Two Things I Won't Miss When We Move

I've enjoyed every meal I've had at Bogota Latin Bistro. The food is always solid and the service has always been quite friendly. So it pains me to have to call them out on this, but I think it's worth mentioning. The other day DMR and I met at Bogota for dinner. He went with the plantain crusted chicken, I the ropa vieja and we split the entrees half and half. Both were great, especially the chicken which I had never tried before and would definitely consider ordering again. I ordered a Michelada to drink and Dan decided to have one as well. The Michelada at Bogota is made with Negra Modelo beer, lime, hot sauce and served over ice in a glass with a chili-rubbed rim. I think beer cocktails are delicious. They charge $7 for the drink, two dollars more than ordering a regular Negra Modelo, which I imagine comes in a bottle. Imagine my chagrin then when the drink is served in a smallish high ball glass that's packed with ice and the remaining beer is nowhere to be found. It's enough of a price gouge to charge $2 more for ice, a few shakes of hot sauce and a lime wedge. Actually I take that back since many places serve Negra Modelo with lime. To then serve it in a small glass that probably held at most 6 oz of liquid between all that ice and not give you what's left of your beer is completely lame. If our table had only ordered one, would I have gotten the beer that couldn't fit in the glass? It always made me angry when you'd order a shake or ice cream soda and the store would throw away the part that didn't fit into the glass. Which is why a place like Tom's in Prospect Heights, where they bring the metal mixing cup out with your lime rickey or milk shake, is so great. I mean, did the bartender see this as an opportunity to squeeze an extra drink out of one bottle of beer? Does the restaurant feel good about this frugality? I was so shocked I didn't even know what to say. Next time I'll order a bottle and ask for a glass with ice and lime. I'll use the hot sauce that's provided for free liberal dousing to make my own Michelada.

In other Park Slope bullshit, I'm completely done with Palo Santo. I guess they are no longer serving food during the day since Dan and I tried to meet there for lunch again this past week and they were not open. Yesterday we tried to eat brunch there. A two-top that's floating in the room, practically in the way of the front door is where they wanted to seat us. I didn't understand why this table was placed where it was. I asked if there were seats available in the back room. There were not. There were two four-tops available in the front area as well but we were not offered those tables. Understandable, but it was also on the late side for brunch. We were offered a sorry, so we left. Perhaps I overreacted by not wanting to sit at the reject table but all those times the restaurant has not been open during promised open hours has really soured me. All these attempts to eat brunch here and that's the only seating they can offer? Oh well, we're moving in a few weeks anyway.