Jack and I just had lunch at Bugaboo Creek. I am so disappointed and depressed right now. Not because of Jack, of course. He was the perfect lunch companion and we had a lot of fun together. No, what’s got me down is a fundamental change to the restaurant. We haven’t been to Bugaboo for at least two years. The nearest one to us when we lived in Virginia was somewhere up in Maryland, a goodly drive from home so we only ever went when we were on our way back from up north. Jack didn’t remember it as we pulled in and I said, “Remember the place with the singing buffalo who sang, ‘Bugaboo Nell! Bugaboo Nell!’” and Jack replied, “Oh yeah!” and got very excited.

We sat down, ordered our food and waited. Then the buffalo started talking and talked about wishing he was down eating the really good food and we were up on the wall. OK, funny. Not what I remember him saying. Then he came on again and said he didn’t want to be stuck up there and wished someone would bring him a cookie (he named a dessert on the menu).

When he came on the third time, it was yet another advertisement for food on the menu.

Basically, everything in the restaurant is now an advertisement for more food or drink. All of the folksy charm has been leeched from the place and it left me feeling somewhat used and sad.

The waiter was also desperate sounding when he tried to push appetizers and drinks at me (who pushes cocktails on a father in for lunch with his six year old son?) and gift cards and such. He also pushed repeatedly at joining their club to get email and a free dessert on my birthday. Um, no thank you.

I doubt we will be going back.

On the way out, the hostess turned on the talking tree just for Jack. It was an ad for their gift cards.

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