Xmas party and Ruen Pair

[krasnoludek]

We drove out to the semi-rural New Haven suburbs for an Xmas party at parents of one of Christian's coworkers. It was a typical affair of family and friends, but this coworker also invited a lot of people from work. It was pretty nice hanging out and talking to people.

We got home and I found a depressing email in my box from rdore. Ruen Pair, the Thai

Comments

[rdore]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news! I was pretty surprised. The Berkeley restaurant market is ever brutal.

[lingboy]

In some cities, location isn't as huge of an issue. Their location was bad though and that is really important in Berkeley.

I also always felt that students had a extremely warped sense of what the good restaurants were in the bay area. Many don't tread more than 4 blocks from campus, so restaurants that were close always got high ratings despite being really bad.

[krasnoludek]

but if their location were better, they'd be paying even more astronomical rent and would have closed faster.

[lingboy]

It depends. People may also have considered them to be an excellent Thai restaurant (which they were) and given them more credit. Think for a moment. The "Asian" food court on Durant has that super crappy Italian restaurant and the greasy spoon Thai place. Both have been there for a long time because of their location. Also, there are apparently people who like Pasand. That fact in and of itself should tell you that quality of food is just a small part of what makes a restaurant successful.

[psifenix]

Also I don't know if you know but INTERMEZZO BURNED DOWN (or, at least, the apartment next to it did and Intermezzo is closed)

[psifenix]

I have not yet been down Telegraph to survey the devastation myself, but... where am I going to get salads as big as my head now? :(

[krasnoludek]

In France we ate quite a few salads, but they were so modest in size. Ever since returning to the US, though, I've hardly had any salads. Each time I do, a yearning comes over me for it to be much larger and much more overflowing with saladstuff. But, nay, it's just a depressing lump of iceberg lettuce with a few freezerburned carrot shavings on top and a wedge of unripe tomato.

[krasnoludek]

I imagine a fiery fireball of exploding lettuce.