Woodlands Tavern

Eric Weiss · 01-27-2014, 09:24 PM

I just want to take a moment to introduce myself. I am Eric Weiss. I am one of the owners and Executive Chef of the Woodlands Tavern.
I just want to thank everyone for all their support over the last 7 months!!
We have major renovation plans scheduled for Nov14 that will totally transform the bar, and porch areas. Much more, user/ customer friendly!!
I want to thank everyone for all the critiques on the forum, in-house and on FB. We are just a bunch of hard working people trying to make a living. We make mistakes. Everyone does. We do our best resolve any issues, so long as we know there is a problem.
Good, bad or indifferent, your opinion DOES matter! All i can ask is, if you dine with us and have a problem, let us know right away, dont go away mad, without giving us a chance to fix things!! We learn from you, the customer!!

Cheers, Eric

Alton Lady · 01-29-2014, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric Weiss

I just want to take a moment to introduce myself. I am Eric Weiss. I am one of the owners and Executive Chef of the Woodlands Tavern.
I just want to thank everyone for all their support over the last 7 months!!
We have major renovation plans scheduled for Nov14 that will totally transform the bar, and porch areas. Much more, user/ customer friendly!!
I want to thank everyone for all the critiques on the forum, in-house and on FB. We are just a bunch of hard working people trying to make a living. We make mistakes. Everyone does. We do our best resolve any issues, so long as we know there is a problem.
Good, bad or indifferent, your opinion DOES matter! All i can ask is, if you dine with us and have a problem, let us know right away, dont go away mad, without giving us a chance to fix things!! We learn from you, the customer!!

Cheers, Eric

I saw your rude post on the Lavinias thread, and then this. Funny, you don't want people to leave without giving you the chance to fix things, but like that they do it to your competition???

gravy boat
Senior Member

Ellacoya
We just went to Ellacoya and left after five minutes. Nobody acknowledged us or said that someone would be with us. Two employees in the bar area and only one table full.

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to gravy boat For This Useful Post:
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01-26-2014, 05:37 PM #2

Eric Weiss · 01-29-2014, 10:30 AM

My post was mearly trying to correct the misuse of the term Executive Chef. We have had our share of complaints, however, if you go through all of our reviews on our FB page and TripAd, compare them to other establishments, i'm sure you will see a common thread. We dont attack our competitors. We thrive on competition as it makes us strive to be better.
We have no control over what customers post about their experiences elsewhere. If a patron had a bad experience elsewhere, that is the other establishments issue.

BroadHopper · 01-29-2014, 10:40 AM

Lighten up people! I have good experience as well as bad in every restaurant I have been to! Everyone have their bad moments and I expect that. If an establishment has thee bad moments than I will not return!

I don't expect management to get on their hands and knees if I make a complaint but I do like to see remedial action. I'm happy with that.

A great example was at Patrick's Pub. A party of four couples were seated promptly in the upper deck despite a rather busy weekend. Things went downhill as the waitress as extremely inattentive. Either Alan, the owner, notice it or it came to his attention and he introduce himself to the table and personally became our new wait staff! This was totally unexpected! That is what I call remedial action above and beyond. On the way out he gave each couple a $20 gift certificate 'in case we came back'. Well none of us had a problem about coming back!

During the summer months, the wait staff is made up of experience college kids or teachers on summer break. So I expect a trained crew. In the winter they are back to school or work. So you will find a different crew off season, more laid back if you will. I expect management to make sure they don't get too lazy, but what I find that management tends to 'take a vacation' off season and thus the attention you get in the summer 'may not be there' off season. I take that into consideration for the 'seasonal joints'. Off season I stick with the establishment that consider themselves 'year round' such as Patrick's Pub and T-Bones/Cactus Jack.

Alton Lady · 01-29-2014, 10:57 AM

I agree Broadhopper. How a business responds to their mistakes is really the most important thing. I have had negative experiences with a number of businesses, but do not as a rule post those experiences publically. I just find it bad business to trash competition, or to take pleasure in the mistakes of others. And I won't patronize a business with owners that act like that.

belly_button_biter · 01-29-2014, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alton Lady

I saw your rude post on the Lavinias thread, and then this. Funny, you don't want people to leave without giving you the chance to fix things, but like that they do it to your competition???

gravy boat
Senior Member

Ellacoya
We just went to Ellacoya and left after five minutes. Nobody acknowledged us or said that someone would be with us. Two employees in the bar area and only one table full.

