(no subject)

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

I've been enjoying brunch at Sound Bites in Ball Square occasionally for about 7 years. Now, of course, everyone who knows Sound Bites also knows and puts up with their trying to rush you out the door. The breakfast is great, and so you put up with the fact that they drop off the check practically with the food, and whisk your plate out from under you the minute you put your utensils down. Okay, I'm used to that. They're a small place and turnover is the key to their making money. Fine.

Yesterday, however, they reached a new and disappointing low, and lost me as a customer in the process. While I was dining with a friend, the host stopped his running around and said to us, "Less talking, more eating!" When I looked at him with what must have been a rather dumbfounded look, he went on to say that they had a long line, and that here, people eat more than they talk, and there's no time for talking, and people are waiting. "You have 20, maybe 30 minutes here, max." At that point, I'm pretty sure I looked as shocked and offended as I felt, and he said, "Don't get mad. I'm serious, that's just how it is."

Now, honestly, I've always liked Sound Bites, even with the varied quality of service, and even though I've felt rushed in the past, it hasn't been so bad that I wouldn't go back, especially because it's such a great neighborhoody feeling place. But I hate to feel rushed, in pretty much any situation. Even more, I hate to feel rushed when I'm eating, which I think is a pleasure that should be savored, not to mention that the rushing of food is just generally unhealthy and bad.

I told the host on my way out that I wouldn't be back. It seems unlikely that he cares, given that there's always a line and I haven't been a regular in a while, but I figured he ought to know that he lost one in that exchange, anyway. The food is good, after all, but there's no reason to be outright rude to your patrons.

Comments

[queue.livejournal.com]

You committed the sin of being a woman and talking. I have heard numerous anecdotes about the owner of Sound Bites similar to yours, and they have all been from women.

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

Wow, it hadn't occured to me that it might be sex-based at all, but now that you mention it, the other bad-service stories I've been hearing since talking about this one have all been from women. UGH.

[talonvaki.livejournal.com]

Wow.

I've never eaten at Sound Bites...and now, I can quite comfortably say that I never will eat there. How can people like this stay in business, and Picante loses their lease?

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

Not everyone hates Sound Bites. It is what it is.

[ellf.livejournal.com]

Because the idiot yuppies want to do what is popular, even if being insulted for not wolfing down crap food quickly enough qualifies.

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

I don't really feel like they ever made a secret of the no-lingering part. On the days I feel like lingering, I don't go there. On the days I just want to eat breakfast, it's super.

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

No, the no lingering rule has always been pretty clear. I didn't realize before that there was a no talking rule, though. That seemed excessively unfriendly to me.

[androidqueen.livejournal.com]

i agree. i've heard a lot of stories like this, but i still plan to go back.

(and, as a woman, i've never had an issue there. most of the stories i've heard have been from women, but certainly not all, and they've all certainly been from people who eat more slowly than i do.)

[tendertalons.livejournal.com]

makes me want to go there armed with some really witty comeback that will stop that arse in his tracks.

in fact, i think that will be my new project!

sorry you had to go through that. it really sucks.

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

Yeah, one of my friends suggested going back with a big crowd and taking a really long time, but, truth be told, it hardly seems worth it to me. If you get a good story out of it, though, I definitely want to hear it!

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'll check it out!

I've also been hearing good things about the brunches at Sabur in Teele.

[dreamgirly19.livejournal.com]

ive always wanted to go there but its always packed..now I wont even make it a point to try it out.

[fanw.livejournal.com]

The other alternative is to not go between 11 and 1 on a Sunday. If you go during the week or at 2pm it's just fine.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

The way around all that is to get your food to go. You can skip right past the line and go to the counter in the back. It's even more efficient when you call your order in ahead of time. Now that it's getting warmer out, you can take your food 2 blocks over and have a picnic in the park at Powderhouse.

I live next door to the owner. He's a good guy, but there are cultural differences that he just doesn't get. If you love the food, it's easiest just to skip the cattle drive and get it as take out.

[androidqueen.livejournal.com]

yeah, he has a weird sense of humor, too.

i remember one winter day calling and asking if there was a line, and he was like "oh, yeah, probably about an an hour." i thanked him and was about to hang up and he said "oh, no, just kidding! you can walk right in. i got you, didn't i?"

[darthcr1.livejournal.com]

As far as I'm concerned Sound Bites is entirely over-rated. You can get an equally decent breakfast with less hassle and less line all over the city. Kelly's Diner is a mere 70 feet down Broadway, and is as good if not better.

