Cape Cod Swan Song

Cape Cod is pretty. Beautiful in fact. It is Yankee Americana at its finest, from Friendly's to putt-putt golf.

But scenery and red-white-and-blue only goes just so far in The Vamp's book.

I was after one thing and one thing only: seafood - fresh, tasty and served with a smile.

I got the first two by way of shellfish. The latter was more of a challenge.

Visiting my friend Bethanne and her family on the Cape this weekend, we decided to treat ourselves to a seafood supper at Dennisport's own Swan Seafood Restaurant for a relaxing repast.

No such luck.

In short - the service sucked. We had a seasoned waiter all right, not quite as seasoned as those seafaring gents in the vintage postcard I featured a few days ago, but a grey-haired veteran nonetheless. Yet, he forgot to bring my friend's 10 year-old daughter her Coca-Cola, mixed up my glass of Sauvignon Blanc for one of Chardonnay and forgot to bring us water and bread to boot. After I sidled up to the bar to rectify the drink problems -- since our waiter was nowhere to be found -- it took a solid 45 minutes before our government-issued, iceberg laden, pre-meal salads arrived.

I complained to the manager, who promised to look into the situation.

Then another 45 passed before the entrees hit the table. (That was just enough time, by the way, for me to need to BUS the table, since no one would come by to clear the plates.)

That said, the lobster was darn fine...

...as well as the accompanying salt-crusted baked potato.

Still, I couldn't help but bristle when the bill arrived, with nary a discount. I was full, but furious. C'mon, high-season price for a Coke that I had to CARRY to the table myself?

Our waiter explained that "the college kids had just left for the season," leaving the restaurant short-staffed.

That didn't fly with me or my companions. College kids leaving at the end of August is a summer ritual. This shouldn't come as a surprise, and it shouldn't impact our Friday night out.

The management begrudgingly offer us dessert and coffee on the house.

All well and good, but frankly not good enough.

Harumph!

And this is where a lobster or scrod pun would come in handy. But since I can't come up with anything cleverer, lets simply say that the whole experience left me crabby.

Comments

[MavenLady]

Yes, you got royally scrod. Is that the correct conjugation?

[Gregorio Hemming]

New England hospitality and efficiency at its finest!