Times Union
By RUTH FANTASIA, Executive features editor
First published: Sunday, September 30, 2007
At the top of the chalkboard on the way into Fifty South are the words, "Welcome to our work in progress."
It's fair warning that everything's not perfect at this diner, but they're working on it. And they were working especially hard on a recent Friday evening.
Kim Klopstock, who owns The Lily and The Rose gourmet catering, bought the old Lou's Diner on Route 50, just north of the village of Ballston Spa, and reopened it under the name Fifty South. The catering company now operates out of the Fifty South kitchen and, according to news articles published when the restaurant opened in July, much of the staff previously worked for the catering company.
But the individual service required in a restaurant setting calls for a whole different mind-set from catering work, a fact that was painfully obvious during our visit.
A half-dozen or so tables were occupied in the dining room when we were seated in a comfortable booth by the window. Our server came by quickly with water and described the specials of the evening. When we asked for a few minutes to mull over our choices, she tended to other tables. Those few minutes stretched into several; about 15 minutes after she left, she sheepishly came back, admitted she'd forgotten about us and begged forgiveness. She'd already worked the morning shift and had agreed to stay for the evening when another server called in sick.
She cheerfully took our order, making sure we understood the tapas servings were not meant to be entrees and inquiring about the order in which we wanted the food delivered.
Soon after, she presented us with a basket of hot, fresh potato chips liberally seasoned with sea salt and rosemary. She apologized that the kitchen had run out of the steamed clams my husband had ordered. He opted for chicken wings ($8 for 10) instead, and received some of the most plump poultry parts we've ever seen. Although he requested them "mild," they still had enough heat to make your mouth tingle.
Our salads, a Caesar ($7) and a garden salad ($6), were made of the appropriate fresh greens and topped with house-made dressing. Instead of the standard croutons, the Caesar came with "Parmesan crisps," thin slices of bread with a layer of good Parmesan broiled on top.
By now the dining room was at capacity, and the servers were clearly overwhelmed. Customers who had been seated were ignored, while the servers tried to attend to the tables that had already ordered. It wasn't long, though, before the bartender came out from his post to pitch in by fetching water and taking orders.
Despite the stress the waitstaff was under, the food was coming out hot and fresh.
We tried a 4-ounce Angus filet ($15) served on a bed of mashed sweet potatoes. The steak was perfectly cooked, and while the potatoes had good flavor, the texture was a little loose. The meat was topped with lightly steamed fresh spinach.
A special of the evening was a homey Italian sausage dish with onions, peppers and ziti. This nice bowl of comfort came with a slice of garlic bread topped with sea salt and herbs.
For all those who have said, "I wish they'd give us less food and charge less," Klopstock's tapas plates are perfect.
By now a waitress was wandering the dining room with plates, trying to figure out which table they should go to. The plates eventually landed at one of the tables the bartender had been serving, but he was back at his post.
Despite the crush of people, the servers remained polite and apologetic. "I'm sorry," was a phrase we heard over and over.
For dessert, we tried a brownie with ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate syrup ($3.50). It was as decadent as it sounds, and more fresh tasting than those you find at chain restaurants. We also sampled the carrot cake, which was equally fresh and homemade with a rich butter-cream frosting.
As she set the plates on the table, our server thanked us for our patience and good humor and told us dessert was on the house.
It was a gesture that wasn't necessary. Anyone who has spent a few months waiting tables has war stories to tell about nights like this one. The key to getting customers to come back is to handle it gracefully. The staff at Fifty South did that admirably.
Dinner for two, with one glass of wine, tax and tip, came to $67.18.
Fifty South
2128 Doubleday Ave. (Route 50)
Ballston Spa
Phone: 884-2926
Credit Cards: M, V, AE, D
Hours: Breakfast and lunch, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily; tapas menu, 5 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday
Parking/access: On-site parking. Fully accessible
Attire: Casual
Price: Breakfasts average $3.50; sandwiches and light menu, $7; salads, $10; tapas plates, $13; desserts, $4.
Food and beverage (Three stars out of four):
Breakfast, sandwiches and burgers, entree salads and tapas plates. Children's menu (crayons and paper are provided and subsequent artwork is posted on a restaurant wall). Full bar.
Service (Two and a half stars):
Overwhelmed by a capacity crowd, the staff struggled to get everyone taken care of, but they were so apologetic it was easy to have patience.
Atmosphere (Two stars):
The walls of this former diner are getting a little pizzazz with new paint, but the lottery vending machine still greets you at the door.
Overall rating: Two and a half stars
Key: One to four stars -- four excellent, two average. Overall rating an average of the three categories with emphasis on food.
