Valentine's is always fraught with expectation... a good meal, some good wine and good service at a good restaurant... Is it really too much to be expected? When you wait until 10:30 the night before to decide to go out, you're not left with too many choices. Hmmm... someplace that's not going to be mobbed, with easy parking and quick access to BWI so PB can make a late flight... Ahhh, Little Havana fits the reqs.
So, meet up there, get good parking spaces, even next to each other. Have a nice big Mojito, just for the memories of summer. Back booth, away from the others. It wasn't crowded, which was nice. Good crab quesadilla, some Fordham beer. Slider sandwich with fresh tuna for him, hamburger for me. Perfectly cooked. Great conversation. Lovely evening.
EEK! A MOUSE!!! Out of the corner of my eye, I see a mouse run from under our table across the floor to go hide amongst the beer kegs. Not good. My feet have risen about four inches off the floor. I am cringing. PB can see the mouse from where he's sitting. We have a quiet word with the waitress.
She tells us "What do you expect? We're an open-air restaurant". BZZZZZ! Wrong answer! NOT IN FEBRUARY! Maybe in August, but not in the dead of winter. And where did that mouse come from? I sure hope it wasn't from the bloody kitchen!
That big thud you heard??? That was the evening falling flat. Happy Valentine's Day!
14 comments:
I've seen a mouse there on two separate (non-summer) occasions.
Never seen a mouse there, but if you like little furry creatures joining you for dinner, hit up the Chipotle in the Harbor. I was half way through ordering when I looked into the kitchen and saw mice running everywhere. Needless to say, I walked out mid-order.
Casper... I try my hardest not to go to the restaurants at the Harbour... it's just too scary!
Meg - I saw this RIGHT before you commented on M&G - great minds, etc?
Certainly makes my dinner seem better. Maybe you should adopt my approach to rodents. I just choose not to see them. It got me through a couple of very dirty years in Canton...
It's not just those places you find unwanted rodents. A recent lovely dinner at Kali's Court was topped off with a a mice running around the table next to us. Not what you expect when you're paying $$$$ for a romantic dinner. The manager's response was quite arrogant as well..."what do you expect with the beautiful garden's outside?"
Despite having been to Little Havana many times and despite the grossness of seeing a mouse during your meal, the utter adorableness of the mice in the photos just make me think "How CUTE!" That's sad, isn't it? On a related note: I don't think I'll order the food there again.
3:12 Anon... it kills me how casual the management is about having mice! Mice aren't really garden animals, now are they?
No there're not and carry lots of disease....I won't be dining out at the Harbor and time soon..also, i hate to say it but i read the restaurant notifications from the health dept in the Post and often limit eating out at a bunch of different places...besides I'm often disappointed with the lack of good service and the poor qualityof food preparation at many places... Because I'm a good cook and love doing it I prefer to have friends over...it's more intimate and I know what's in the kitchen... that experience must have put a damper on your Valentine's Day.....Fay
I've got an unfortunate fun fact for you. Every restaurant within 200 feet of the harbor has mice. Every restaurant within 200 feet of the harbor has exterminators come weekly. Nothing more can be done about them than what is being done already. Yes, the waitress made a mistake: they're supposed to pretend that it is a big deal when a customer sees one.
I don't know...dinner and adventure...sounds harrowing!
I really enjoy Little Havana, especially 1/2 price night on Mondays,so this is a big dissapointment. I love the black bean cakes and will miss them if I don't go, so I may have to overlook the mice. I had no idea that all the restaraunts near the harbor have mouse issues...not that I eat there a lot but I have eaten at La Tasca and the Irish place. Sorry your Valentines day came with rodents!!
La Tasca has mice? Maybe the mice could have made it better! The place is disappointing as hell. You want tapas in Baltimore, you have to go to Tapas Teatro. Which probably also has mice.
John-
I read your review of La Tasca and it did sound pretty miserable. My experience was just ok there (maybe the mice were helping out in the kitchen that day), but I do prefer Tapas Teatro, with the exception of the super closeseating arrangements! I maintain though that my favorite tapas place in the area is Isabellas in Frederick.
Hey there :)
I don't understand what is the problem here :)
I have one little white mouse at home and it is the cutest thing ever!!!
I love it.
They are very miss understood creatures. Please just because they are mice do not threat them like some kind of a plague.
In this particular case I can understand the health part, but not the "eek" part.
Mice are very loveable animals and like every other living creature they need a chance :)
Thank you for understanding
Teddy, Bulgaria
Post a Comment