Pretty sad, Yachtsman. No, actually deceptive.

[Her Dotness]

We've always felt we had very good steaks at Yachtsman which is saying something since we live in great-steaks-for-far-less Middle America.

Not so much, thanks to some pathetic excuses for sides this time.

We both were surprised this past Saturday to see that the steak listings indicated three sides included--fingerling potatoes, braised shallots and blistered tomatoes. That was different. Sides were ordered a la carte previously, often a "for two" portion or at least ample enough to share.

We debated getting some of our favorite sides but weren't that hungry so decided to make do with the new accompanying ones.

What did we get? Well, I had 1.5 fingerling potatoes maybe 3/8" wide and about 1.25" long, halved lengthwise, a wee shallot about the same size, and precisely 2 "blistered" grape tomatoes that proved hot but looked not the least blistered.

DH was cheated. He had about that much of the fingerling potatoes, no shallots at all, but his own 2 grape tomatoes were a little more nearly blistered than mine.

Our steaks were as perfectly cooked as ever, but really! How on earth anyone would consider these wee garnishes "accompanying sides" is well beyond us two.

We were so annoyed that we declined dessert, which we'd both often enjoyed in the past.

Yachtsman, you sorely disappointed two loyal customers. Those "sides" were a cruel joke!

 

[RoseGold]

Did you say something at the time?

 

[Her Dotness]

We'd just driven in that afternoon and had learned en route that we did not in fact have a workable HA villa at Riviera that night, a 1-nighter. In fact, nothing available there would work for us at all. A very long story and thoroughly infuriating.

Ultimately, MS did acquire a suitable villa for us at VGF. That was satisfactory as the rest of our stay was there.

We were simply much too tired to discuss our dissatisfaction with Yachtsman at all reasonably, but I do agree that would have been the best course of action.

We'll give them another try in future, I'm sure. We've had too many wonderful meals there not to.

 

[wegotodisney]

This seems like a silly complaint to me, especially when you say your steaks were "as perfectly cooked as ever".
You acknowledge that sides have always been an extra at Yachtsman.
The menu says this,

"Accompaniment Selections​

Butcher's Cuts accompanied by Fingerling Potatoes, Blistered Tomatoes, and Confit Shallots"

The fingerlings, tomatoes, and shallots were intended as accompaniments (essentially little more than garnish), not sides.
Your dining partner was cheated out of a shallot. I think it's extreme to act like your meal was ruined.
You could have just ordered a side or two when you saw that your expectation was inaccurate.

 

[wegotodisney]

We've always felt we had very good steaks at Yachtsman which is saying something since we live in great-steaks-for-far-less Middle America.

Not so much, thanks to some pathetic excuses for sides this time.

We both were surprised this past Saturday to see that the steak listings indicated three sides included--fingerling potatoes, braised shallots and blistered tomatoes. That was different. Sides were ordered a la carte previously, often a "for two" portion or at least ample enough to share.

We debated getting some of our favorite sides but weren't that hungry so decided to make do with the new accompanying ones.

What did we get? Well, I had 1.5 fingerling potatoes maybe 3/8" wide and about 1.25" long, halved lengthwise, a wee shallot about the same size, and precisely 2 "blistered" grape tomatoes that proved hot but looked not the least blistered.

DH was cheated. He had about that much of the fingerling potatoes, no shallots at all, but his own 2 grape tomatoes were a little more nearly blistered than mine.

Our steaks were as perfectly cooked as ever, but really! How on earth anyone would consider these wee garnishes "accompanying sides" is well beyond us two.

We were so annoyed that we declined dessert, which we'd both often enjoyed in the past.

Yachtsman, you sorely disappointed two loyal customers. Those "sides" were a cruel joke!

Just quoting the OP in case of edits. I should have done it before replying initially.

We'd just driven in that afternoon and had learned en route that we did not in fact have a workable HA villa at Riviera that night, a 1-nighter. In fact, nothing available there would work for us at all. A very long story and thoroughly infuriating.

Ultimately, MS did acquire a suitable villa for us at VGF. That was satisfactory as the rest of our stay was there.

We were simply much too tired to discuss our dissatisfaction with Yachtsman at all reasonably, but I do agree that would have been the best course of action.

We'll give them another try in future, I'm sure. We've had too many wonderful meals there not to.

It sounds like you had a rough day and maybe applied your frustration to the wrong element of your day. Understandable, but I hate to see a bad review where it doesn't belong. Yachtsman is consistently a very good meal, IMO, despite the need to order and pay for sides separately.

 

[Mexacajun]

We ate there a couple of weeks ago and our waiter told us they were garnishes. I assumed that was the standard comments from all servers. Sorry you had a bad time.

 

[Narcoossee11]

First world issue

 

[handinpocket]

Sides have never been included at Yachtsmen. Those were accompaniments. You should have just ordered some sides.

 

[Her Dotness]

We ate there a couple of weeks ago and our waiter told us they were garnishes. I assumed that was the standard comments from all servers. Sorry you had a bad time.

No, nothing was said to us about the nature of these selections.

We'd not have had an issue had we been told that.

We likely ought to have asked what "accompanying selections" meant. A particularly nondescriptive term.

 

[DonMacGregor]

We've always felt we had very good steaks at Yachtsman which is saying something since we live in great-steaks-for-far-less Middle America.