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to gravy boat For This Useful Post:
Eric Weiss (01-27-2014), RLW (01-26-2014)
01-26-2014, 05:37 PM #2

Actions deserving of the "Golden Snot Rag Award"

blacksheep · 01-29-2014, 04:28 PM

I've got to say, Mr. Weiss... after reading your post on the Lavinia's page, and then doing a little research about Woodland's Tavern via your fb page, I'm not too impressed. I found your 'joke' about how you haze 'newbies' by making them look foolish, in order to put them in their place and send the message that they aren't 'chef's' obnoxious. I found the trite and flirty way you refer to women who comment on your fb page as 'babes' disrespectful and unprofessional. I couldn't find your educational credentials listed anywhere... and the photos of your food look like your style is primarily large portions smothered in various sauces - possibly delicious, but not exactly fine dining. Then I saw the picture of you, standing arms spread, in front of your newly acquired restaurant. Gotta say...not looking very 'executive chef' in that picture. Maybe this tone of 'competition' is the way it's done in Jersey, but it's really not the way it's done in the restaurant culture here around the lake. You need to keep in mind the fact that you may need something some day - an emergency product you've run out of, an employee, advice from a seasoned pro, any myriad of things. Typically area restaurants have been eager to support each other, and have enthusiastically offered help in times of emergency. The culture is not one of 'I'm better than you are!' it's more a culture of mutual respect based on the fact that everyone has worked hard to try to find a niche that meets a customer-based need, while offering somethng different than the guy down the street.

Eric Weiss · 01-29-2014, 05:10 PM

The ladies that i call babes, are dear personal friends. They know beyond any doubt that it is not being disrespectful.
As far as hazing, we all go through it in this industry. Our instructors did it to us, we do it to each other.. Have you never pranked anyone?
Character building...

Perhaps the page developers could create more than a thank you button.
I cant control what others post. Their experience is,their experience. If they mentioned my place, so be it. Why go after me, after all, Im not responsible for what service they received.

I have lived outside the US for 20 years, so what you may find offensive, i don't. To each their own.

I have never slagged off / critiqued any competitor, on any forum.

Merrymeeting · 01-29-2014, 07:41 PM

Eric,

I've posted a few times on this website about enjoyable evenings spent at your new establishment. I also congratulated you on your Trowel Award. So I would like to see you succeed and have a bias in that direction.

I have to say that your post that started this storm didn't read well for me, and your subsequent posts are not helping.

I suggest you quit while you are ahead (?) before you need to use the trowel to dig yourself out of the hole you seem to be digging deeper.

tbonies · 01-30-2014, 01:35 PM

Perhaps Pete Carroll should sit down with Eric "Richard Sherman" Weis too?

01-27-2014, 09:24 PM	#1
Eric Weiss Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 17 Thanks: 15 Thanked 24 Times in 3 Posts	cheers I just want to take a moment to introduce myself. I am Eric Weiss. I am one of the owners and Executive Chef of the Woodlands Tavern. I just want to thank everyone for all their support over the last 7 months!! We have major renovation plans scheduled for Nov14 that will totally transform the bar, and porch areas. Much more, user/ customer friendly!! I want to thank everyone for all the critiques on the forum, in-house and on FB. We are just a bunch of hard working people trying to make a living. We make mistakes. Everyone does. We do our best resolve any issues, so long as we know there is a problem. Good, bad or indifferent, your opinion DOES matter! All i can ask is, if you dine with us and have a problem, let us know right away, dont go away mad, without giving us a chance to fix things!! We learn from you, the customer!! Cheers, Eric

01-29-2014, 10:40 AM	#4
BroadHopper Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Laconia NH Posts: 5,582 Thanks: 3,224 Thanked 1,106 Times in 796 Posts	Jeez! Lighten up people! I have good experience as well as bad in every restaurant I have been to! Everyone have their bad moments and I expect that. If an establishment has thee bad moments than I will not return! I don't expect management to get on their hands and knees if I make a complaint but I do like to see remedial action. I'm happy with that. A great example was at Patrick's Pub. A party of four couples were seated promptly in the upper deck despite a rather busy weekend. Things went downhill as the waitress as extremely inattentive. Either Alan, the owner, notice it or it came to his attention and he introduce himself to the table and personally became our new wait staff! This was totally unexpected! That is what I call remedial action above and beyond. On the way out he gave each couple a $20 gift certificate 'in case we came back'. Well none of us had a problem about coming back! During the summer months, the wait staff is made up of experience college kids or teachers on summer break. So I expect a trained crew. In the winter they are back to school or work. So you will find a different crew off season, more laid back if you will. I expect management to make sure they don't get too lazy, but what I find that management tends to 'take a vacation' off season and thus the attention you get in the summer 'may not be there' off season. I take that into consideration for the 'seasonal joints'. Off season I stick with the establishment that consider themselves 'year round' such as Patrick's Pub and T-Bones/Cactus Jack. __________________ Someday may never be an actual day.

