which was Elena's Greek Armenian Cuisine. We figured, when in Glendale, (hich has a sizable Armenian population), we should have some Armenian food...
We ended up having to park at a nearby church lot which had a sign that conveniently said, "Restaurant Parking"...
It was quite crowded when we got there and the service we got was rather chilly, abrupt and dare I say, rude? We were not greeted but were told to wait.
Luckily, a lady (who I correctly assumed was Filipina) saw us and indicated that we could sit at their table which had three empty spots. If it weren't for her, we would have been waiting a long time. It really is true about the kindness of strangers...
Haha, even in the restaurant there was a sign that said parking could be found in the church lot!
We ordered #1, the Ground beef kabob and the #1A - Grilled chicken kebab to share.
Along with the #16 - the stuffed grape leaves, which was a rather large portion, at ten pieces. Too bad there wasn't a half portion; ten was a bit much.
Our entrees came with salads, a side of pita bread with garlic paste and some hummus.
There was also a plate of pickled vegetables with went well with the pita and strong garlic paste.
The lady next to us was eating an eggplant dish. She was there with her teenage son and a family friend. I knew she was dying to ask us if we were Filipino but she waited until we were halfway into our meal. She was very friendly and shared a lot about herself and her family. Her warmth was a total contrast to the complete bitchy attitude copped by our waitress who seemed so annoyed when we walked in earlier.
Our dinner that evening...
The rice filled dolmas with yogurt sauce...
which TC really enjoyed. I liked the beef kabob much better than the chicken. It was so tender and juicy. The grilled tomato and green pepper was also quite delicious with the pilaf and the chopped onions.
The dolma innards:
Bert liked his chicken kabob as much as I liked the beef. TC shared a bit of each from our plates.
While we were still eating, the waitress started putting up the chairs RIGHT NEXT TO US. Hello! WTH!
It was obvious they wanted to pack up and go home. Service was efficientin the beginning, but not friendly. The check was given early in the meal as well. Even though it wasn't quite closing time, I was uncomfortable with the atmosphere here. The family we shared the table with also noticed the behavior but didn't seem bothered too much by it. The lady said she had been going to Elena's for years.
While we liked the food, the service that particular night was terrible. Even though it was almost an hour before closing, a little friendliness and courtesy would have been nice.
I'm hoping what we experienced isn't indicative of how they normally treat their customers.
Who else went to Elena's?
The Gastronomer
Elena's Greek Armenian Cuisine
1000 S. Glendale Ave
Glendale, CA 91205
(818) 241-5730
www.elenasgreek.com
Our day can be read in this order:
Pie 'n Burger
Galco's Soda Pop Stop
Grammy Museum
Whimsic Alley
Milk Jar Cookies
Proof Bakery
Griffith Observatory
and this post.
Day 3 would take us to Burbank, L.A. Venice and Long Beach...
2 comments:
Dude, rude/cold/harsh customer service can really ruin a meal. It was so nice of that lady to let you guys sit there next to you! Maybe the waitress was planning on making you wait and then kicking you out! Geez. Be in a good mood, people!
Yeah, that lady was a total cuntrag!
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