Food & Thought 2 — Restaurant in Florida

Think the world of Oakes and Seed to Table and their excellence. Think very low of their attempt at a pricey "health" focused restaurant. Healthy food is allowed to taste good too. We were there because the Italian place across the lot was full. First disappointment was guacamole served in one of these large plates with a small bowl in the middle. The guacamole was OK with some busted up chips stuck in it rather than full chips in the plate around it. (Cheap) There were obviously inadequate busted up chips to finish the modest serving so we asked for a few more chips. Server Benjamin who really did a fine job advised that was going to cost me. Absurd really? Asked for Manger Patrick who advised the same. After listening to him jaw on about their reasoning for doing so I advised how we ended up at his restaurant and noted to him that Food for Thought 2 was half empty on a Friday night in Naples and maybe there was a reason for that. He advised he wasn't going to be insulted and walked off. Oh well......sorry I think? Rest of the meal was OK. They definitely have sacrificed taste for supposed healthy food as 2 Italian dishes were .....ok. Come on Oakes that is not who you are. How about some great food at a good value. Anyway got the check and they had pulled the guacamole. Whatever..... too little too late and we didn't eat any more when they had begrudgingly brought out additional chips. The final comedy was the 1.00 charge for an ice cube in my whisky ...yes for real. (CHEAP). Not the big round one but what seemed like a normal square one. Finally they are one of those "forced" high tip places for credit cards. You get to chose 20-25-30% tip ONLY with no ability to modify for the actual service that I saw. Well, like I said Benjamin was a really good server so....OK 128.00 for 2 Italian dishes and...

I used to be a multiple time a week regular until they recently changed the menu and got rid of multiple favorites of mine. Last time I was in there I sat for over 55 minutes waiting for a table and the host even asked me my name at one point and saw I was sitting on one of their benches around the corner from where everyone was sitting but still close enough to hear every name being called. They told me 20 minutes. Now it’s almost been an hour - so I peek at how many people are waiting still ahead of me and nobody is anywhere to be found - they have all been seated. People that came 40 minutes after me already seated. So I’m now a bit confused and frustrated because I’ve been ignored and forgotten. All the business I have been giving this place and they shrug it off like it was nothing when I call them out on it. I then get seated and I see a lot of tables of people looking anxiously for a waiter and finally one table gets up and walks out. They were probably sitting there for 20 plus minutes and they didn’t even have water. The management at this place is a joke - where is the manager? I start asking the wait staff and telling them tables are walking out - why aren’t your bus boys giving customers water? They are all just standing around and have half or one third the wait staff they need for a weekend rush. The service has just gotten slower and slower the more I go here. Now I have no desire to go to what used to be my go to spot. I would suggest the owner find a new GM - maybe ask the rest of your staff what they think of him and the job he does. As far as I can tell he’s always in the back or hiding when a GM should be out on the floor 24/7 making your place the best it can be and always tending to and interacting with...

Food and Thought, Here is my Food for Thought:

What’s can I say, Hidden gem?Diamond in the rough? The cliche gods have approved, not many mortal palates would disagree.

I will be categorically back to rifle through the menu on these the long Napolitano Summer Nights a head.

All you righteous foodies out there give me a resounding “Hell Yeah!”on this one…. 1st the Staff : intelligent, knowledgeable and the right type of engaging. Well played! 2nd the ‘Savory Business End’ of all restaurants… The food…..

Wow, I am your typical Food Narcissist with Zero Culinary Experience, other than being a Fat Gavone , raised on a providence Of Great Meals that Taught to search for what we “Special Type of Foodie calls “The Better!”

This place has the Gravitas of High Delectableness, only Real restaurants Dare to Broach…

A word to the wise.. See what you like on this eclectic menu, Close your eyes and mind, Open your mouth and Thank me when you’re done. There are no Distracting Disappointments. So, “Listen to me now believe me later!”

If you don’t stay for dessert made by One of the Scrappiest,up and coming Dessert Chef Alchemist-Pâtissier’s in the business! Ladies and Gentlemen I introduce to you South Jersey-Philly’s version of Rocky Balboa Herself “Kimber”! Her creations will Knock you out! Now for the Front of the House The Chivalrous Manager Orchestrating this Wonderful Ride was a Gentleman and Scholar of a Manger by the name “Becker” and his impressive Squire of a Bartender “Dalton”. Let me finish by saying “Thank you Thank You,Thank You!”

So let me declare! Come one come all Let the games begin and you’ll leave a champion! What an excellent...