Say it ain’t so, Doc! Your Cantina disappoints

In hindsight I'll bet Sarah would have paid another server six bucks to take your table.

[Robin Garr]

In hindsight I'll bet Sarah would have paid another server six bucks to take your table.

Ya think?

...This is certainly the least complimentary review that I've ever read by you...

Nancy's Bagel Grounds

[Robin Garr]

...This is certainly the least complimentary review that I've ever read by you...

Nancy's Bagel Grounds

Once every ten years or so, I let Satan out of his cage.

After 2 trips before the Derby...your review was spot on.

[Robin Garr]

loose the smokehouse part...

I know you know your stuff, Wood Guy, but me? I ain't touching that with a 10-foot hickory log.

Hope this serves as a wake up call to really start making some changes. Love the locale and see the potential.

Robin,

I am so sorry you and Mary had a bad dining experience with us. I am mailing you a $50 gift card that should cover your check and gratuity. I hope you give us another chance.

As I posted on your site last week, we are not where we want to be and our consistency of product has been spotty. We are still in the process of stabilizing what has been the highest staff turnover rate we have ever experienced. It only takes one or two employees not paying attention to or caring about details to ruin a table’s entire meal. This obviously happened to you and unfortunately, you are not alone in your experience at Doc’s Cantina. The good news is, these experiences are happening less and less and we are getting better and more consistent every day.

Now for the details in your article that I can defend or perhaps offer an explanation for…

We did not leave our passion behind. My partners, our key employees and I have spent a year of our lives getting Doc’s Cantina open. Not our best opening by a long shot but getting there quickly. Like a good basketball coach with a rookie team, mistakes are being made but the final results should be great!

We did update the menu on our website but missed the facebook version. Sorry about that. Take me to web-jail if you must.

Our salsa. As you know, there are infinite versions of salsa. Some people love ours, some people don’t. We continue to fine-tune this to a happy place for the majority of our guests.

Pasty-thick, gluey black beans = refried black beans which I believe is what you described? We are switching to a different bean due to people not understanding the intention of this side.

Cayenne by the pound? There is no cayenne in any of our dishes…I mean zero. The odd burn in the guacamole was likely fresh garlic. Like the salsa, our guacamole is something most our guests like while some people not at all. We are listening and fine tuning it as well.

As I stated before, we are constantly improving and hope you and others we have disappointed will give us another opportunity to please.

Best,

Brett Davis

[Robin Garr]

Robin,

I am so sorry you and Mary had a bad dining experience with us. I am mailing you a $50 gift card that should cover your check and gratuity. I hope you give us another chance.

Brett, thanks for your thoughtful and, yes, passionate response. I accept that, and I admire it.

As a matter of policy, we don't take gratuities, period. I'll be happy to return your gift card, discard it, or pass it along to a hungry family at the St. Matthew's Episcopal Church Food Pantry this month. Let me know how you would prefer me to proceed.

But sure, we'll come back, with open minds and tummies. That's a given.

[Robin Garr]

Robin,

PS: Please feel free to post this on my Facebook page and the HotBytes Facebook page as well, if you like, and to offer it as a letter to the editor at LEO.

As a matter of policy, we don't take gratuities, period. I'll be happy to return your gift card, discard it, or pass it along to a hungry family at the St. Matthew's Episcopal Church Food Pantry this month. Let me know how you would prefer me to proceed.

I was hoping to see that response, and was not at all surprised to read it. Well done.

I feel like Brett's explanation was throwing the staff/server under the bus for the bad experience?

It only takes one or two employees not paying attention to or caring about details to ruin a table’s entire meal. This obviously happened to you and unfortunately, you are not alone in your experience at Doc’s Cantina.

Were they not properly trained and why didn't management step in (or did they)?

[Robin Garr]

I feel like Brett's explanation was throwing the staff/server under the bus for the bad experience?

It only takes one or two employees not paying attention to or caring about details to ruin a table’s entire meal. This obviously happened to you and unfortunately, you are not alone in your experience at Doc’s Cantina.

Were they not properly trained and why didn't management step in (or did they)?

For the record, our server was very good, and she understood the issues that clearly originated in the kitchen and, I believe, she was embarrassed about it.

Exactly the response I expected from Brett Davis. Classy, non-defensive, accepting responsibility and promising to do better. Brett is a class act, and I am sure he will whip this place into shape in no time.

Under normal situations I would simply take a pass on a restaurant after so much bad press
BUT...Brett Davis' response rang with sincerity so I will wait a few days a try Doc's for myself.

I will add this however, we have seen many many new restaurants open up without a fraction of the negative situations that Doc's has experienced, many of which opened with lesser pedigrees or restaurant experience backgrounds. This seems like more than just a couple bad cooks, a couple of employees not paying attention, or a simple difference of opinion in tastes.