Peaches in Bed-Stuy, No thanks.

[dd78]

I was really excited about heading to Peaches last night after reading the NYT review. After walking down the block to the packed restaurant, we took our seats and got our waters. We had brought a bottle of wine as there's no liquor license yet. When ordering I informed the waitress that I have a gluten intolerance and I was basically told I could order nothing other than plain beef ribs. I thought this was strange considering I had previously been told that the Smoke Joint sauce was safe (over the phone, by their chef).

I ordered the ribs and requested SOME kind of sauce. I would have been happy with ketchup and brown sugar. I still wondered why a "southern" bbq sauce would have soy sauce in it...BTW, Here's a recipe.

Southern BBQ sauce
Ingredients:

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/3 cup molasses
1/4 cup vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
dash salt

The restaurant was very busy and new so I understand that it took a (very) long time.
When the food came the fried Whiting was over done, rubbery, and fishy.
No tartar sauce?

My friend's baby back ribs were missing the corn bread and the cole slaw looked nasty.
My beef ribs had no sauce (even though they had said they would make something).
The translucent fat on top was totally unappetizing.

Again, I would have been happy with ketchup and brown sugar at this point.
I requested ketchup, salt, and tartar sauce for the fish.
We got two plastic take-out cups of ketchup and a sauce that resembled raita.
No salt.
There was no hot sauce, salt, pepper, ketchup, anything on any of the tables.
Unfortunately, all of the food was completely under-seasoned.

After speaking with the owner, he informed me that their sauces all have soy sauce and asked if I had "gotten sick" when I ate at Smoke Joint in the past.

I was hugely offended, as misinforming a customer of ingredients is wrong and bordering on criminal. It's none of his business (and rude) to jokingly ask me at the dinner table if I got sick eating HIS food. I really appreciated his sympathy....

All the food was disappointing as the kitchen was totally unprepared to service a full restaurant AND run take out. The restaurant lacked basic condiments (and corn bread)!

A soft-opening would have been good idea, especially for a seasoned restaurant owner.
Who wants to wait for bad service & mediocre food?
Not to mention it was so bright I felt like a "deer in the headlights".

Where were the bus boys??????????
Where was a host?????????
Where was the ketchup?

The waitress was sweet, but completely overwhelmed and totally dependent on the understaffed and unprepared kitchen.

I worked in the service industry for 11 years and this was an obviously amateur showing.
For customers, I suggest you give them some time to get their act together. Wait until Fall or be seriously disappointed. Avoid weekends completely.

For the owner, I recommend tact and better planning.
Don't do take out until you can service the restaurant floor!

Good luck!