My family and I lunched at Ellicott Mills Brewing Company (Ellicott City, Maryland), after church services, today. It’s always pleasant to go places with my family; we have a great time, no matter what we’re doing.
We have an annual discount card that advertises hundreds of dollars in discounts; however, the fine print is so confusing that we’ll be lucky to recoup the $25 investment we made in the card. The year’s starting to pass, and it’s time that we started to put the discounts to work.
It appeared that we were the second table to be seated; the restaurant had only opened an hour before we arrived, at 12 Noon. My family were seated, and I headed off to wash my hands. The facility was passable, not too dirty, but not at all what I’d expect early on a Sunday, and the paper towel dispenser was just about empty…I pulled out the last six inches of towel.
When I arrived at our table, my wife mentioned that our server had described the Mediterranean stew, something that she thought I would like. When our server returned, she described the stew to me, and it really did sound good. I asked if it would be a sufficient entry or should I order a sandwich, in addition. Our server assured me that the stew would be a “hearty portion.”
Our server was friendly and helpful; she brought us an extra basket of bread, and made sure that we were well attended. The next time we visit on weekend, we’ll be sure to request this server. I’m keeping the server’s name private, but more on that, later.
Our meal arrived, and I was surprised to find the hearty portion of stew was a bowl of rice with a small ladle of stew on top. This is not a portion that I’d consider appropriate for an entree, it was just the right size for an appetizer or side dish.
Fortunately, the women in my family (my wife and our two daughters) came to my aid and shared portions of their meals with me…just as if we were eating at home!
Our server was clearly upset and offered to make amends, when my wife mentioned that the portion size wasn’t as described. As it turns out, today was our server’s first day returning to work after her maternity leave. She gave birth to a handsome son a few months ago, and the boy looks like he’s a joy to be with. It’s too bad that our server is only able to work weekends, now (she stays home with her son during the week)…we’re limited as to when we can come back to her service.
The last tribulation of the visit was an automatic 18% gratuity that was added to our bill. Dear Manager, that’s rude.
I made sure that our server earned the gratuity that I judge she earned, almost
double the automatic gratuity; however, I’m still piqued that a restaurant would automatically add a gratuity to the bill of a four-person family lunch…do they really think that a mom and dad, with daughters in tow, would stiff a server?
So, what’s the bottom line on the Ellicott Mills Brewing Company? It’s got stable fare. Not much changes from one visit to the next. Cigarette smoke from the bar below the restaurant is noticeable in the dining area, the crab cake sandwich fair, and the stew is stingy in its portion, but the hamburgers and other sandwiches are out of this world, the beer selection is eclectic and well managed, and the servers, especially the lovely woman who attended our meal, today, are excellent. And, in my book, that’s the secret to success…great service.
With the service far outweighing the minor disappointments of today’s lunch, the Ellicott Mills Brewing Company earns a big thumbs up from Dave.
