On 8/3/08 12:37 PM, in article
, "Gregory Morrow"
> wrote:

>
> [x-posted to houston.eats]
>
> blake murphy wrote:
>
>> On Sat, 02 Aug 2008 22:54:09 -0700, sf wrote:
>>
>>> On Sat, 02 Aug 2008 16:06:12 -0500, Janet Wilder
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>> sf wrote:
>>>>> On Sat, 02 Aug 2008 14:46:12 -0500, Janet Wilder
>>>>> > wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Then you pick up the whole thing with the chop sticks and eat it.
>>>>>
>>>>> You must have a really big mouth! I've yet to come across a one bite
>>>>> roll.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> I take several bites, but the Japanese eat it in one bite.
>>>
>>> I've tried the one bite method, but it gags me. I don't understand
>>> how they can chew so much food all at once!
>>
>> me either. or a piece of sushi.
>
>
> Reminds me of a famous "incident" from years ago on houston.eats. "Sheryl"
> was a high - strung bitch poster on rec.travel.air and houston eats (of
> course she was a nemesis of mine...). She posted this, which became fodder
> for much trollerizing by myself and other of her detractors; in checking the
> archives I find that I even x - posted it here, some of you kids might
> remember it. In any case I felt so sorry for poor Ms. Connie Wong! Hope
> Miyako is doing a THRIVING business, lol :
>
> Here's the thread; after this message I've included her original letter to
> Miyako Sushi in Houston TX. You can google "Sheryl", "Connie Wong", or
> "Miyako" on rec.travel.air or houston.eats and get all sortsa nonsense
> (includng my own, natch):
>
> http://groups.google.com/group/houst.../ad67c11709c3b
> e75/97ded428a374e266?lnk=st&q=#97ded428a374e266
>
> From: Sheryl >
> Subject: Miyako--My Lunch Today
> Date: 2000/03/23
> Message-ID: >
> X-Deja-AN: 601111225
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> References: >
> >
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> X-Complaints-To:
> X-Trace: news.flash.net 953775488 209.30.70.142 (Wed, 22 Mar 2000 19:38:08
> CST)
> Organization: http://pub4.ezboard.com/bpricelineandexpediabidding
> MIME-Version: 1.0
> Reply-To:
> NNTP-Posting-Date: Wed, 22 Mar 2000 19:38:08 CST
> Newsgroups: houston.eats
>
> "Just curious if you've been to Miyako in the past few days since you
> made this post. If you have, did you mention anything about my
> experience? Response?
>
> Earlier this evening I received a phone call from Connie Wong, the lady
> to whom my letter was addressed. This is the first contact I have
> received since sending my letter one month ago. She stated that she
> received my letter and discussed it with John, the owner. They are
> reviewing the policy. No apology was offered until well into the
> conversation.
>
> I asked her why the policy was in place and her response was that the
> appearance is different. I asked her what difference it made as to the
> appearance if that's what the customer requested. She talked around
> that and never really gave me an answer. I told her that ability to eat
> my food without my mouth being totally full was far more important than
> the food's appearance, and frankly there is no difference in the
> appearance.
>
> I stressed to her how offended I was at the way it was handled and she
> said that the new manager was doing her job. I then discussed the
> customer service issue and she just offered lip talk. I then told her
> that actions speak far louder than words. I also told her that in the
> month since this incident, I have been taking special notice at the
> customer service I have received at numerous restaurants. I offered
> several examples of experiences I've had at restaurants where they
> didn't know me from Adam (unlike at Miyako where everyone knows me) and
> that in at least 3 instances, I was provided with extremely nice service
> and provided with things I never even asked for. One such example was
> at La Vista. I placed a takeout order a couple weeks ago. My entree
> came with a salad that I knew I would not care for. I told them that I
> didn't want the salad included and that I would like to order a caesar
> salad. I did not ask for nor did I expect to receive the caesar salad
> as a substitution for the salad that was included on the menu. Further,
> I asked for extra potatoes and at the same time I said to please charge
> me whatever they felt was appropriate. When I was given the check,
> there was no charge for either the caesar salad nor the extra potatoes.
> I told the order taker that there was a mistake and to please charge me
> for the additional items. The manager was standing right there and
> said, "there's no charge." I couldn't believe it. I told him I wanted
> to pay for those items but he insisted that I pay only for the entree.
> I relayed this story to Connie Wong.
>
> So anyway, after a lot of getting nowhere, she again said they were
> reviewing the policy and asked what they could do to win back my
> business. I told her, at a minimum, that I would like a letter of
> apology from the owner as to how I was treated as the owner is who I
> wanted to write to in the first place. I wanted to be assured that
> there would be no additional charge for cutting a custom order in 8
> pieces instead of the standard 6 pieces and that I would like a
> complimentary meal to compensate for the ruined lunch I had last month.
