A Sad Day For Everett Food

This was my big meal today. The one I can share with you. My biggest meal of the day. I know, you're going to cry for me aren't you? I don't feel badly for myself. I ate delicious grocery store sushi with a glass of chardonnay.

Backing up a bit though, we started our day with a 5K, The Everett Bubble Run. Before you feel totally impressed, I should say that we walked a 5K. Almost everyone did. This is the 2nd, big brand, 5K I've participated in and I'm noticing a trend. If  I want to actually run, I'm signing-up for the wrongs gigs. That's not to say we wanted to run. My husband, two kids, and I ran for sprints of about 500 yards. Then my 8 year-old would tell us all that we needed to walk. The true highlight of the event was when, getting ready to run to the first pink bubble station, I tripped my little girl. We were both running at full speed, so this wasn't a little trip. She went flying. I mean, superman arms and legs sprawled, flying. Everyone looked in horror and commented "oh my." I'm that Mom. Always.

After the run, we had a slight detour to Forest Park to watch our neighbors kiddos while they went to find out if they're having another boy, or adding a girl to the fold. Our plan was to attend the Everett Food Truck Festival afterwards. We arrived at 2pm, with 2 hours until the end of the event. We were hungry, well everyone except for me was. I had passed hunger. None of the food trucks stood out. We had options like: Fez, Bread and Circuses, and Tokyo Dog. My husband was hangry, and the best I could muster was to maybe get a jackalope brat, which was indeed antelope and jack rabbit. That didn't happen. So, we ventured out farther toward Everett's many restaurants.

We started at Kama'aina Grindz on Colby. I had been there once before with a coworker, and had loved the Maui-Style Bibimbap. The server didn't want to seat us, and check us for a reservation, but the owner/manager? told her we could sit at table 4. The server said she'd be back to take our drink order. 20 minutes later we left. I was so disheartened. I'm not sure if the server was new, if it was a bad day; I dunno.

I took my family a few store fronts North to Ragin' Cajun. We had been there before as a family, and my husband and I had enjoyed a lunch date there by ourselves. We were asked our drink order right away, good sign. We ordered our entrees, and an appetizer of Fried Dill Pickles. We received our appetizer about 20 minutes later. We waiting at least 30 minutes before the entrees arrived. Everyone was served, except for me. Where was my Blackened Shrimp Jambalaya? There had been a shift change,  we had a new server at that point, not the one that took our order. I asked him to bring us a bill and a box, and explained that I had not been served. I realize I could I have been more assertive. We had a true Washington passive/aggressive showdown. I told him what had happened. He then brought back the bill and said that my order had not been on the ticket. I know our previous server took my order. He had warned me that the dish would be spicy. I said, "ok."

 He took my order. I am not the lady that watches her family eat. Who does that?

My husband did not leave a tip. We have never done this before. We always leave a tip. Maybe we were burnt out by the day and the first restaurant, but really? My whole family ate, and you didn't bat an eye? I could have said something, but then there is the stigma of being an aggressive customer. Will my food be spat in? I was just sitting there politely hoping my food would arrive. I'll take partial blame. I could have told the new server and hoped my food would be ready when my family was done, and then awkwardly haggle over the bill. I'm just not sure. Here's to hoping to better food days!