My last post about Anthony Bourdain’s book Kitchen Confidential got me thinking about those restaurants that may not be quite so good. You know those with the high school kid cooking your pizza who just wants to finish his shift so he can go drinking with his friends or the server with an attitude or, my favorite, the crazy lady who owns the place. Yep, unfortunately, I have a story about that lady. Specifically, the lady who owns Tay Do Vietnamese restaurant on Snow Road in Parma.
This is actually a sad story, because I really liked Tay Do the first 4 times I ate there. I remember the day I discovered the restaurant only a little over a mile from my home. I was so excited to find a great Vietnamese restaurant so close. They probably would have known me by name there in no time.
It all went down one evening when Joe and I decided to order dinner for pick-up from Tay Do. I called to order a Pho soup for myself and a beef dish for Joe. Excited for a yummy dinner, I jumped in my car and drove down the street to pick-up our order. The lady who owns the place was friendly just as she had been the last few times I stopped in. She made small talk while I waited for the order, it was ready just a few minutes later.
What a disappointment when Joe opened his Styrofoam container to find SQUID, not beef. I called Tay Do back immediately to describe the mix-up and let them know that I would be coming back to get our beef dish. Unfortunately, the phone call did not go too smoothly. Once I explained their mistake, the lady owner became quite defensive on the phone. “No! You order squid!” she said. “Sorry, I’m sure that we did not order squid. My husband does not like squid.” I explained. This coversation went back and forth a few times. Finally, I told her that I would come back to get our correct beef dish. She agreed, but was not happy about it.
I was so hungry at that point that we decided it would be best if Joe drove back up there to make the exchange. Now, here is where it gets crazy! Joe took the squid dish with him to show that it really was the wrong order. The lady took the squid from him and gave him his beef. Joe thanked her and walked out the door. A few moments later, as Joe was about to get into his car, the front door to the restaurant opens and it is the lady, with squid Styrofoam container in hand. She is yelling at Joe, “You eat Squid! You eat Squid!” At this point, Joe is quite annoyed. He looks are her, says, “You are crazy”, gets into his car and drives away.
How many ways can this situation simply be wrong? She is acusing her customer of eating half of an incorrect order and returning it. Who would really go to all that trouble to eat half of their meal, call to say it is the wrong meal, get in the car and drive back just to get a new meal? But, the scary part to both Joe and I is that we felt like she was angry that there was not enough squid left in the container to throw it on a plate and serve it to the next person who orders that entree. How about the fact that if she thought we ate some that maybe she gave us a skimpy portion in the first place.
Then, I think, here she is hanging out the door, yelling at a customer, while she has a dining room of customers. What were those people thinking? So, this whole experience was wrong on so many levels. Who treats their customers like that, especially when it was your fault in the first place!
So, I am sad that I can’t go back to Tay Do, becuase their food really is very good. But, how can I support a restaurant who treats their customers in such a crazy manner?
I was there tonight for the first time, and the food was fantastic – some of the best I’ve ever had. It was also dirt cheap.
The lady who runs Tay Do was very friendly to everyone, and she even came over and hugged two customers goodbye when they left.
Her English is obviously not very good, so perhaps your experience was simply a misunderstanding?
There’s a #1 Pho down on W 130th, so maybe you could try that?
I noticed it tonight as I was going home, so I don’t know what it’s like. However, if it’s the same owners as the #1 Pho downtown it’s probably quite good.
Stuart,
I totally agree with you that the food at Tay Do is tasty. It is unfortunate that the woman who owns the place was so rude to us for absolutely no reason. I simply cannot support a restaurant who treats their customers that way.
By the way, I have been to #1 Pho on W. 130th and it was great. Check out my post all about it.
Thanks!
Megan
I have been a devoted customer to Tay Do ever since I moved to Cleveland which is close to 9 years. They are a mom and pop shop and they both do not speak English very well.
Before I make my personal opinion here, have you stop to consider what you are saying here? Because of poor customer service, you are falsely assuming and indicating that these people are reusing their food and selling it back to customers? Have you ever tasted reuse food before? Have any of the previous 4 visit you had non-freshed food serve to you?
I am still puzzled about the fact of this half eaten box here? Where did the owner actually said it was half empty/full? She just said you ate squid? So was it really half empty? What happen in the car ride to Tay Do when you were not in the car?
For my own personal opinion, Tay Do, is the only place you will ever get your money worth for the price you pay. They are not only good, but they are fresh, right portion and cheap. Its real taste and not the bland flavored that you admire so much based on your other reviews for Vietnamese food.
On another note, the lady that you referred is absolutely right on how she acted. If she doesn’t speak english well, of course she will bring a box out and let you see it that it has been eaten. I, myself have placed a wrong order one time and didn’t know until it was rung up. However, she requested to her husband to remake the same order with the meat that I wanted. She personally brought it out and open the box to let me know what the content is.
I don’t think an establishment that have been there for so long with a devoted customer pool that would actually sit for 2 to 3 hours to have their meal would actually reuse any sold-dishes to anyone. Did you overlooked that matter as well? You may comment on their customer service but do not comment on the quality of the food.
