Case: slow service, even after told server we had a time constraint, salad was soggy, enchiladas were hastily thrown together.  Ugh.  A sandwich from the cooler would have been a better choice.
Classification: armillated


Case: Not impressed.\n\nI was very excited for this restaurant, amidst all the hype and reviews.  The big buddha especially was appealing.  We considering just popping by for the club at first, but decided we may as well just eat here instead.  Boy do I regret that.\n\nFirst, the service.  For a high-scale, populous, touristy area such as where Tao is located, I would except only the best of service.  This started on the wrong foot, when my party was running 15 minutes late, and called out of politeness to notify and apologize to the restaurant like we always do.  Here's a first:  when I asked if our reservation could be pushed back by 15 minutes due to a slight delay, the hostess replied, \""15 minutes should be okay.. any later, and it's up to the manager's discretion on your reservation.\""  What?  What kind of BS rudeness is this.  I can understand that for a top-notch restaurant, space is limited and therefore any outrageously late reservations / no shows will be given to people who have been waiting for a seat.  But we were only 15 minutes late, and by the time we arrived, there was no one waiting in line.  That just added salt to the wound - if there had been an extremely long line with multiple aggravated parties waiting to be seated, sure.  But don't spout some BS to us over the phone and cause us to rush when it wasn't even needed with a passive aggressive threat to our reservation.  Also, during my reservation, we had requested a seat next to the large Buddha.  Granted, I understand requests are not always given, but it was for my girlfriend's graduation dinner, and the fact that there were empty seats around the Buddha when we passed by it made me wonder what exactly the manager does when training his employees on the ideals of service.  Nevertheless, we spoke up when they attempted to seat us in some dark corner, and waited while the hostess \""discussed\"" with another our seating preferences, and reseated us after 2-3 minutes.  \n\nMoving on, the decor.  They get an additional star for this, otherwise this would have been a one-star review.  As a tourist, we love seeing flashy, new things - my camera is always ready in my hand.  First, they had multiple beautiful rose petal water baths in the entrance (for visual pleasure of course).  The light was dimly set, but not dark enough where you can't see a thing due to the illuminations of all the other decor.  Aside from the various Asian inspired ornaments we saw, the Big Buddha was again the most appealing factor of this restaurant.  Definitely bring a camera if you're the type who wants to see things like this - it'll be one of your only high points of the night.\n\nThird, food.  Meh.  PF Changs puts the same amount of flavor, for 1/3 of the price.  It's basically just heavy MSG foods with some fancy names, and more expensive types of food such as lobster.  I won't go too deep into what we had, but our party had a variety of different types ranging from sushi rolls to lobster to fish.  The fish was the best - it was flaky, with a great texture and the right amount of sauce.  Everything else fell far below my expectations.  \n\nFourth, price.  Ugh.  $35-$40 per entree.  And I feel as if I could get most of this from my local chinese take-out, minus some expensive stuff like lobster.  However, just because you offer a few expensive dishes doesn't mean you can charge premium price.  If the taste isn't there, it's not worth it.  If the service is subpar, it's not worth it.  I would have been fine with Tao, possibly giving it 3-4 stars, if these dishes are maximum $20.  But for what we got - a rehash of what we could get anywhere else, for up to $40+?  Hell no.\n\nSummary:  Unless you really need to fill your tourist bucket list and see the Big Buddha, avoid this place.
Classification: armillated


Case: A business idea equal parts genius, and equal parts blind folly, Wawa's trick of allowing Joe Public access to the latest piece of must-have technology is certainly interesting. A fashionable gadget that people all sort of think they might want, but is still both a bit out of your Average Joe's price range, and a bit useless, will bring the punters through the door alright, but is such a gimmick enough to base a business on?\n\nProbably not, as much like Apple's phone, the gleaming shiny piece of kit will become commonplace and unremarkable within a year or so, and perhaps most importantly of all, every single one of them will eventually get nicked.\n\nI think we're paying an iPad tax in here, as the prices are a bit high for what you get. As a lover of additive laden fake Chines food however, that's not a big negative in my book.
Classification: fractionlet


Case: Love, love, love Rachel's Kitchen! Delicious food at a great price! My favorite dish here is the Chopped Salad! The staff is so friendly and always seem to go above and beyond to make sure your visit is a great experience! If you're ever downtown and looking for a healthy alternative without breaking the bank then you'll love this place!!
Classification: fractionlet
Considreing the above, classify the following: I went there for an annual eye exam with Dr. Atlas and experienced some of the worst customer service I've ever seen at a doctors office. The receptionist who checked me in did not know how to properly do it, and had to seek help from 3 other receptionists. If someone is hired for a job they should be properly trained in it before performing the job itself. The communication between the doctors office and the contacts department was nonexistent. The nurse at the office told me it would be fine to not dilate my eyes, and when I was sent to the contact department they said I needed to be dilated and sent back to the office for another part of the exam. This was after over an hour had passed. I went back to the other waiting room to learn that they did not request for me to come back or be dilated. Although the original nurse from the office gave me the reversal drops for the dilation, their communication issues need to be addressed. \nNeedless to say, today they lost 3 patients including myself and my family. Get it together.