N5DWI
2012-09-12 15:46:45 UTC
I suppose a Galveston restaurant qualifies for being in this NG, since
these days Galveston is really just a subset of Houston.
A bit of background.
Gaido's recently celebrated its 100th year of doing business.
My grandfather ate at Gaido's on their opening night in their first
location. He loved the food, the service, the ambiance. When the
restaurant moved to the present location he used to love to watch the
waves roll in as he dined.
A bit later he married, and raised a family. He took all his offspring
and various relatives to Gaido's on special family occasions.
This tradition was carried on by my father, and later by me.
But when we moved permanently to Houston, we went to Gaido's but rarely.
Fast forward to 2012, their centenary year.
My family and I went to Galveston a few days ago, to see how things had
changed in our absence, and just to reminisce, and of course that
included the obligatory visit to Gaido's.
Apparently, the business has been taken over by another Gaido family
member. That didn't worry us, since it had happened before, only to
improve the quality.
But restaurant reputations, trademarks, and such can be negative as well
as positive (a la Twentieth Century Motor Company in _Atlas Shrugged_).
The fish was not fresh, the salad was wilted, the bread was stale, etc.,
etc. There was a long wait for seating, although in mid-afternoon the
place was almost empty. The service was surly. I could go on and on,
but that's more than enough to keep me away.
I surely hope they can get their act together.
I hate to see an old tradition fade away.
(Sniff . . .)
these days Galveston is really just a subset of Houston.
A bit of background.
Gaido's recently celebrated its 100th year of doing business.
My grandfather ate at Gaido's on their opening night in their first
location. He loved the food, the service, the ambiance. When the
restaurant moved to the present location he used to love to watch the
waves roll in as he dined.
A bit later he married, and raised a family. He took all his offspring
and various relatives to Gaido's on special family occasions.
This tradition was carried on by my father, and later by me.
But when we moved permanently to Houston, we went to Gaido's but rarely.
Fast forward to 2012, their centenary year.
My family and I went to Galveston a few days ago, to see how things had
changed in our absence, and just to reminisce, and of course that
included the obligatory visit to Gaido's.
Apparently, the business has been taken over by another Gaido family
member. That didn't worry us, since it had happened before, only to
improve the quality.
But restaurant reputations, trademarks, and such can be negative as well
as positive (a la Twentieth Century Motor Company in _Atlas Shrugged_).
The fish was not fresh, the salad was wilted, the bread was stale, etc.,
etc. There was a long wait for seating, although in mid-afternoon the
place was almost empty. The service was surly. I could go on and on,
but that's more than enough to keep me away.
I surely hope they can get their act together.
I hate to see an old tradition fade away.
(Sniff . . .)