table manners?

[ConfusedMum]

this isn't really a serious question - more me just wanting to know what's good manners.

yesterday me and partner went out for a meal and was faced was the most confusing thing ever (well... maybe just during that meal anyway ha) we asked for butter for the bread rolls we were given before the meal and the butter came in a sauce boat (our 'accompanying sauce' came in one also) with a tea spoon.

i tried using the t spoon to get the butter out, but as it was soft it just wouldnt come off the spoon so my partner had to use a clean knife to get it off and i used another knife to spread. now when my partner went to use the butter one occasion he kind of half spread the butter with the t spoon then used a knife and 2nd occasion was sick of trying to get the butter off and used his knife - right into the butter.

are they really bad ways to get the butter out? will that same sauce boat of butter be used for somebody else? better still, how on earth are you supposed to get that butter on to your roll? i always feel like the whole restaurant is looking at us cause they know the secret to sauce boats and butter!

thanks for any pointers haha!

xXx

[Eve]

I'd have thought you'd usually had a separate plate for your roll with a knife for the butter

Maybe it was more of a staff slip up esp as you requested butter rather than had it put there ready.

I believe it's etiquette to break a bread roll by hand rather than use a knife so maybe with no butter they didn't put a knife.

[ConfusedMum]

oh i don't mean how to spread on the roll... i meant how to get the butter from the sauce boat sorry if i was confusing! like is it bad manners to just 'shuv' your knife in the butter, and if so, then how do you get the butter from the sauce boat?

our table was already set for 4 people and there was just the 2 of us so we had plenty of knives and extra plates etc. that wasn't a problem - just the wondering how best to get the butter out lol
x

[rcl1]

were there little knobs of butter in the sauce boat? if so, you use the teaspoon to place the knob on your bread then a knife to spread it. If the sauce boat contained a solid block of butter - no idea. Never heard of it before.

[ConfusedMum]

yes they were little squares - they were very soft though and stuck on the spoon :\ so i assume it was ok to scrape it off spoon with knife? maybe not for partner to just put his knife in though?
do other people use the sauce boat after us do you know?
x

[rcl1]

I believe they throw away any rem,ainders and alsways serve a fresh supply of butter to each customer. I have been to a few places where the butter is served with ice so it doesn't get too soft there by avoiding your problem. The place you went to may have missed out on this idea and had the butter out for too long before seving it.

[naomi24]

If I'm understanding you correctly, you would take butter with the spoon, and put it onto the side of your bread plate - pushing it off the spoon with your knife if necessary. Never put the butter directly onto your bread. You should never pick up the whole roll to eat either. That's a real no no. Bread should never be cut - only broken - so break one small piece off at a time, and spread a little butter on to each piece with your knife as you go along.

[ConfusedMum]

oh my gosh!
really?

i think i broke all rules then - i cut my roll in half and spread butter on both halves not putting any butter on any plate, just the roll :| wow. i didnt know that! thanks! x



also, whilst im asking, if anybody can help me - is it normal for waiters to come and take bread rolls off you?

i ordered soup starter which came with a roll and butter (or so it said on the menu). i asked for an extra portion of bread with butter and when we sat down the extra portion was a basket with about 5/6 in (you don't get that at the start of the meal like you do some places, weve been there several times before, although at other places some do that and just leave the basket with you from what me and partner have experienced) and partner ordered an egg mayonaise which only comes with (as we know from previous times) one small slice of bread, so an extra roll or two for him he wouldn't have said no to. of course, being the bloke he is he isn't going to say no to extra food, what bloke does say no though? haha

anyway i took one roll (which was on the menu to go with my food) and partner took one, just to have to have a bread and butter roll on its own and a waiter came over and said have you finished and partner was looking at me aconfused and said do you want another which i did and he took one for his egg mayoniase. and the waiter was all like 'take another one' 'do you want another, get one' not in a harsh tone as it probally sounded in this post and then the waiter took them away.

what did he take them away for if reusing food isn't good practise? we was quite happy to pay per roll or per basket and we had asked for an extra portion of bread and butter with our order anyway.

did we miss something? :\ or so something wrong? honest to god this meal confused us no end!

xXx

[naomi24]

Different places do things differently. The answer is to ask for what you want. If you want a waiter to the leave the bread, then just ask him to - or if you want extra brought, or if you want anything else brought, then say so. Never be afraid to ask for what you want - and never feel intimidated. Remember, you're the customer, and you're paying the bill, so just relax and enjoy! x

[Eve]

It's probably their orders to keep tables as clear as possible so anything that's empty or not being used is taken.

Also keeps up appearances by making the table look less cluttered and they possibly do give rolls to others.

Don't worry about asking them to leave them on the table and, if other waiters are circling you can grab them and put them on a plate by you.

[ConfusedMum]

thanks for giving me your views! x