Coffee Shop

29 Union Sq West, New York, at 16th St. 212-243-7969

The waitresses here are referred to in the same hushed, obsessive tones as the women of Estonia.  It's generally staffed by a cabal of models and actresses, all desperate to be discovered, and aloof as all hell.  Now last night, for some terrible reason, most all the waitresses were men.

Sat at the bar.  Stuck with the standard cheeseburger and garlic fries.  Fine.  Whatever.  Service sucked.  After taking our drink order, of two beers, the waitress wandered off, talked to some friends, joked around with others behind the counter, played some grab-ass, took a couple of other orders, wandered around, disappeared, came back, joked some more, then poured our beers and brought them over.  It was representative of the rest of hte night.  Charles tipped 8%.  I thought he was far too kind.... I tipped half that.

Some balk at the idea of under-tipping -- but to not offer napkins with a burger and fries, and disappear before the question is halfway from my lips?  When we ask to split the bill on two credit cards, the waitress takes forever, then only brings back one credit card and receipt.  "I'll do the other one later," she said.  Huh???  "Can you just bring my card, I'll pay cash."  "Oh, I don't know how much it is -- I didn't split it very evenly."  Huh???