We were really impressed with this place - the staff is professional, the food is interesting and tasty, the decor is sophisticated but not stuffy - BUT while we were finishing our entrees, chef Michael Fiore came out of the kitchen into the dining room to chat with some customers he knew and proceeded to sit at our booth (no, I'm not kidding) with his back turned to us talking to his friends for at least half an hour. He did this without so much as an "excuse me," or "do you mind?" or even an acknowledgment that we were paying customers in his restaurant. My boyfriend, who is an executive sous chef in a top Manhattan restaurant, was completely shocked that a chef would exhibit such rude behavior to customers in his restaurant. Needless to say, we won't be going back to Tempo.
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