Café Panache — Restaurant in Ramsey

So I’ll start from the beginning. They sat us right next to the hostess table, it literally made me dizzy the people walking back and forth it was a mess. Next came the service. This was what surprised me. We had a really nice young girl who poured our waters, and was the sweetest, however that was the end of the good things I can say. No one brought us a menu, no one offered to open our wine, nothing. About 12-13 minutes until after we’re seated I asked for, by stopping the waiter and saying “can we have menus?” After we got menus, he didn’t introduce himself to us, didn’t want to be bothered when we asked him to recommended dishes he kept acting like he was sooo busy, we needed to hurry and order. I even made the comment “should we order our dishes now you seem busy” let me stop by saying he told us things on the menu aren’t available. When we ordered our food I ordered my steak medium rare and I specifically stated “more rare than medium” my husband ordered medium. They got two different steaks, and mixed how they should be prepped. After our dishes were delivered by the food runner, the waiter not once checked in on us. Didn’t ask if the meal was good or bad so I didn’t have the chance to let him know it was prepped wrong. I ended up not eating my meal neither did my husband. It was a waste for food time and money. Finally dessert time. Again I had to stop the girl (I keep saying girl because no one introduced themselves to us) and asked her for a wrap up and to go because i physically was getting sick from the severs and food runners running back and forth by our table. After she came I let her know the mix up she apologized but our waiter still hadn’t appeared. It wasn’t her job or responsibility. Mind you, it wasn’t even busy for a Saturday night. The desert came, and the crème brûlée, was literally microwaved. The was all rubbery and just awful. While having the desert, he gave the bill without even asking us if we want anything else without saying a word. Didn’t finish the microwaved desert and left 20% tip even with the horrendous service. We have been to many places in this area, however this is the worst one of them all . You want good service and good food, go across the street to bici and get treated like a human being not trash out by the hostess table. Never again. This was a birthday dinner for myself and wow what a terrible experience. 0/10 do not recommended for...

As written by my husband Ed:

Isn’t it always funny to be living in Seinfeld-esque world where your natural inclination is to criticize how screwed up things are? At best It is comedy (“that’s why they CALL it a reservation….”) and at the same time sad, disappointing and often infuriating. While normally I am a half-glass full, wake up happy type person, maturity and wisdom if we can call it that, has jaded my patience for mediocrity in fine dining and culinary hospitality. Is it ok to be just ok? Do you deserve better? As urban legend and OCD Orphan X Evan Smoke said, “How you do anything is how you do everything…” As a retired food fanatic and gastronome all of my goddamn life it’s time to give up just “ok.”🫠. Like the wicked witch, I’m melting from the very same watered down mediocrity I was ok with most of my life.

You’ve all experienced this tale of a neighborhood family business you’ve patronized for over 25 years, suddenly go into atrophy and decline. An absent welcome, a warm smile remiss, the personalized visit from the owner, the vibe not the same and off. You can feel it taste it or lack there of but you still have hope or promise.

I am not a blogger but may be after my last couple of episodes at Cafe Panache in Ramsey, NJ. As a huge fan of late chef Kevin Kohler who passed away 2021, the hope and promise of the family remained strong as the quality, mentoring and service of the team remained intact. For about a couple years. After the second chef change and some apparent staff reductions, the food and vibe is off, an almost sophomoric and an over rehearsed menu lacking in the former depth of flavor, or any culinary creations and specials that Kevin was so passionate about executing. He was an owner not an employee and you can taste and feel the difference. No more hand picked arugula from the garden and freshest seafood from Peter’s Fish Market. You can sense the shortcuts and signs of lowered quality and menu fatigue. Pre prepared par cooked dishes not as fresh, seasonings are off, labor cost cutting and price increases. The staff are going through the motions of their livelihood but sharing comments about how the business has been much slower and waned in popularity.

Unfortunately like saying goodbye to an old friend or having to walk away from an epic landmark relationship or career that has played its course, it...

Let me begin by saying we have been going to Panache for 25 years. Last year we booked a reservation for 4 ppl for Christmas eve, 12/24/21. They have this insane policy of accepting cash only for this res, at $125 per person so my dad went in and gave them $500 cash to reserve the table.

Two days before that day, 12/22, I got covid. We called right away on 12/22 and they said they would give us back the cash if they could get rid of that table. We knew they would have NO trouble getting rid of the table, since it’s popular place. My dad called back the next day and they said they would give him two, $250 gifts cards but would not refund the money. I called on 12/24 around 4 pm just “to see” if they had any free tables, and of course they didn’t. So, they did in fact get rid of our table, said they didn’t and would not refund our cash. Ok, they lied, people lie, I get it. Bad business, no empathy, covid was everywhere, they should have been decent, they were not…….people are crummy….…we moved on. We use one of the $250 gift cards later in 2021 and we still have one left. My dad went in this weekend to try and make another res for 12/24 this year (we are gluttons for punishment). The rate is now $150 per person, which we were still willing to pay, but hold on to you hat for this one…..they WOULD NOT let us use the $250 gift card as part of the money needed to make a new res for 4 ppl. They only take cash for a res on 12/24. Well, WE GAVE YOU CASH last year and got screwed bc you are deceitful money hungry people.

Needless to say, we will use this last $250 gift card we have begrudgingly, but then we will NEVER dine there again and encourage others to do that same. I mean really Panache; do you think you are the only game in tow? ...