorbing materials which many restaurants (and recording studios) use, which I have implemented in my business that absorb close to 100% of all sound.
In closing, I was pleasantly surprised when I went to pay the bill this morning, to learn that the owner had asked that I not be charged, to thank me for giving them another chance.
There are many other restaurants (and companies, too) that could benefit from the excellent customer service (and food) offered at Chaise Café.
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