Doesn't Live Up To the Title

Service Included: Four-Star Secrets of an Eavesdropping Waiter by Phoebe Damrosch

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I was living in Manhattan in the early 1980s, eating at diners mostly (or whatever foreign food took my fancy), but occasionally at a fancier place (one time at La Grenouille where I learned what good service is) so I was interested in this book. 

There isn't much of a story, except the one about her love life which seems to build up some tension, but in the end she doesn't get fired or anything particularly interesting.  I sympathize with this, having led a more-or-less uneventful life.  Yes, I moved on my own to Manhattan to pursue acting.  I ate some food, had some escapades, but in order to make things interesting, I'd have to embellish.  One is almost hamstrung if she has to confine herself to the facts. 

The food wasn't anything I would long for, but the service sounds outstanding.  [Now, if you could have that sort of dining service with Indian food or Thai or even Mexican (Oooo, think of all the moles!)]  I'm afraid I'll have to side with David Rakoff on this - as nice an idea that even the middle classes who are willing to surrender a couple of months' wages on a four-star dinner will receive the same deference as the absurdly wealthy or famous might be, I prefer the stories about exceptional chefs who use their skills in elementary school cafeterias to improve the eating habits of the less advantaged young in this country. 



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