There was a time during the height of the pandemic that a piece of toast made by someone other than yourself was an unmitigated pleasure. We yearned to go back to restaurants to feel some semblance of normalcy -- and dare I say, even experience something celebratory.
The pandemic is behind us. I have eaten many a meal at a restaurant since. And, yet, there is a bit of "pandemic-era-esque" guilt that creeps in these days if I am unhappy with a restaurant meal.
Case in point: above is a snapshot of a beautifully plated Red Shrimp Crudo at Fradei, a restaurant in Ft.Greene that has won rave reviews from critics. I had tried many a time to nab a coveted reservation. I finally did.
Entering the dining room with a friend, we immediately enjoyed the low-key vibe.
The menu looked fantastic.
Looks were deceiving.
That crudo above? It was a salt lick. Red shrimp is beautifully sweet and is known for having a texture more like lobster or scallops. None of that was able to shine through the brine. Other dishes were just as dismal.
In fact, my dining companion and I took one small bite each of our shared main of Nettle Dumplings and spit it out into our napkins.
The waitress didn't even inquire about our satisfaction when she took away the full plate and handed us the bill - a mighty bill.
We paid and felt the need for something to delight. Without hesitation, we headed over to Dick & Jane's for a well-made cocktail.
As we imbibed, I started to feel bad that I didn't like our dinner at Fradei. Then I took a sharp turn and got ticked that the food was so poorly executed and the bill so high. Then I took a sharp turn again and returned to feeling guilty, thinking about how I might have been so grateful for that same-said dinner to be served to me at the height of Covid.
Hmmmm...
Frankly, menu prices since Covid have skyrocketed for various reasons. Admittedly, my expectations have risen somewhat in accordance to the new price of going out. But, am I really more persnickety than I used to be?
Maybe not. In truth, I would have preferred a diner omelette that reveled in being a diner omelette -- and a diner omelette has gone up in price as well.
Perhaps I am just as persnickety as I used to be. And, perhaps the kitchen at Fradei was simply having a bad night. I can blame my unhappiness at dinner there on my great expectations, if I like. But, what I most certainly expect at this point is that I won't be returning to Fradei. Besides, that diner omelette is sounding pretty darn good to me right about now.
