I hate plastic plates
Well, let me be a little more specific: I hate it when bars and restaurants serve food on plastic plates. It's equally despicable when bars and restaurants serve drinks in plastic cups.
Plastic cups and plates are only OK when it's past midnight and the kitchen/bar has run out of regular dishware. That's understandable.
But when Amie and I were in Ropewalk Tavern (1209 S. Charles St.) for dinner a couple nights ago, our server brought us little black plastic plates with our order of nachos. Our burgers came out on plastic plates too.
We asked our server what the deal was, and she didn't know ...
It wasn't late at night. And it wasn't a weekend -- it was a weeknight. And and and there weren't that many people there. Heck, half of the tables in the dining room (pictured) were empty. Argh!
If memory serves, this happened to me at the short-lived super club Palma.
It makes me clench my teeth and "Grrr."
I mean, if I want to eat and drink off plastic stuff, I'll go to K-Mart, get plastic stuff and eat and drink off it. Give. me. a. break.
(Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Sun photographer)
I've been The Baltimore Sun's nightlife and local entertainment reporter for a couple years, and it's surprising how much the scene has grown in that time. Most of Baltimore's bars and clubs are unpretentious places with fairly cheap drinks and plenty of character. I like dancing and think this city needs more clubs, but nothing beats having a cold, locally brewed beer with friends in a comfortably full corner bar.
Comments
You're a bar, not the Ritz.
Posted by: Waaah! | December 19, 2008 11:00 AM
I'm not a bar ... I'm Sam Sessa!
Posted by: Sam Sessa | December 19, 2008 11:02 AM
At* at bar.
Posted by: waaah! | December 19, 2008 11:03 AM
Well, of course!
If I were at the Ritz, I'd expect gold plates. But I was at Ropewalk instead, where I expect porcelain plates. If I were at a picnic, I'd expect plastic plates.
Posted by: Sam Sessa | December 19, 2008 11:07 AM
Plastic is for office potlucks and 4th of July in the neighbors' backyard. Frankly, it's not cost efficient to use plastic. Also seems sort of transient.
Posted by: Eve | December 19, 2008 11:23 AM
Agreed, Eve. Also, bad for the environment! I barely recycle, but even I realize plastic plates at a bar/restaurant would generate a lot of unnecessary waste.
Posted by: CantonKate | December 19, 2008 11:27 AM
If you barely recycle, I'd say YOU are bad for the environment, & generate a lot of unnecessary waste.
Posted by: matt | December 19, 2008 12:06 PM
Sam,
Did you voice your displeasure and dissatisfaction to the bar management?
That you tolerate disposible/recycle dinnerware only at fastfood eateries where it is expected, but in this level of dining it is adversive and puts one off.
Posted by: GDA | December 19, 2008 12:34 PM
I didn't, and I should have. But I didn't want to make a big fuss.
Posted by: Sam Sessa | December 19, 2008 1:02 PM
I don't like them either, and I hate drinking wine out of plastic - but you know what I hate more? DIRTY GLASSWARE. And the method used for "cleaning" bar glassware is enough to make me stop drinki... well, it's enough to make me drink before I go out so I don't mind as much that there is a nice, gooey gross lipstick print on my glass.
Posted by: AC-M | December 19, 2008 1:44 PM
Yes, the method used for 'cleaning' bar glassware is interesting, I've seen one or two seconds in each of the three sinks and that's it!
Another pet peeve of mine, especially prevalent at a neighborhood bar you know, Sam, is the presenting of a bottle of (good) beer only and no glass at all, and having to ask (and maybe wait) for said glass.
If it's Natty or Bud Light god forbid or whatever, then fine. But, to me, anything better requires a glass.
Posted by: BaltimoreChop | December 19, 2008 2:03 PM
at least it wasn't styrofoam or paper.
Posted by: bryaninimonium | December 19, 2008 2:27 PM
Ouch, Matt. Note I said "barely" not "don't".
Props to Baltimore City for making it easier with single-stream. A lot more of my unnecessary waste is being recycled these days. I'd say that's one thing Sheila Dixon has actually done to really improve the city.
Posted by: CantonKate | December 22, 2008 10:40 AM
You know which restaurant serves their food on styro with plastic forks...Crossroads
Posted by: Cheese | December 22, 2008 11:17 AM
cutbacks across the GOP board. From the top down. All that campaign $ wasted!
Posted by: J.M. Giordano | December 22, 2008 2:26 PM