Where I won’t be dining tonight
…or any other night, for that matter.
I gotta admit, I was somewhat excited about the new restaurant “Tavern On The Water,” previously Roxy’s which is in the old Cilco substation along the riverfront and owned by Al Zuccarini of Big Al’s fame. After two reviews by Eyebrows McGee and many interesting comments, unless I hear otherwise, I will never be a patron.
I wish the Tavern on the Water the best of luck; and they’ll need a lot of luck if they keep up their snobbish ways.
Links:
Eyebrows McGee: Tavern on the Water
Eyebrows McGee: Memo to Self-Styled “Hottest Restaurant in Town”: Counterfeit Buzz Is Not Buzz
PjStar: Tavern on the Water Surprises
March 28th, 2007 at 9:27 pm
It’s kind of the same deal as Club Reign when it first opened. You can only pretend you’re in Chicago for so long before you realize you’re in Peoria. If you want to make money in Peoria, you gotta kick the Class down a notch. It’s a shame, but it’s true.
March 29th, 2007 at 7:46 am
Bingo! I have a feeling if they put a WWF or Nascar museum in that spot, business would be huge.
March 29th, 2007 at 8:03 am
OK, I am a little confused. Cory & Mazr, why do you live in Peoria if you think it is such a low class hick town? I grew up in Peoria, went off to college. Since then, I have lived in Chicago, Phoenix, and Chicago again, but chose to raise my daughter in Peoria. It is a wonderful community and a great place to live.
This line “If you want to make money in Peoria, you gotta kick the Class down a notch. It’s a shame, but it’s true.” really gets to me. Tell that to the owners of French Toast or Jim’s Steakhouse. Yes, we don’t have as many choices as Chicago or New York, but we have plenty of classy places that don’t treat you like garbage. They also don’t have Nascar paraphenalia in their dining room.
March 29th, 2007 at 8:49 am
I agree with Julie. Peoria is not all NASCAR, all the time. I think there are plenty of people that like fine dining in our area. We just don’t believe that fine dining has to equal snobbery.
March 29th, 2007 at 9:14 am
Julie, I think the problem wasn’t that the restaurant was “classy” — it’s that they were trying to ape some pseudo-elite “big city” restaurant idea that they had in their heads and as a result they are RUDE and unwelcoming, and give off the impression they think we’re all bumpkins and should be impressed we’re eating at such a big-city type place.
I’ve been to Charlie Trotter’s. I think that’s the sort of recherché atmosphere they’re trying to ape, but Charlie Trotter’s doesn’t look down on you. It’s like TotW is trying to put on all the outer trappings without figuring out the inner workings and attitudes that go into a restaurant like that. True class doesn’t think it’s better than you.
As a general rule I think Peoria has a slightly looser dress code than Chicago in terms of going out — but Chicago (and everywhere else) has gotten quite a bit more casual over the last 10 years too. But I think this idea of Chicago being sooooo formal and Peoria soooooo bluejeans gets a little blown out of proportion because when Peorians go to Chicago to shop Michigan Avenue at Christmas or do the touristy things, they tend to eat at particular, special restaurants. If they were hitting lunch in the Loop on the workday, it would look a lot more like lunch downtown in Peoria on a workday.
March 29th, 2007 at 9:54 am
I totally agree with you Eyebrows! maybe I should have said “there are plenty of OTHER places that don’t treat you like garbage!
After living in Chicago for a very long time, and eating out more that I would care to admit, I have never been treated like your group was at TOTW. That being said, I just made a lunch appointment with a client for Tavern on Monday (client’s choice). I will report back on the experience and remember not to order the water!
Cheers!
March 29th, 2007 at 10:33 am
This is so silly. Yes, I’ve been to nice restaurants where in response to me asking for water they respond, “still or sparkling.” That’s code for “we’d like you to pay for your water.” Unless I wanted mineral water I’ve always said – “oh tap water is fine” and I’ve never had a problem or attitude.
I travel alot – and being the self admitted foodie I eat in all kinds of restaurants from street food vendors and ethnic diners to upscale seasonal menu organic restaurants places. I’ve also traveled throughout France many times (which many Americans consider to be the source of snob dining.) You know what – I always drink tap water at the restaurants there. You just ask for a carafe of “l’eau du robinet” (tap water) and you’re good to go. Have never had any attitude whatsoever.
So for this restaurant to put so much negative energy into something as trivial as tap water is bizarre. If it’s the French reduction sauces and techniques which they apply to their cooking makes them worthy of being snobs then maybe they should take a trip to France and see what eating & food is all about.
March 29th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
The AP has a story circulating in today’s papers (not sure if the PJS has it) with the headline:
“Upscale restaurants dump bottled water for tap.”
March 29th, 2007 at 12:52 pm
JW, does that mean Peoria is joining a fad, just as the fad is ending?
Julie- I’ll be interested in hearing your report. Of course your client chose TOTW, it’s THE HOTTEST RESTAURANT IN TOWN! Not to mention, the bottled water is on your dime.
March 29th, 2007 at 12:59 pm
Julie, there’s no question that we live in Peoria because “It is a wonderful community and a great place to live.” That’s a seperate argument.
March 29th, 2007 at 1:04 pm
Club Reign an upscale Chicago type club. They named the club after one of the partners that happened to be a pornstar, I would say that is closer to Arkansas Nascar chic than upscale Chicago.
March 31st, 2007 at 3:37 pm
I had lunch at Tavern on the Water last week. The food was very good, the service was above average, and the cost was less than what I expected it would be.
Now, that was lunch, not dinner. I have only been there once, but I had a fine expereince. Not so great as to make it my number one meal spot, but I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to go back there.
April 3rd, 2007 at 10:42 am
Went to TOTW yesterday for lunch, and my experience differed from Jonathan’s slightly. Service was great, prices were good, food was terrible! My client & I ordered the same thing, the Chicken Salad Sandwich. Hard to screw up, right?
The chicken salad was pretty good, but there was hardly any chicken sald in the sandwich. The “toasted” pumpernickel bread was burned (on both sandwiches). I left hungry, which was very disappointing.
All that being said… I will probably go back and try something else. The menu looked great. And for those who are wondering, I had a diet coke (in a can).