The Kitchen Table — Restaurant in San Rafael

An otherwise pleasant and enjoyable evening was ruined by the fragile ego and arrogance of the chef/owner. The hallmark of any establishment is rooted in customer service and flexibility and understanding as it relates to feedback regarding your food. I visited this establishment this evening and was having an amazing time until I was forced to pay for an entree that I did not eat nor want. I had two orders of the fritto misto, and an order of the Spanish octopus. They were excellent appetizers. My entree selections were the duck and halibut. I requested that the asparagus be removed from the halibut due to my allergies. I asked for it to be replaced with a standard vegetable preparation which was accommodated.

Immediately upon receipt and after tasting the halibut, I was underwhelmed. The fish was bland and flavorless. I respectfully called the waiter over to return the meal since I didn't enjoy it and hadn't eaten it. I took extra care to be courteous and respectful. I never said anything disparaging about the meal. Soon after a manager approached the table and inquired about my decision to return the meal. He asked if I wanted to replace the meal with another menu option and I said no thank you. So as not to cause any further issues, I decided to order and pay for a pizza to go as a sign of goodwill. After some time the manager returned to the table with the returned fish, boxed and bagged, and said that I needed to take the fish and would have to pay for it. This decision was made by the chef/ owner. I thoroughly explained my familiarity with restaurant protocol and general practice regarding returned meals. I also expressed my frustration with being told that I had to take a meal that I did not eat or want and being told that I had to pay for it. It is utterly absurd to force a patron who had an otherwise excellent evening to pay for something they did not eat and ultimately left at the restaurant.

This chef/owner is more concerned with his ego than listening to a customer. I felt insulted, disrespected and insignificant. This was my first and last visit to this restaurant. Interestingly enough both the manager and waiter expressed their shared frustration with the situation and decision. The chef whose ego was bruised never took the time to speak with me to convey the reason for his decision. It is also not lost on me that I was the only patron of color at restaurant. Regardless of the motivation to treat me in this manner, the actions by the chef/ owner were...

Ah, what an experience we had tonight. And not in a good way, but instead, in the most disastrous way possible!

We went to TKT for an early dinner after a day of work. We were here twice before and loved the food, wine, and service: nothing extraordinary, but good quality, quiet and straightforward. My husband ordered fish, and I ordered the pasta that I ordered the other two times: pepper infused tagliatelle, mentioning no dairy (no butter, no cheese).

The wine came, and we chuckled that the pour was rather stingy: 1/5th of a white wine glass - really?!!

Sometime after our dishes arrived, only my pasta had butter and dairy, and I politely pointed this out to the waiter. He said: "Let me check," He came back confirming that there was dairy and they would re-do the dish. Soon after, he showed up with a re-done dish that had no butter or cheese but... it had a different type of mushrooms. The cheapest possible mushroom (champignon) was not on the menu and was not an oyster mushroom that I love and enjoy.

I pointed it out to the waiter again, and he said: "Let me check," yet again. He came back saying that the menu has changed and that they now offer mixed mushrooms and that oyster mushrooms are somewhere there in the mix. I refused the dish. After some negotiations, they said they would make me a risotto, and I agreed. Thirty minutes later (!), when my husband had already finished his dish, there was still no my dish in sight! No one stopped by to offer a glass of wine, an apology - or anything!

I walked out; my husband stayed to pay. They forced him to pay and take the risotto with him. I refused to take the risotto - my husband took it back and asked for a refund for the risotto, not the entire check, stating that it was an unacceptable service altogether.

And that is where the real fun began - the floor manager said that this was blackmail, that he would refund the risotto, but that we should find another place to eat and good luck with our lives!!!

Like there was anything that would make us go back! Get it together, TKT. Train your staff for food intolerances, intricacies of the menu (not that it is elaborate, anyway), and most importantly, how to treat customers with respect and make up for your shortcomings as you learn to survive in the shark tank.

Honestly - I wish you...

I dined at Alexander Alioto's previous restaurant in SF and the marvel of his raviolo uova has echoed in my brain and on my lips ever since. What a fabulous dish. There's that and much more at The Kitchen Table at the end of 4th St in San Rafael. The space is small, simple, sleek and airy with an open kitchen in the back. The menu is of moderate-size, offering a variety of options that bridge the gap between culinary artistry and Italian comfort food. Try a delicious appetizer of salmon crude with gigante beans and tomato, excellent gnocchi or risotto with seafood, (two dishes that often don't fare well in restaurant kitchens.) A vongole and carbonara as good as you will find in Italy. Chicken saltimbocca was so moist and delicious (boneless thighs instead of breast filets.) Perfect fried chicken. Dessert was a panna cotta and lemon tart both made in the kitchen. An expertly executed wine list heavy with Italian varietals and reasonable prices. We are going back soon as there are still several dishes left that we want enjoy and of course one more raviolo uova before I die. Soon this will be a tough ticket so book...