I tend to side with the folks saying it’s okay to give an honest assessment of your dining experience. Couching your critiques by mentioning possible pandemic/reopening issues ensures that future readers have access to the full picture. But no, I don’t think it’s too soon.
To that note: we were disappointed in a meal at the Chalawan near Porter Square recently. We’d dined there twice pre-pandemic and were wowed both times. This recent meal was less than stellar all around. Everything was okay, but no more okay than standard stir fried protein with a sauce piled on top which I would expect from any pan-Asian takeout joint. The composed dishes we remember from previous were mostly absent, and the prices remain at fine-dining level without the food to support it. Finally, there used to be a kid’s fried rice option which we all agreed was one of the best fried rice dishes we’d ever had, and not only is that no longer an option, the waitstaff claimed it never existed. When I asked if the chef might be able to do a fried rice or what would they suggest for adventurous kids who aren’t quite up to the entrees on the menu, we were told chicken fingers. D’oh.
On the other end of the scale, we went to Pagu in Central Square Cambridge for a rare kid-free dinner last week. I don’t have a point of comparison, but the food and the service both wowed. I actually told the waiter “you’re doing a fantastic job” which I’ve never specifically said to a waiter before, probably because I’ve always thought of that as something you would “say” by way of a tip, but thinking about it, we should all probably say that from time to time. My only comment was that the online menu was not up to date, listing whole categories of food that weren’t available. This is the kind of thing I’d chalk up to pandemic, but in an ideal world (which we very much don’t live in…) someone should be paying attention.
Editing to add: the menu is now up to date. Just checked. Our stellar waiter promised he’d mention it to management, and it appears he followed through and they followed through. What more can you ask?
