Tighten up!

I had similar experiences last winter in not one but two well known, established restaurants.....and I agree, shorten the menu, but don't compromise on freshness or quality. Unfortunately, was sick after both meals, both were fish.

I don't mind smaller portion sizes or less expensive ingredients during the off season, (especially on special menus) but it still needs to be fresh and cooked well.

If I wanted poorly cooked food of dubious freshness, I could have just raided my own fridge and made something ala Scooterbug.

The thing is, we really want to support local restaurants but $25 is not still not an inexpensive meal. It's really sort of galling to get home-style food (and I don't mean simple or naked -- I mean a small portion of grilled fish, green beans and potatoes with lemon pepper) in a good restaurant -- that's not really a good deal at all. Cracker Barrel serves the same thing for about $8.

My appetizer was regular menu, $15, and contained about 1/4 cup of chopped raw tuna. It was off enough to smell, and the seaweed salad it was on had developed that slimy texture it gets when it isn't fresh. If the fish is old on a Wednesday night, just how old is that fish?

Every place I've gone and had a seasonal special, I have gotten a sub par meal. I had scallops recently that were so salty that the stray cat outside wouldn't eat one. If the seasonal special isn't about showing what a good chef can do with a few inexpensive (but fresh, not inexpensive because they'd otherwise be thrown out) ingredients and to draw a few people in regularly to keep the staff busy through the off season, then what is the point?

I'd love to hear about some good experiences with the seasonal special menus. Are any of the 30-A restaurants worth a go?

FIRE's local/sunset menu knocked our socks off!

Don't know if they are keeping the bar high because they're new, but their consistently great food and service keeps me coming back again and again.

My increasingly lackluster experiences w/ their competition have severely reduced my preferred dining options.

Amore is always great too.

The thing is, we really want to support local restaurants but $25 is not still not an inexpensive meal. It's really sort of galling to get home-style food (and I don't mean simple or naked -- I mean a small portion of grilled fish, green beans and potatoes with lemon pepper) in a good restaurant -- that's not really a good deal at all. Cracker Barrel serves the same thing for about $8.

My appetizer was regular menu, $15, and contained about 1/4 cup of chopped raw tuna. It was off enough to smell, and the seaweed salad it was on had developed that slimy texture it gets when it isn't fresh. If the fish is old on a Wednesday night, just how old is that fish?

Every place I've gone and had a seasonal special, I have gotten a sub par meal. I had scallops recently that were so salty that the stray cat outside wouldn't eat one. If the seasonal special isn't about showing what a good chef can do with a few inexpensive (but fresh, not inexpensive because they'd otherwise be thrown out) ingredients and to draw a few people in regularly to keep the staff busy through the off season, then what is the point?

I'd love to hear about some good experiences with the seasonal special menus. Are any of the 30-A restaurants worth a go?

Ate at Stinky"s Last night. Special was Family Style Dining $16.95. It was excellent. Old Bull, Young Bull Played. Try Them.

"Specials" are often food which is on the fast-track to spoiling, and they put it on the menu as a special to move it, rather than lose it. That is not the case at all restaurants, but many. If it was a special on Wednesday, it is very likely that it was delivered on one of two days, Friday or Wednesday. I could see a place getting a "good buy" on a product from a vendor (maybe because it was going to spoil in the vendor's cooler) on Wednesday, not even checking to see how fresh it was, then putting it on the special list for the night, to try and move it because they bought a large quantity. It is just as likely, that it was delivered on Friday of the previous week, and was on the verge of being ready to throw away. I ran several restaurants, including fine dining, and I pushed the philosophy of, "when in doubt, throw it out." Never wreck your reputation by offering crap. Know your product, taste your product. Servers should also be tasting the menu every day at line up, so they stay familiar with every menu item. I really like what nowgirl said about cutting back the menu items during the slower seasons, if it will keep your inventory turnover high. Restaurants around here should know that it is the locals whom tourist will ask where to dine, and if I were the owner of a restaurant, I would want to give no reason for locals to send diners elsewhere. Do it right, or go home.

Coming from the biz, it is important for managers and owners to know what is happening in their businesses. Skunky and Punzy, so that this restaurant has a chance to correct its mistakes and we get a better restaurant, it is vital to let the manager and owner know your thoughts on this. Please email, write, or call them and give them the 411.