The Saturday Dining Conspiracy List of Restaurants that can die in a fire.

“Die in a fire status” is actually pretty rare for the SDC. Just being a bad restaurant isn’t enough. Your restaurant has to be actively anger-making to earn “die in a fire” status. For example, being rude to one of us. Or not honoring special offers. Something that goes beyond just “bad”.
This status should not be interpreted as implying that we’ve eaten at these restaurants. Vespaio, for example, may very well be a fine place to eat. But they treated me (Dwight) so badly the one time I tried to go there (and have a reputation for treating other people badly as well) that I’m never giving them another try.

The list so far:

• Vespaio.
• Hopdoddy Burger Bar on Anderson Lane.
• Spin Modern Thai Cuisine. I was a little bothered by the “Changes and modifications are politely declined.” at the bottom of the tiny menu, but I’m willing to give that one to the kitchen staff. Then I ordered iced tea. It came. I asked for Splenda or Equal or Sweet and Lo. “We don’t have any of that here. I can give you some sugar.” Thanks, I’l switch to water. The seared duck in pineapple curry was good, but it was served in a crock about the size of the onion soup bowls you get around town. And it was $15. And after I finished dinner, I wanted to get a burger. But the capper on the night? Spin charges for iced tea refills. Let me repeat that: they charge for iced tea refills. Screw them, and the horse they rode in on.

(There are some other places that earned DIAF status, but they’re closed now.)

Update 10/17/2013: Well, Spin died (not in a fire). Good riddance to bad rubbish. But we have a new DIAF establishment: The Goodnight.

Update 5/14/2018: Say “Goodnight“, Gracie.