Originally Posted by
Alan Mendelson
One bad meal can destroy a good restaurant and that's what happened to The Chop House on Newhall Ranch Road in Valencia.
I had a bad meal there the other night... and that ruined The Chop House as one of my favorite restaurants.
I used to go to The Chop House for its clam chowder and its Baby Back Ribs. The clam chowder portion was large but it was so delicious and I ate it up with such zest that I felt the portion size needed to be even bigger. The ribs were perfect -- delicious and falling off the bone -- and the full slab order was so big I could never finish it.
And the ribs were always so filling I never had enough room for the mac 'n cheese side dish that came with it... or the vegetables.
Disaster struck the other evening when I ordered the half order of the ribs. Yes they were delicious and they fell off the bone -- but it wasn't a half order... it was more like 1/4 of an order.
When the waiter brought it to the table I immediately commented on the small size... and the waiter said he not only agreed with me but he said to the chef "do you expect me to take this to the table?"
The waiter went back into the kitchen and brought out another plate with what would have completed a half order. But the damage was done.
It was that one bad meal that destroyed a good restaurant.