0-for-3

To the right you see a plate of shrimp scampi with linguine, which is what I wanted for dinner tonight. I ordered it at a Maryland outpost of a restaurant I have liked for many years. I did not get to enjoy a plate of shrimp scampi tonight, however.

Instead, I was first served a plate of chicken with linguine, which the bartender (I was eating at the bar) immediately recognized as incorrect and whisked away.

Several minutes later, someone I did not see (I was watching TV) put a plate of fettucine alfredo with shrimp in front of me. I hadn't eaten anything all day, and it was hot and tasty, so I dug in. A few bites in, the bartender wandered past and, noticing I was eating the wrong dish, insisted on taking the plate away, ignoring my (somewhat feeble) protest that it was fine.

A few more minutes (and one free pint) later, he returned triumphantly and set a third dish in front of me with a flourish. It was shrimp fra diavolo with spaghetti. But at this point I wasn't going to give any indication that anything was off, and I just ate my food.

I should note that everything was very good, just not what I ordered. And the bartender certainly gets at least a B for effort. The kitchen, on the other hand, might need a wee bit of a refresher.