Upon completing this entry for you, since I know the English language, I probably wouldn’t have bothered to remake the food and then waste my breathe noting that your husband ate the food. I would just simply not bother remaking it at all and also displaying that half-empty box right in front of all the diners. So you said she is rude, rethink about it if you were actually there. The lady and her husband are friendly, hard working people. They always make it known to myself and the other diners that I see come in a rewarding, homely welcome visit.
You should reconsider what actually had taken place when you weren’t present and also the accusations that you have made about reusing food. I’ve tried all vietnamese establishment in Cleveland, Tay Do is the best for homely, good food and service.
There are always two sides to a story. since the folks at Tay Do may or may not have knowledge of this blog of yours, as a fan of great food I feel it is required for me to point out your assumptions which are merely just base on one unhappy service.
I’m all about fresh, home cook meals and care.
Michael.
Michael,
I understand that you may not agree with the description of my experience with Tay Do. I too enjoy supporting our locally owned restaurants with fresh food and home-cooked feel. But, this is what happened to me, this was my experience and this is how I feel about it.
I’m happy to hear that you have had plenty of wonderful experiences at Tay Do and the owner has always been nice to you. However, I had a different experience and only felt it fair to share my encounter via my blog. Your attempt to nullify my experience is sad. This is what happened and no restaurant should run out the door yelling at their customer. We did not eat the incorrect dish, we were very pleasant to the owner and we should not of been treated in such a manner.
I do find it quite rude of you to say that I have a bland choice in food. We do not all enjoy the same food, which is why there are so many wonderful food options available to us throughout the world. Not very good blogging etiquette. You are entitled to your opinion, but there is no need to bash the blogger. This is simply one person’s experience/opinion, good or bad. I simply will be finding my Vietnamese meals somewhere other than Tay Do.
Thank you,
Megan
Like Michael, I disagree with your speculation that Tay Do wanted to re-use food. It just didn’t fit what I saw.
You have no proof it’s true either, so I don’t think you should have posted it. Opinions are one thing, but I think your comments are bordering on libel.
I’m glad you like #1 Pho. I went there this weekend, and it’s a nice place.
I didn’t think the food was quite as good as what I had last weekend at Tay Do, but the service was good, the food was ready very quickly, and the people were very friendly. (#1 Pho is appreciably more expensive though.)
Both my wife and I loved what we had at Tay Do, so we ordered essentially the same thing at #1 Pho.
I had Pho Tai Chin last weekend, and this weekend I had Pho Tai Bo Vien. I also had iced coffee both times (Ca Phe Sua Da).
My wife had Hu Tieu Chay last weekend and Hu Tieu Bo Kho this weekend.
So I think we can make a good comparison, and we both thought #1 Pho wasn’t as good.
I’m not saying #1 Pho was bad – not at all. I’ll go back, and it’s the place I’d pick when going with friends who have never eaten Vietnamese food before. I’d also probably choose #1 Pho if I was going with a bunch of people.
However, my wife and I will probably go to Tay Do more often than #1 Pho because we feel the food is so good.
I respect your opinion and it’s too bad that you had a bad experience at Tay Do.
[...] have read about my disappointing experience with the other Vietnamese restaurant down the street, Tay Do. After that fiasco, I was sad that there were no Vietnamese options near me that I would actually [...]
Seems as though I am not the only one who finds the service at Tay Do less than par. Check out these reviews at openlist.com…
http://www.openlist.com/-/detail/olv/local/ole/107214326/olpn/Tay+DO+Vietnamese+Restaurant/
Megan
Only one of the reviews is actually at openlist.
So this person was served tea and then waited 18 minutes before seeing a server/hostess again? Not 17 or 19 minutes? Did the reviewer start a timer?
The hostess was rude? Not from what I saw. She just doesn’t speak English very well.
The review linked from citysearch is from a person who also panned Phnom Penh. The food at Phnom Penh is excellent, and it continually gets awards and notice. I’m going to completely discount this review.
The 3rd review from judysbook says Tay Do is great.
Yes, the service at Tay Do can be slow. They warn you of that up-front. The decor is plain. Their command of English is only good by comparison with my command of VNese.
The food makes up for it. I’ll just note that anyone who wants really good, authentic, inexpensive VNese food should give Tay Do a try. Let the food do the talking.
I think Stuart was right about the whole thing being a misunderstanding. She was not accusing your husband of eating the squid – she was trying to give it to him! She was going to have to throw it out, and didn’t want to do that. She didn’t understand that he didn’t like it, she just thought he preferred the beef.
I’m pretty sure of this, because something similar happened to me. She didn’t chase me out of the restaurant, because I was eating in. She was trying to be generous, offering me something I didn’t like for free, and was having trouble understanding why I didn’t want it. It was as simple as that.
I forgot to add, that I love Tay Do! I haven’t been there for a while, as I live in Akron. But we’ll be going back soon.
I have been a loyal patron at Tay Do for a good 6 or 7 years. As mentioned above, the owners don’t speak very much english and I am sure what you encountered was a misunderstanding fueled with a language barrier and cultural differences. They have always been great, and their food is the best, I moved about a half hour away but still go there to get take out food, you won’t find better vietnamese food anywhere, especially with their vegetarian and vegan selection!