[in-parentheses.livejournal.com]

I have nothing new to add about brunch, but I am in love with your icon.

[ron_newman]

I like Johnny D's brunch. Someone is playing soft jazz in the background, and you're never rushed out no matter how long a line is waiting.

[jbsegal.livejournal.com]

Unfortuantely, I often find the 'soft jazz in the background' to be too loud for comfortable breakfast/brunch chatting.

[frederic.livejournal.com]

Well they don't call him the Breakfast Nazi for nothing...

Soundbites is so much better of an experience around 2pm on the weekends and practically any time during the week except for holidays (I was a regular during the week when I was unemployed). The food is cooked better when its less busy as well.

[nowalmart.livejournal.com]

I had a friend in from out of town this weekend, and we walked around Davis Square. Our conversation obviously turned to restaurants, and I mentioned how many did brunch on the weekends.

I have lived in the Davis Square area for almost two years now and have never had brunch at Sound Bites. The stories I hear, combined with the line, completely turn me off. There are dozens of good restaurants in the area. We are blessed to have numerous choices, good competition, and a complete lack of chains (for brunch).

Why I would ever want to go to Sound Bites is beyond me. I have been to Zaftig's across the river. While there is a line there, as well, I have never been rushed or treated poorly. So it is possible to do.

I think even Amelia's Kitchen is now doing a Saturday brunch, which is something I want to check out.

[ron_newman]

Cafe Soleil in Teele Square also does Saturday brunch, but not Sunday. Has anyone here tried it?

[ellf.livejournal.com]

Soundbites: a poorly-delivered and truly mediocre breaskfast, inexplicably popular amongst the yuppies. I've never understood the appeal, and given your story, never will.

If you want a decent meal without the dreadful attitude, try True Grounds, across the street from Sound Bites.

[curiositykt.livejournal.com]

True grounds barely serves food..

[lidiya6.livejournal.com]

I love soundbites, and I tend to eat more slowly than most people, and I have still never felt rushed there. Once when we forgot our wallets the owner just told us to pay next time.

[ron_newman]

A friend and I felt like we were being rushed out of the Rosebud during a weekend brunch. I no longer go there on Saturday or Sunday mornings, but I'll still eat there at other times. My friend won't go back at all.

I like Andy's, on Mass. Ave. near Porter Square.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I don't go to Rosebud at all anymore because the food is just horrible. They all need cooking lessons or something. Bleck.

[bluepapercup]

Lived and brunched in the Davis Sq. area for many years, and I HATED Sound Bites. I thought their food was terrible. I was a loyal Johnny D's customer, where I never minded waiting because I knew that once we got a table we could sit there for as long as we wanted (and sometimes did!). My tips always reflected my gratitude.

[yangelina.livejournal.com]

Sound Bites was highly recommended to me when I moved to Davis, but I still haven't made my way over because I'm so close to both Rosebud and Johnny D. Now it doesn't seem like it's worth my energy...I'd sooner make my own breakfast at home then get yelled at for taking my time.

My soundbites story

[rollzroix.livejournal.com]

Our second weekend after moving to Somerville (only about 2 years ago) we were entertaining friends from Atlanta who had come up to go to a game at Fenway (not a Braves game - they seriously just wanted to go see a game at Fenway just for the experience - and people still talk about tearing it down!). We took them out to Soundbites for breakfast after having read a raving review in the Boston Phoenix (I can't remember if it alluded to the French Toast Nazi or not, but it wouldn't have stopped us). Anyway, it was a really crowded weekend morning with a line out the door as usual. We waited and finally sat down to eat (the food was excellent as always). One of our friends was a talkative fellow and the other three of us finished our breakfast before he did. When the host saw that 3 out of 4 of us were finished, he came over and took ALL of our plates away - while our friend had food on his fork he was in the process of delivering to his mouth!

I'm not sure why, but rather than getting upset we all found it hilarious (I don't think we left much of a tip though). I still go to Soundbites occasionally, but only on weekdays before 8 (i.e. on my way to work). Never a line or a rush then.

[two-stabs.livejournal.com]

I don't see the problem; just tell him to "STFU". What's he going to do?

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

*sigh* My favorite place for brunch was Picante. Emphasis on the was. Dammit, I wish they'd been able to stay in the Square! Never crazybusy, inexpensive, and the Huevos Picante, with a side of camotes, was my ideal big morning meal :( Their other location, in Central Square, is a bit inconvenient.

[ron_newman]

I miss it too!

[bittybecky.livejournal.com]

That is so gutsy to say. I can't believe anyone would actually say that?! I am so sorry you had to deal with that.