>
> She said she would relay my request to the owner and would send me a $25
> gift certificate. She then asked if I would return. I told her that I
> was not satisfied with only the gift certificate. I wanted an apology
> from the owner and the assurance that this would not happen again..."
>
> </>
>
> Sheryl Mexic's original letter to Miyako Sushi:
>
> :As I've commented on houston.eats several times in the past, I'm a
> regular at lunchtime at Miyako on Kirby. Looks like today was my last
> visit. I'll let my letter to Ms. Connie Wong explain. I got Ms. Wong's
> name when I called the Westheimer location asking for the name and
> address of Miyako's owner, who I know by sight from various times he's
> been in the particular Miyako location where I was eating at the time.
> Whenever he sees me, he always acknowledges me. Unfortunately, I was
> told that Ms. Wong is in charge of all the restaurants and that I should
> write to her. The nature of my request was known since I was forthright
> from the beginning of the phone call. I immediately identified myself
> by name and said I had a bad experience at the Kirby location earlier
> today and I wanted to inform the owner about it.
>
> Ms. Connie Wong
> Miyako Restaurant
> 6345 Westheimer
> Houston, TX 77057
>
>
> Dear Ms. Wong:
>
> My lunch hour today was an experience I hope to forget, as it was quite
> unpleasant. Some background is in order, so first, I want you to know
> that my first time ever eating sushi was at Miyako on Westheimer in
> 1985. I've been hooked on sushi ever since, regularly having dinner at
> the Miyako on Westheimer, the Little Miyako that was located in the
> Village about 10 years or so ago, and then when that location closed,
> the Kirby location. In the mid-1990s when the downtown location opened,
> I began having lunch there at least once per week, every single week,
> until I began working in Greenway Plaza in January 1998. Since that
> time, until today, I've had lunch at the Kirby location at least once
> per week, every single week. So a reasonable estimation would be that
> I've eaten at Miyako more than 500 times in the past 15 years.
>
> I arrived at the Kirby location at 11:35 a.m. today and took my usual
> seat at the sushi bar. Being that today was a federal holiday and many
> offices were closed, there were only two others at the sushi bar, and
> over the next 10 minutes, a total of about 5 tables were occupied.
> Still, just the one couple and me at the sushi bar. In other words, not
> very busy.
>
> Among other sushi items, I ordered the Miyako Special maki. As I always
> do when ordering the Miyako Special maki, I asked that it be cut into 8
> pieces, rather than the usual 6 pieces, because when cut into 6 pieces,
> a single piece is too large for me to eat without biting into it, and
> then it completely falls apart. About three minutes after taking my
> order, the waitress returned to say that I would be charged $1 for
> cutting the maki into 8 pieces instead of 6 pieces. I looked her
> straight in the face and told her that I was highly insulted by that
> comment and told her of my frequency of visits to Miyako. She told me
> that it was the manager's decision to charge me $1. I asked to speak
> with the manager. The manager, who I recall previously as a waitress,
> came from the kitchen area with a very sour look on her face. I then
> reiterated to the manager what I told the waitress of how insulting the
> idea of charging me $1 to make two slices with a knife. I also reminded
> her of my very frequent visits to Miyako, which I knew she already knew,
> because every single employee who works outside the kitchen knows me by
> my frequent visits.
>
> She told me that mine was a special request and there would be a $1
> charge. I then told her that I guessed she had no idea what the notion
> of customer service was and that she had two choices. She could either
> charge me $1 for her employee to make 8 slices instead of 6 slices and I
> would never again set foot in Miyako, or she could change her mind and I
> would remain a customer. She stated once again that there would be a $1
> charge. I then turned around, picked up my magazine and walked out of
> the restaurant. Mind you, I had ordered a Coke which had already been
> served to me and which I had partially consumed. I did not pay for it
> nor was I followed and asked to pay for it.
>
> I am truly saddened to have to make the decision to no longer have lunch
> at a restaurant that I so much enjoy at least once per week. But then,
> it's a sad day when $1 is more important than the loyalty I've shown
> Miyako over 15 years and thousands of dollars.
>
> /s/
>
> P.S. As a final comment, I thought I'd offer that sometimes I order the
> daily special, even when there is a piece of sushi that I do not care
> for, typically squid. Whenever squid is on the daily special, I tell
> the sushi chef he can just leave it off my plate, something I consider
> to be quite thoughtful. Miyako can re-sell it to someone else, charging
> the normal per piece price, and I've not wasted any food."
>
>
> END OF LETTER
>
> </>
>
>
Had to be a blonde...