Top restuarants in Rapid City? Ethnic food?

[ashnat]

There's no sense of urgency. They come back to the table after the drinks are empty, or not at all. They stand around and chitchat with other employees in the dining area instead of in the kitchen.
At the Golden Phoenix Chinese restaurant, there is this 40-50 year old waitress that ALWAYS spills the water when she refills the glasses. EVERY time we go there, the water is either spilled on my lap, on my plate of food, or in the rice. I LOVE their food, but we cringe when we realize she's our waitress for the meal.
I don't mean to offend, but I think since the community is paid less, and considerably laid back compared to the big cities, and the amount of upper class is far less than in the big cities, I don't think the restaurants have much selection of "service oriented" staff. It doesn't come "natural" to them, or they just don't care because the pay barely pays the bills.
I've been afraid to try Coco Palace because the parking lot is always empty when I drive by.

[DannyBanany]

Originally Posted by ashnat

At the Golden Phoenix Chinese restaurant, there is this 40-50 year old waitress that ALWAYS spills the water when she refills the glasses. EVERY time we go there, the water is either spilled on my lap, on my plate of food, or in the rice. I LOVE their food, but we cringe when we realize she's our waitress for the meal.

Agggh! I know the exact waitress you are talking about!!! Is she really short with a bun and really hard to hear??? Her name is Pee-Eye and she's the reason I go to Golden Phoenix! She's a terrible waitress but she's so funny to watch! One time I ordered lettuce wraps and she said she forgot to bring clam sauce. She brought out an economy-sized pump bottle of clam sauce and threw it on my table. Then she threw down the bill and said "Here!". Whenever she greets us she just says, "Whatchu want?!".

She's my favorite just because she's SO TERRIBLE!!!

[ashnat]

THAT'S her!!!!
My parents were visiting a month ago. We took them there for dinner. As soon as we saw she was our waitress, my parents asked why we had such a response. I told her "just watch, before the meal is over, she'll spill water on one of us, or on our food." And sure enough, she spilled it on my DAD and on his plate of food.

[jeremyf-rcj]

You know, speaking as a reporter here, Pee-Eye sounds like one of those people who would make for a great newspaper story, but you just know they'll never you talk to her and tell it like it is.

[DannyBanany]

Jeremy, please do a report on her!!! I want to know her history and all about her! She's just so terrible it's great!

[jeremyf-rcj]

Well, they're not going to let me interview her if I say "yeah, I heard from a lot of people she's so bad it's funny." Maybe I can come up with a nicer way to ask, and make it more of a profile. Then, even if it doesn't cover how she acts, we can at least find out her story.

Another possibility: one of the features people here does a "five questions" piece with different people from area businesses, from owners to the peons. Maybe I'll tell her about this woman.

What's the best way to describe her? Pee-Eye at the Golden Phoenix Chinese restaurant?

[restaurant lover]

if you want to eat at a good restaurant that is cheap then go to khourys mediterranean grill. iv been there last week and the food was awesome!! their geryos are fresh and their shish kabobs are mouth watering!!
its israeli food and its the best in south dakota!

[AlaskaErik]

How about Thai restaurants. Thai is my absolute favorite Asian food.

[DannyBanany]

Saigon has FANTASTIC Thai food.