While the city worries about where these trucks park and sell taco in a bag, they still haven’t addressed my issue with restaurants recycling glass, aluminum and plastic. They claim there has been ‘complaints’ about noise and litter. How many? And did they know that current ordinances already cover litter and noise? This is a non-issue looking for a solution.
Kill these proposals!
I commend anybody who is willing to give towards combatting hunger  in SD;
large donation from a Huron couple is helping a non-profit organization which fights hunger in the state.
With a food distribution to follow, officials with Feeding South Dakota announced the $1 million donation from Paul and Muffy Christen Tuesday.
The money will go into an endowment. Its interest will feed South Dakotans for years to come.
I think it is great many leaders and philantropists are coming forward in SD to help this charity, but I often wonder if these same leaders put the same amount of time and effort into raising wages in South Dakota and raising our quality of life if it would be time, energy and money better spent instead of helping these people once they hit the bottom of the pyramid. it would also be nice if we eliminated the sales tax on food.
Like I said, there will always be ‘hungry’ people in our state that need assistance, but let’s work harder to reduce those numbers by helping some of these people make a living wage. Prevention is usually the best cure to a problem.
Image: David Eggen for The New York Times Â
Congrats to Michael Haskett for being featured in this NY Times article;
Just across the street from C. H., the choices switch from sweet to savory at the M. B. Haskett deli (mbhaskett.com), in a former brothel, that’s a mainstay with the lunch crowd. The owner, Michael Haskett, 34, who grew up in Sioux Falls and studied at the Culinary Institute of America in New York, uses premium ingredients in his sandwiches and salads from nearby purveyors, eggs from his own farm and bread from a local artisanal company.
The best chef in Sioux Falls, hands down.
Please, leave your messy brat at home.
I won’t wait 24 hours to respond to this story;
He didn’t do that Wednesday after a customer posted a one-star review on the Elements at 8th Facebook page. Instead, Derheim typed a hasty defense of his manager and in doing so ignited a summer blizzard of controversy that could take months to thaw out social media users.
It started when Todd Gannon posted his review on Facebook, mere minutes after finishing his meal. But there was more to it than just a night out for four adults and a toddler.
Gannon, who did not respond to a paid Facebook message asking him to contact me, wrote, “Food was lousy, and the manager followed us out in the parking lot to tell us to bring a toy for our son next time so he doesn’t bang on the table. Thanks for ruining my wife’s birthday.”
His son had done a little pounding on the table, Gannon acknowledged, estimating it lasted 60 to 90 seconds.
In an early response to Gannon’s review, Derheim wrote that Gannon’s 2-year-old had caused $300 damage to the table and invited Gannon to come back and see it. Another response asked Gannon to contact the restaurant with “any offer of restitution.”
First off, let’s get the little things out of the way. I wouldn’t say the food is lousy at Elements, I would classify it as ‘unmemorable’ and not worth the trip. Which is disappointing, because I like the atmosphere and enjoy having drinks there, just eat before or after you leave. It also surprises me, because Pinnacle, who manages Elements, also owns TRE Lounge, which is hands down one of my favorite fine dining establishments, always good service and the food is fantastic, every time. I think some of the issues Elements has is that they are being micro-managed by the Hilton franchise, but that is only an assumption.
As for the kid pounding on the table, there is a simple solution; LEAVE YOUR KIDS AT HOME WHEN DINING OUT! It’s okay to take kids to places that have play lands etc, but it is not the duty of a server to babysit your child, or to get on our hands and knees to pick up little pieces of torn up mac and cheese and cheerios off the floor. When are people going to realize that when your kids are old enough to behave in a public setting, that is the time you take them out to eat with you, not before. Oh, and I have heard all the excuses, my favorite BS line, “We can’t find or afford a babysitter.” Then guess what STAY HOME! There is so many expectations of restaurant employees these days, especially from young parents (who typically are crappy tippers on top of it.) How would you like it if you invited me over for a dinner party to your house, I puked on your table and threw my food on the floor, screamed at everyone, then left. You wouldn’t be happy – THINK ABOUT THAT the next time you dine out with your little Angel. I hope Elements makes the man pay for the broken table, double.
Many people complain that JL Beers is a 21 and older establishment, mostly parents of young children. I think it is pure genius.
My $6.42 beer advertised as $6
I’m not a ‘star’ rater, but if I had to rate the place after my first visit, it would be a 3 out of 5. Which means I will be back to try more beer and food.
The interior is spacious, rustic and beautiful, and the remodel job is fantastic, very well done and high end workmanship, I would however have either hung a rust colored metal mesh or some other kind of wood panel under the PVC piping exposed in the ceiling, I think it takes away from the rustic look of the place and need to be hidden. But I did like the steel umbrella’s on the patio, nice touch.
The staff was very friendly and helpful, but a word of advice; If you are going to be an eatery downtown of that size, you will need to have table service, maybe not at lunch, but definetly at dinner. That may fly at Red Rossa or at the Empire Mall food court, but people dine and drink downtown because they want to be pampered, and your prices are reflective of table service. Going up to the bar to grab a beverage or place an order is inconvenient and I’m sure the tips to the servers reflect that. Also, include taxes in your beer prices. If you right on the chalkboard that a beer is $6, I should be paying $6, not $6.42. Every other bar and restaurant in SF has figured it out, maybe you can to. I think there is a thingy-ma-jigger on your POS that can fix that.
I did not try the wine on this visit, I was looking for beer. I had the Pale Ale and the Brown Ale. The Pale was good, but did not reflect Pale Ale notes that well, but you could tell it was freshly made. The Brown Ale was fantastic and had just the right amount of sweetness, I look forward to trying more beer.
We tried the grilled cheese sandwich and mushroom flatbread. The grilled cheese had too much cheese on it and needed some ruffage on it. It was pretty much a panni and cheese, that’s it. A little too heavy, but was tasty, if you like a big glob of cheese in your mouth.
The flatbread was fantastic, and had just the right amount of ‘things’ on it. Though the crust was thick, it was very light and airy.
I will return, I like the atmosphere, the food and want to try some more beers. I wish them luck, always nice to see more downtown eateries.
l3wis