Have You Ever Had a Restaurant Experience Go Bananas?

 

What could be funny about having a banana for dessert? Read on — it’s probably not what you think.

A long time ago, we’d been traveling through Europe shopping and eating (for work, believe it or not). At that time, the food in London was pretty unexceptional so it was more of a detox place after binging in Milan and Paris.

Late and hungry, we hit the hotel restaurant for what we hoped would be a casual dinner.

No such luck.

White linen tablecloths, silver domes choreographed to reveal carefully prepared dishes — you know the drill. At the end of the meal, the Accidental Locavore just wanted a little something sweet — maybe a piece of fruit, maybe a banana because being American, it could just be picked up, peeled and eaten.

Wrong!

The banana came on a linen-draped mahogany serving cart, under yet another silver dome.

“How would Madame like her banana served?”

Huh?

“Just peel it and I’ll eat it.”

The waiter carefully started to perform delicate surgery to remove the peel. After a few struggles with a recalcitrant victim he declared it uncooperative and left to find a better victim.

Finally, he liberated it from its skin.

“How would Madame like her banana sliced?”

Seriously?

“Slice it into coins”

“How thick?”

“About the size of a quarter (forgetting for a moment where I was)”.

After being sliced to order and artfully arranged on a plate, I was delighted at the prospect of finally getting my damn banana — not to be.

“What sauce would Madame like with her banana?”

“Sauce?”

“Yes, Chef has prepared two sauces for Madame.”

Not wishing to disappoint the chef and realizing it was just easier to play along, I chose both sauces.

Sadly, I couldn’t tell you what they were, maybe a chocolate sauce and something fruity, because by this time my dinner partner and I were choking, trying so hard not to laugh! We both knew that if either of us started to laugh we were never going to stop!

Instead, I finished my banana, signed the bill and we ran out of the restaurant barely making it to the elevator where we were doubled over with laughter all the way to our rooms!