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| Read A.D. Amorosi's interview with Katz here. |
| Photo | Michael T. Regan |
David Katz of the brand-new Mémé (2201 Spruce St.) likes music. And he likes to play it in his restaurant. "The music will be heard in this joint — no ambient smooth jazz," he told us back in August.
But it seems some diners are not feeling this policy. An excerpt from Katz's MySpace blog:
So. If you are one of the couple hundred people that has dined with us thus far you'd know that we play music in the restaurant. The music is a touch on the loud side, but not too loud. It is intended on being heard and not just background music. the music that plays is an array of good rock like The Smith's, The Police, The Clash, Neil Young, Bob Dylan and even some reggae like Gregory Isaak's and Steel Pulse. Some occasional Bob Marley too.
The reason I'm writing this is because we have seen and heard some over the top complaining about the music from some people so far and one woman on her way out even shook her finger at me saying "shame on you" with sincerety! Like I committed some sort of crime. It amazes me how many people have an idea of what restaurant music should be. Like there is one kind of music played at one certain loudness for every restaurant in the United States! Haven't these people been in any other style of restaurant? Maybe a gastro-pub, a bistro??? We are NOT a formal slow dining restaurant. I just read a review on Zagat's about us and the person says it was "beer swigging bar music". The Police - Don't Stand So Close To Me is that offensive? Wow...
I agree with Katz's sentiment that many people seem to "have an idea" of what type of music a restaurant should play. Bottom line: Unless it's a jukebox situation, it ain't up to you. Stop whining. I go out to eat a lot, and I've had plenty of experiences where a restaurant's music was not to my taste. But while solid tunes definitely augment a good time, I never let crappy ones ruin my evening. Like napkin dispensers or ketchup bottles, the music's just there. (Can you tell I eat at classy places?) If you don't dig it, drown your frown in bread and butter and deal. If you can't, you suck.
Anecdotal example: A server I know once told me about a daytime shift she was working at a busy Center City lunch spot. A table of businessmen pulled her aside and requested that the song playing in the restaurant — "BILLIE JEAN" — be nixed because they found it unpleasing. (Management obliged.) Can you think of a single R&B-ish song more acceptable to squeamish, brow-sweating white-collar dudes in dress sock holsters than "Billie Jean"? Now, every time I hear it, I think "Man, those guys were total dicks."
Volume is a completely separate issue. (I'm talking strictly restaurants here, not bars, and strictly restaurant music, not the dull roar of diner chatter, noise from an open kitchen, etc.) I couldn't tell you how loud is too loud, but a threshold does exist. (One particularly eardrum-shattering meal: Grabbing an early dinner at Ashoka Palace while the next-door Whistle Bar tested their sub-sub-subwoofers. My raita quivered like the Jell-O in Jurassic Park. I didn't know raita could quiver!)
I have never felt compelled to complain about music selection or music volume. But what about you, Meal Ticket readers? Have you found yourself in a situation where it was absolutely necessary to say something about a restaurant's music? If so, what was your reasoning? Let's hear it in the comments section. Be as loud as you like.
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