Restaurant silent killer: the over-attentive waiter | By Colin | Sunday, 22 January 2012
Ritrovo warrants a visit once in a while - certainly one of the finer establishments in Pretoria.
Food ranged from the standard pastas and pizzas, to some more meaty options. Specials of kidneys or tripe gave more adventurous diners something different.
In general the standard of the food was high with some finer touches.
The menu warns that pasta is served al dente, the correct way, which is firmer than what is usual in South Africa. Unfortunately this was not the case, as it was quite overcooked.
The wine list offered a good selection, catering for everybody's budget and taste.
But Ritrovo is unfortunately victim of the incentivised waiter. Theory is, the better the service, the more people spend, the bigger the tab, the commission and the tip. Reality is often, the more you force down the guests' throats, the bigger the tab, the commission and sometimes the tip. Strangely this is more common at restaurants with white tablecloths and Riedel glasses.
As we sat down, waiters descended on the table, opening bottles of mineral water nobody ordered, filling glasses.
Wine service was over-attentive. I got the feeling that the waiter was trying to get as much wine as possible into the glass and my body. After a sip or two the glasses were topped-up. As soon as the bottle was empty (not finished), the waiter was there to ask whether I wantedd to order another.
Ordering an espresso was followed by the question, "Is that a double espresso?"
Overall a good dining experience - I just wish the waiters were not as pushy.
I will probably be back, but will tell the waiter before we sit down that I want to set the pace of my drinking. It should not be necessary for a guest to tell the waiter who is in charge.
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