Food. Dining. Restaurants. VCU.Edo’s Squid: Delicious Food, Poor Service
Words and Photos by Kiara Moore
Edo’s Squid is located on top of another restaurant on North Harrison Street. The outer appearance does not suggest the promise of delicious Italian cuisine that awaits hungry diners.
When I opened the door, I was faced with a narrow staircase; after I finished my short, but steep, trek up the stairs, I was immediately hit with the delicious smell of food and the loud din of the dimly-lit restaurant. I was surprised by the fine dining experience that appeared before me. The low light created an intimate atmosphere; the dining tables made for a classy setting with candles on the tables. It was a Saturday night, so it was incredibly busy, and made the already small space seem cramped.
The busy night was epitomized by the crowd of people eagerly waiting by the door waiting for their reservations. After I got the attention of a server, since I did not have a reservation, I was put on the waiting list to wait for 40 minutes.
After the waiting period was over, a server retrieved my companion and me to be seated. Our waitress provided us with complimentary bread that could be eaten with olive oil. The options were presented on a two-sided menu featuring the food on one side and beverages on the other. The food was separated into antipasti and pasta. From the antipasti, I decided that it was absolutely necessary and appropriate for me to try a dish that contained squid, since it was in the restaurant’s name. So, I ordered the squid, white bean, and arugula dish ($8), and I ordered the Shrimp Fra Diavolo for a main entrée. My waitress returned and informed me that they ran out of shrimp, so I reordered the Red Mussels ($12).
After a while, my squid, white bean, and arugula arrived. My first bite was filled with a delicious blend of flavor. The dish was very oily, but the flavor was superb. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the squid. The main attraction of the evening, the red mussels, arrived in its steaming hot glory. Our waitress set the huge dish which was share portion. The mussels lay on top of the pasta in a soup of red marinara sauce. I enjoyed the bit of spiciness in the red sauce. Also, the noodles were cooked al dente, so there was a bit of sturdiness to them, which I surprisingly liked.
Although, the food was incredibly delicious, the service was lacking…in manners. Our waitress could be amicable at times, but she did not emit warmth. I asked her an innocuous question about the difference between the menu on the wall and the menu I had, and she answered with extreme condescension. This wouldn’t be the first time that my table would be met with a derisive attitude. It certainly did put a sour note, on the otherwise, enjoyable dining experience. When my companion addressed the waitress’s inappropriate attitude, the manager basically verbally shrugged his shoulders.
Final Verdict: The food was incredibly delicious, but this experience was overshadowed by the less than hospital treatment while dining. I am hesitant to go back, but if do decide to go back and I am met with the same service, I would rather go in the kitchen myself and retrieve my food.
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I have never been to Edo’s Squid, But hear it is awesome. However, as a student who works part time in customer service I can somewhat understand where both you and the waiter are coming from. As a Waiter on a busy ( 40 minute wait = extremely busy for a tiny space) night you have a lot of pressure on you and it can be very stressful, and as a diner I try to remember that when I have a waitress. I was met with less than desirable waitress at Galaxy Diner myself, and yes while frustrating it is not the end of a good night. Just remember when you dine that while as a customer your waitress should be nice and friendly and open, but we all have off nights and calling out an employee to the manager almost always does little to nothing.