Maybe I can lick the dew off the leaves
OK, the waiter didn’t say that, but it means the same thing. And I’ve blogged about this before.
We were invited to birthday drinks on Saturday at 1 Rochester, hereinafter known as 1 Of The Places In Singapore That Will Not Serve You A Glass Of Water Gratis.
It is very humid in Singapore, and I think it gets worse at night, and I think it should be mandated that all al-fresco dining establishments must serve plain water, as it is known in Singapore, to diners who ask for it.
Not only does 1 Rochester not do that, their wait staff have also not been clearly instructed as to the policy of the management. One of their otherwise friendly and patient waiters apparently tells one of our parched friends that he’ll only get a glass of water gratis if he orders a main course.
So, not only did we order mains, we ordered a couple of fruit sodas as well, and when we asked if we could have a glass of water on the side as well, seeing as we’ve worked up a bit of sweat trying to will a vacant parking lot to appear in the car park whose gantry still lifts up when the damn place is full, the waiter says, all sheepish like, that he is “sorry but we don’t serve plain water, would you like a bottle of San Pellegrino instead?”
So we explain that we were told that with an order of main course comes the privilege of having a glass of water. The hitherto friendly and sheepish waiter baulks and asks, “which waiter told you that?”, but as soon as he’s said that, probably realises that his tone of voice might earn him a rebuke or two, responds in what he probably thinks is a concession to really unreasonable customers, that, “alright I don’t know who told you that, but since you were told that, I will serve ice-water all round, but normally we don’t serve plain water”.
And so, drinks arrived, and we emptied our glasses of fancy sodas and plain water till our hearts’ content and our bladders’ capacity while wishing the birthday girl many happy returns, and grumbling about how it should be mandated that all al-fresco dining establishments must serve plain water, as it is known in Singapore, to diners who ask for it, because, come on, tap water doesn’t cost you much per glass.
When my main course was served, it was the wrong order, but you know, fuck it, it’s late and I really didn’t want to be made to feel as if I was the one that made the mistake.
One Rochester
1 Rochester Park
Singapore 139212 (map)
Tel: 6773 0070
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