Not so much, thanks to some pathetic excuses for sides this time.

We both were surprised this past Saturday to see that the steak listings indicated three sides included--fingerling potatoes, braised shallots and blistered tomatoes. That was different. Sides were ordered a la carte previously, often a "for two" portion or at least ample enough to share.

We debated getting some of our favorite sides but weren't that hungry so decided to make do with the new accompanying ones.

What did we get? Well, I had 1.5 fingerling potatoes maybe 3/8" wide and about 1.25" long, halved lengthwise, a wee shallot about the same size, and precisely 2 "blistered" grape tomatoes that proved hot but looked not the least blistered.

DH was cheated. He had about that much of the fingerling potatoes, no shallots at all, but his own 2 grape tomatoes were a little more nearly blistered than mine.

Our steaks were as perfectly cooked as ever, but really! How on earth anyone would consider these wee garnishes "accompanying sides" is well beyond us two.

We were so annoyed that we declined dessert, which we'd both often enjoyed in the past.

Yachtsman, you sorely disappointed two loyal customers. Those "sides" were a cruel joke!

Those aren't sides, they are garnishes.

 

[Anthony1971]

No, nothing was said to us about the nature of these selections.

We'd not have had an issue had we been told that.

We likely ought to have asked what "accompanying selections" meant. A particularly nondescriptive term.

I agree this should have been explained… Been in that boat at places you expect a side but non was on the plate. That is fine but most places will ask about sides or additional sides at far lessor places. In this case the person serving should have taken the 30 seconds to explain, in the end that is a huge part of that persons responsibility. Places do have automated ordering these days and presto the food arrives at your table. I would not go as far as blaming the restaurant itself lets just hope the server was having an off day. But then again places have tip sections on self checkout even with an overpriced 6 bottle of water you got yourself from the refrigerator.

 

[DLgal]

Accompaniments are not the same as sides.

 

[lockets]

I knew it wasn't a side, but only because I feel like fingerling potatoes is usually code for "I'm just here to take up some plate real estate - I'm not a real side!" Plus the bottom of the menu has the classic a la carte section that a lot of steakhouse menus have.

That being said - Yachtsman is one of those menus where you have to pay attention to words like accompaniment, enhancements, and the quotes around the word scallops.

Otherwise you'll think the steak comes with sides, the lobster tail can be served on its own, and that they actually do serve scallops as a main dish.

 

[pirate33]

This is interesting. I had never heard of the distinction between “accompaniment” and “side” being described here, and I’ve dined a lot in my almost 57 years. I did some Googling and found numerous references to an “accompaniment” meaning “side dish” in the context of dining, and that’s how I would have understood it. Can anyone point to a source that equates an accompaniment with “garnish”? A number of people have vouched for this, which makes me think there is something to it, but I wonder if there is any source that confirms this?

 

[Jangles]

Accompaniments are not the same as sides.

But accompaniments are not the same as garnishes either.

 

[Jangles]

This is interesting. I had never heard of the distinction between “accompaniment” and “side” being described here, and I’ve dined a lot in my almost 57 years. I did some Googling and found numerous references to an “accompaniment” meaning “side dish” in the context of dining, and that’s how I would have understood it. Can anyone point to a source that equates an accompaniment with “garnish”? A number of people have vouched for this, which makes me think there is something to it, but I wonder if there is any source that confirms this?

From the U.K. so perhaps it’s different, but I think of a garnish as a sprinkling of herbs, or curled spring onions, sesame seeds, that sort of thing. To make the dish pretty really. I think of an accompaniment as something like a cockle and mussel sauce with lobster, or Yorkshire pudding with beef. But when chefs start including starches, I think that confuses things.
In the OPs case, I wouldn’t have ordered another starch because of the fingerling potatoes, but I would probably have ordered a vegetable ( but I like a bit of green and colour on my plate).

I think that you are being given an unreasonably hard time OP, and even if your unhappiness at dinner was contributed to by outside factors, you are still entitled to come here and vent, without being told off.

 

[disneydreamer781]

I hear you but we go to Capital Grille a lot for b'days, holidays, and special occasions and there is nothing extra included with the filet so this wouldn't bother me too much as long as my meal is good. We have always ordered a side separately. Although the potatoes sound like a side the blistered tomatoes and shallots do sound more like a garnish.

 

[jemtx]

Sides have never been included at Yachtsmen. Those were accompaniments. You should have just ordered some sides.

Up until very recently the steaks at Yachtsman m did include sides. Check menus from right up until this last menu change that just occurred. They used to come with things such as mashed potatoes or house fries or the gratin potatoes.

 

[DonMacGregor]

Up until very recently the steaks at Yachtsman m did include sides. Check menus from right up until this last menu change that just occurred. They used to come with things such as mashed potatoes or house fries or the gratin potatoes.

When we ate there in March and September of last year sides weren’t included. It’s been that way at least since early 2022.

 

[jemtx]

Last time we ate there over a year ago and sides weren’t included.

But more recently than that they were included. There were 3 or 4 (mostly) potato-type sides. Just watch recent videos. Some of the things listed now in steakhouse sides such as the fries or mashed potatoes were listed as one of the accompaniments you could choose and then there were additional sides such as the truffle Mac n cheese, jumbo asparagus that were extra.