Address: | 2723 Broadway, New York, NY 10025, USA |
Phone: | +1 212-316-5000 |
Site: | cafedusoleilny.com |
Rating: | 3.7 |
Working: | 11AM–10PM 11AM–10PM 11AM–10PM 11AM–10PM 11–11:30AM 9AM–11:30PM 9AM–10PM |
JE
Jesse C
Its been a long time since I have reviewed a restaurant (in the past on Yelp, never on Google). I use both Google and Yelp for reviews, addresses, hours, phone numbers, etc. They are great resources for a hungry Manhattanite. But today, I felt I had to write about a really disappointing experience. Breakfast meeting with an old friend and influential lady in my business (fine arts). I convinced her to visit my neighborhood, instead of heading down to hers and having breakfast at French Roast Uptown, our usual spot and a great place. (Try the Salade Lyonnaise.) She wanted a good cup of coffee, so my neighborhood fav (the best diner in New York IMHO) was out of the question. (Even a great diner can have terrible coffee, by coffee -lover standards.) So Cafe Du Soleil it was. A block from my house, pricey, but at least the coffee is fine. My friend ordered the American Breakfast, me the Parisian omelette. Our food arrived. Her American Breakfast was more than ample and she shared her sausage with me. One bite and I noticed the interior was cold. I spat out my bite and looked at the uncooked pink interior. Pork, unlike beef and good fish, can never be eaten raw or undercooked, it would be inviting serious trouble. I called over the manager and explained the issue. I didnt want my omelette, which I hadnt started and had the spat out sausage on it, and I had lost my appetite. "Please bring me another coffee," I said. "And can you just comp me my omelette?" After all, I wasnt going to eat it. Bill comes and we are charged for the omelette. I approach the manager and he responds that I didnt order the sausage in question (remember it was my breakfast companions), that if I dont eat pork (something I never said) I shouldnt be eating sausage anyway, etc. I dont lose my temper, and I am generally a polite, well-manered customer. I tell him that at this point, he should probably just comp us the whole meal. He tells me not be rude (basically to go fly a kite) and then informs me that the owner is over at the bar, but that I shouldnt bother him, hes a busy man after all. Forget that. I walk up to the owner and tell him my story. He reacts as if I am a pitiable simpleton. Fair enough. But I tell him this, "I grew up in my parents French bakery in California. From a young age I worked the front counter under my fathers guidance. When a customer had a complaint I did whatever was in my power to respect him or her, listen and remedy the situation. If somebody were to get a bad croissant [which never occurred in 20 years of business], I wouldnt give them the keys to the castle, but I would certainly do what I could to make them come back and tell their friends what an amazing experience they had had. To me that is customer service 101." He brushed me off and I left, my friend paying the bill (minus my coffee and the omelette). So in the end, I usually dont write about restaurant customer service unless it is really above and beyond. I like to focus on the food. But comps, how you treat customers, what is an acceptable loss, these should never be a simple calculation of instant profits from the establishments perspective. Sometimes you have to take the $10 loss and live to fight another day, rather than alienate someone who is a current customer and whom you really dont know. Instead, if you decide that it doesnt really matter, that that $10 profit is worth never seeing that person again, then, I just have to assume that at some point it will catch up with you. If it were a simple matter of bad staffing (at the managerial level) then maybe I wouldnt have written this review. But when it is the owner, it gives me pause and motivates me to really call it out and question an establishments commitment to its profession. Cafe Du Soleil: food ok, prices high, service leaves a lot to be desired. Definitely not going back, would never take a friend or party there (their loss I suppose). And I would recommend that you look twice before swallowing your sausage. Trichinosis is serious.
NI
Nicole Marie, MFA
Im a world traveler and have been to France quite a few times. The cuisine is one of the things I enjoy most when visiting France so Im always happy to find a place that recreates the experience of a French restaurant in the USA. When Im in New York City my shortcut to France is Café Du Soleil, easy to find on Broadway in the Upper West Side. Among the many outstanding restaurants in this neighborhood this is the one I visit most often. When you see the furniture and decor, whether in the dining room or out on the sidewalk, you might as well be eating at a café anywhere in France, and the food and atmosphere live up to this initial impression. There is a warm welcome from the owners who go out of their way to make everyone comfortable. The servers are professional and friendly. The dishes are authentically French, and the desserts alone are worth the visit. My favorite extra is the lemon sorbet with vodka. It is especially refreshing in the summer. The côte de boeuf and penne pommodore are the best ever, and the escargots, served Parisian style, are amazing.
A
A Private User
Terrible, terrible service tonight. Inexplicable and inexcusable. Weve frequented Cafe Du Soleil many times over the past few years and have always enjoyed the food and somewhat erratic service. But tonight, the place went off the rails. My wife and I thought wed take our two young daughters out for a nice early dinner. Yet, shortly after we were seated, we seemed to turn invisible. Soups for my wife and I came out fine and in a timely manner. But 35 minutes later and the two plates of pasta and fish dish we had ordered were still nowhere to be seen – and our girls were extremely hungry. All of the patrons at the tables around us – all of whom were seated after us – had been served their orders. But not us. When we were finally able to flag down our waiter, it was "I dont what the holdup is. It should be out in a few minutes." Another 10 minutes and still nothing. I asked for the check and we left. The staff on duty seemed as if they couldnt care less. Quel dommage. Au revoir, Cafe Du Soleil.
A
A Private User
The service always sucked, but the food was OK. I was just there today and learned that they have stopped serving bread and fries with their overpriced omelettes. No one bestirred themselves to advise me of this change until I asked whether I would be getting them. I expressed mild irritation when told they no longer did. No one refilled my coffee, and I was completely ignored thereafter. I was overcharged, and when I was walking to my table, prior to leaving, one of the wait staff actually went out of his way to be militantly hostile to me. I have never, ever had such a bad experience in any capacity as a customer. I am encouraged to speculate that maybe their chiseling with bread, etc., is indicative of hard times in this place. Good. They should go out of business. AVOID THIS PLACE. It is run by hostile psychos.
A
A Private User
Been here twice over the course of a few months - once for lunch and once for dinner. Both times the service was very friendly (lots of smiles), the food was good, and the overall experience was very enjoyable. For dinner, we both had steak, my husband had a glass of beer, and I had a glass of bordeaux wine. The total was $57, which I think is pretty decent. Addressing a few prior comments (below), contrary to "Reynolds," we thought the bread was delicious (the olive oil that was served with the bread had a little kick - a little spice, which I liked). "Fireman Jim" (below) suggested going to Raouls which is a MUCH more upscale restaurant and is MUCH pricier. It is also located at the opposite end of NYC. Cafe du Soleil is a nice little Upper West Side neighborhood restaurant. Relaxed and comfortable.