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I took my daughter to Dash of Panache today. We were really looking forward to it - we love tea rooms...had yet to try this one. We drove a half hour to get there. We arrived at 3:50 and we were told we couldn't be served because we didn't have reservations. The place was almost empty - only two small tables had patrons. I explained we just wanted tea and scones, but the gal said it wasn't a good time because some people with reservations were coming in soon, and they only had 3 people on staff. I have never been turned away from an empty restaurant with the excuse that it's just too busy. My daughter and I were so disappointed. So all I can say for this review is I will never go back there. Tea is meant to be a lovely experience, and the wait staff were just standing there, looking dismal, doing nothing, and they just had no intention of trying to accomodate us in any way.
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- Patricia 05/05/08
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I am confused by this entry. On 5/5 (Monday), our Cafe hours were 10a-2p (we shorten our hours on Mondays because Monday traffic is very light). Our team was scheduled to leave by 2:30p because we had no Tea Parlor reservations that day. Is it possible you got your date mixed up?
Almost all tea parlors require advanced reservations. Our parlor requires reservations because we serve fresh-baked food. Often times we can accommodate walk-in traffic in our Tea Parlor if we have enough extra food/staff to handle it.
So, let's assume you came in on a different date without calling ahead before driving 30 minutes... Because our team's mission is to serve people and to foster friendships, it's a big deal when we can't accommodate a walk-in. If our team was not extremely kind and empathetic in having to turn you away, I am very interested in getting a more accurate date/time from you so I can do some serious educating. In my experience with our associates, if they stated that they were unable to accommodate you because of a large group coming in later, I would believe that they truly were unable to serve you even if it looked like they were not very busy (large groups require a lot of advanced preparation). I am so sorry it frustrated you. I hope you will give us another chance to make a special day for you and your daughter (please make a reservation).
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Three couples visited in early March (3 guys, 3 girls). The food was wonderful--best cucumber sandwiches ever and everything else just as good. The service was very comfortable; very friendly and allowed us to have a very leisurely Sunday brunch. We especially appreciated the decor--it was elegant, and the men in our party felt more at home there than at some of the frillier places we've tried. And with the coupon, it was a real bargain, too. We'll be back!
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- Susi in Rancho Murieta 03/27/08
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Thank you for taking time to give us a review! We know it's sometimes tough to drag out the guys to a tea parlor and it's always fun to watch them realize that the food is plentiful and the relaxed conversation with their ladies is a major way to earn points!
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Our first time in a French-deco Style Tea Parlor. We've all been to many Victorian style parlors but this was a different feel; but it was a very nice and comfortable feel. The service was very friendly and attentitive and the food was enormous in both taste and quantity. Beautiful music too.
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- Linda 02/05/08
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Thanks for the kind words, Linda. We are excited that our decor is unique because it offers a new experience for avid tea parlor visitors.
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We held a baby shower at A Dash of Panache. Everything was done for us from food to decorations to game hosting. The table was decorated beautifully, the food was excellent, and the service was very good. It really takes the burden off the shower hostess. I would highly recommend this teahouse.
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- Michele 02/04/08
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Thank you Michele! Your family was a lot of fun and we're glad it brought good memories. The melted candy bars in the diapers game was hilarious! We'll have to keep that one in mind for possible addition to our own collection of fun baby shower games.
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Great tea! Had a wonderful time. Food and service was wonderful!!
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- Maddie 01/28/08
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Thank you for the nice feedback. We are happy to serve and it's fun to know you had a wonderful time.
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I came with friends for the holiday tea sitting- our first visit here. We loved the food; the service was very personable; enjoyed the unique and relaxed atmosphere. Great tea selection and loved the special holiday cranberry tea. We'll be back.
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- Jennifer 01/02/08
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Thank you for the feedback, Jennifer! Our Holiday High Tea (Christmas Tea) was very successful. We served more than twice the guests that we did last year and 98% of the feedback forms were 'exceeds expectations' with only 2% 'meets expectations.' The Hibbiscus Cranberry Black Tea is Karen's own recipe and we got rave reviews from everyone who tried it. The only frustration we had was when our nice surround sound system stopped working part way through the 2nd week and we had to use the Party Room's speakers to entertain the guests in the tea parlor. Everyone was very understanding though and the sound was acceptable.
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Wonderful experience! Delicious food! Unique and beautiful decor! Fun dress up! Met one of the owners very nice! We bought several cute items from the gift shop. Our Red Hat group loved it!
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- M. Long 10/07/07
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Your Red Hat group was a kick--though you hardly needed anything additional from our Vanity Closet! Thanks for letting us serve you and thanks for bragging for us on TeaMap!
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I made reservations two weeks prior to our visit. I specifically told the young woman that I was a vegetarian. On the day, the young man preparing the food said no one had told him about the vegetarian meal and would have to re-make the sandwiches. Then came out and asked if I could just eat cucumber sandwiches. Also the cinnamon rolls were hard. There were only two tables dressed, the other three were bare and 8 chairs were crammed on the wall next to a table. I was just disappointed. Tea selection was nice.
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- Nora 08/21/07
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Dear Nora, we recently found out that someone added us to this website and we discovered your review. We (owners) were not here that day but we were aware of the situation after interviewing with our associates who were. I have spoken with you on the phone in order to attempt to rectify the situation and I'm adding a response here so other readers are aware of our conversation.
Our computerized reservation did have you listed as vegetarian but the associate who waited on you was not able to access that information when you arrived. Since we (owners) and the supervisor are all vegetarians ourselves, we completely understand your frustration. Because of your comments, we have had meetings with our associates and implemented a few policies like double-checking table dressings and room arrangement.
The cinnamon rolls are usually very fresh and warm right out of the oven. The associate could not recall whether the rolls were baked too early or too long but our team will be much more aware of this possibility in the future. We thank you for your honest review and we hope to exceed your expectations on your next visit.
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Although I liked the tea I chose, and the food was tasty. Delicious scones. The decor dark, and very slow service will prevent me and others from our group revisiting the Dash.
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- debbie of folsom 07/20/07
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Thanks for the feedback Debbie. We're glad you enjoyed the food. We couldn't find your name in any of the reservations for the month before the review date so we are unable to contact you directly. The slow service is my main concern and because I don't know any other details, I'm not sure who was working or how many tables we were serving. We try not to rush guests because many like to take their time visiting over tea but if we seemed inattentive, I am very sorry for that and would like another chance to show you what we're really like.
The dark decor is a difficult comment to fix. Our decor is uniquely french-deco so our table cloths are black linen with white doilies and clear crystal plates/cups. Some walls are tan and some are burgundy but the chandeliers and sconces are bright. We often get compliments on our french-deco decor which is purposefully different than the typical victorian look.
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