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01-29-2014, 10:30 AM	#3
Eric Weiss Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 17 Thanks: 15 Thanked 24 Times in 3 Posts	My post was mearly trying to correct the misuse of the term Executive Chef. We have had our share of complaints, however, if you go through all of our reviews on our FB page and TripAd, compare them to other establishments, i'm sure you will see a common thread. We dont attack our competitors. We thrive on competition as it makes us strive to be better. We have no control over what customers post about their experiences elsewhere. If a patron had a bad experience elsewhere, that is the other establishments issue.

The Following User Says Thank You to BroadHopper For This Useful Post:
Eric Weiss (01-29-2014)

01-29-2014, 10:57 AM	#5
Alton Lady Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Alton NH Posts: 22 Thanks: 40 Thanked 33 Times in 11 Posts	I agree Broadhopper. How a business responds to their mistakes is really the most important thing. I have had negative experiences with a number of businesses, but do not as a rule post those experiences publically. I just find it bad business to trash competition, or to take pleasure in the mistakes of others. And I won't patronize a business with owners that act like that.

01-29-2014, 04:28 PM	#7
blacksheep Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Plymouth, NH Posts: 63 Thanks: 98 Thanked 47 Times in 25 Posts	I've got to say, Mr. Weiss... after reading your post on the Lavinia's page, and then doing a little research about Woodland's Tavern via your fb page, I'm not too impressed. I found your 'joke' about how you haze 'newbies' by making them look foolish, in order to put them in their place and send the message that they aren't 'chef's' obnoxious. I found the trite and flirty way you refer to women who comment on your fb page as 'babes' disrespectful and unprofessional. I couldn't find your educational credentials listed anywhere... and the photos of your food look like your style is primarily large portions smothered in various sauces - possibly delicious, but not exactly fine dining. Then I saw the picture of you, standing arms spread, in front of your newly acquired restaurant. Gotta say...not looking very 'executive chef' in that picture. Maybe this tone of 'competition' is the way it's done in Jersey, but it's really not the way it's done in the restaurant culture here around the lake. You need to keep in mind the fact that you may need something some day - an emergency product you've run out of, an employee, advice from a seasoned pro, any myriad of things. Typically area restaurants have been eager to support each other, and have enthusiastically offered help in times of emergency. The culture is not one of 'I'm better than you are!' it's more a culture of mutual respect based on the fact that everyone has worked hard to try to find a niche that meets a customer-based need, while offering somethng different than the guy down the street.

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01-29-2014, 05:10 PM	#8
Eric Weiss Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 17 Thanks: 15 Thanked 24 Times in 3 Posts	The ladies that i call babes, are dear personal friends. They know beyond any doubt that it is not being disrespectful. As far as hazing, we all go through it in this industry. Our instructors did it to us, we do it to each other.. Have you never pranked anyone? Character building... Perhaps the page developers could create more than a thank you button. I cant control what others post. Their experience is,their experience. If they mentioned my place, so be it. Why go after me, after all, Im not responsible for what service they received. I have lived outside the US for 20 years, so what you may find offensive, i don't. To each their own. I have never slagged off / critiqued any competitor, on any forum.

01-29-2014, 07:41 PM	#9
Merrymeeting Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Merrymeeting Lake, New Durham Posts: 2,226 Thanks: 302 Thanked 800 Times in 368 Posts	Eric, I've posted a few times on this website about enjoyable evenings spent at your new establishment. I also congratulated you on your Trowel Award. So I would like to see you succeed and have a bias in that direction. I have to say that your post that started this storm didn't read well for me, and your subsequent posts are not helping. I suggest you quit while you are ahead (?) before you need to use the trowel to dig yourself out of the hole you seem to be digging deeper.

The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Merrymeeting For This Useful Post:
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01-30-2014, 01:35 PM	#10
tbonies Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Anchorage, Al Posts: 145 Thanks: 57 Thanked 66 Times in 33 Posts	Perhaps Pete Carroll should sit down with Eric "Richard Sherman" Weis too?