Reader mail

Fridays tend to get a little crazy for me - deadlines, deadlines, deadlines - so reader mail is once again being posted a little early. Got a dining question? Email it in or add it to the comments and we'll try to answer your queries. Keep the questions coming. I'll try to answer some this Friday, or post next week.

QUESTION: Patricia & Eric, one of my favorite restaurants in Wilmington (before it closed) was L'Osteria, which was located off Philadelphia Pike. They had the best, freshest pasta I've ever had. Can you tell me if the chef/owner has opened another place around here? Thanks, Dave.

ANSWER: Anthony Stella opened his Penny Hill restaurant L'Osteria Cucina Italiana in May 1995 to preserve his Italian upbringing and offer patrons a taste of the authentic dishes taught to him by his grandmother in Italy. He earned local and national accolades for his food, especially his famous gnocchi. Public TV cook Mary Ann Esposito became a pal. Stella hosted dinners for the celebrity cookbook author in his restaurant, and he appeared on an episode of her TV show, "Ciao Italia." But Stella hung up his apron in Dec. 2004. "The business is just not there. I just haven't had enough business to support the place," he told The News Journal at the time. Later, Stella worked briefly at Union City Grille in Wilmington. Stella occasionally emails me recipes that he has created, but I haven’t heard from him lately.

Anthony, if you’re reading this, let us know if you’re planning a comeback!

QUESTION: My boyfriend and I had dinner in Lewes last night at one of the new restaurants in town and it was such a disappointment we don’t plan to return. The server was inexperienced, unfamiliar with the menu, and couldn’t even open a bottle of wine. She had to bring the bartender to the table to handle the task. The food was uneven at best. Here is my dilemma- we would really like to see this place succeed but, unless drastic changes are made soon, they are doomed to fail. Would it be appropriate to call the owner and inform him/ her of our experience? Is there a proper way to handle this? We don’t want to criticize just to complain- we really want it to be good. Would you just drop it and not go back or should we call?

ANSWER: Most diners would write off a restaurant after one disappointing experience. New York restaurateur Danny Meyer once said that he wished customers would share their concerns with a manager while they are STILL at the restaurant so the staff could quickly make amends. But, being on the other end of the table, I know that sometimes it can create an uncomfortable situation, especially if you, the diner, are irritated. However, I don’t think it would be inappropriate at all to call the owner - or write a letter - and very calmly and rationally explain why you were so disappointed, especially since you want the restaurant to succeed. Try to give as much information as possible - such as the date of your visit and what exactly you didn’t like. If the owner cares about the business, they should appreciate the feedback.

Restaurateurs, readers - what do you think??