Poole’s Downtown Diner

I came in at about 6:30.  Restaurant not particularily busy, but atmosphere good, lighting tuned down, etc.  I was dressed appropriately for dinner anywhere in the city.  I do not have any physical or speech deformaties.  I ordered a glass of wine and a salad (after some discussion) and indicated I would order an entree in a bit after thoroughly considering the choices (they all sounded good; I wanted to get a bit of a look at what was coming out of the kitchen to help me make up my mind).  It was a bit uncomfortable not to have a printed menu and to have to turn around to consult the chalk board as other diners/staff were walking by (it’s really not that hard to put out a menu even with a daily changing fare).  My salad took a very long time to arrive despite the apparently snappy service to other tables, and of course my waiter did not serve my salad.  As a matter of fact he didn’t speak or look at me again for 45 minutes.  I thought I had on my invisible cloak.  He chatted up the guy to my right and the guy to my left and never so much as checked in with me to see about the state of my wine or salad, or more to the point, if I had decided on something else for my main course.  Am I way off here or do other single ladies in Raleigh like to be ignored when they are out alone for dinner?  I was soooooo primed to love this place and unfortunately, the service ruined my meal and any taste I might have for coming back.