Fruition - A Hitch in the Get-along?

I'd been eye-ing Fruition's summer menu a bit, since I hadn't been there in a couple of months. What caught my eye especially was the new black cod entree. For the uninitiated, black cod is an insanely buttery-rich, flaky fish that is actually not a cod at all. It has recently been "discovered" by gourmet restaurants everywhere and has appeared on many a notable menu. (Just for the record though, I was eating black cod before black cod was cool. My mom used to buy it at the Asian grocery store and cook it at home way before anyone else knew what it was!) Here in Denver, the best specimens I've found have been at Sushi Den and Zengo, but almost any place you look now, you can find some version of a miso black cod dish.

At Fruition, they were advertising a pan roasted black cod with orecchiette pasta, vegetables, mushrooms, and truffle oil - a small departure from the Asian flair that most black cod dishes wield. It intrigued me, and as I never pass up the opportunity to eat black cod, I made a reservation for a Tuesday evening. Mr. M and I were in need of a date night anyway, and this was just as good an excuse as any.

We arrived and were seated at the back corner banquette table. Not my favorite - it feels a little cramped, and the people beside you can definitely hear every word of your conversation, but maybe it's supposed to create a communal atmosphere.

We started with the chilled heirloom tomato soup with burrata grilled cheese - very fresh and summer-y tasting. We also tried the pasta carbonara, which was also quite good; the house-cured pork belly was truly a thing of beauty.

I ordered the black cod (of course), and Mr. M ordered the beef (of course). The beef was good, not great, yet the duck-fat fries were definitely great (how could they not be?). Mr. M loved the accompanying Fourme d'ambert cheese crumbles too.

Yet lo and behold, the fish that arrived on my plate resembled nothing like any black cod I'd ever seen or eaten before! Frankly, it was overcooked and rather tasteless. I had a few bites, then called the server over and expressed concern. Unfortunately, he had neglected to inform me that the kitchen was out of black cod and was serving striped bass instead...

I have actually never done this before (I'm always too "nice"), but I sent my plate back to the kitchen and asked for a different meal. Not only was it not what I had ordered, it was not cooked well either. I felt embarrassed, even though I don't think I should have. Only a few minutes later, a plate of diver scallops arrived, perfectly cooked. The fennel salad served on top was a tad sour for my taste, but the scallops themselves were excellent. The server apologized for his mistake, and my second meal arrived quickly, but that was the end of it. Maybe that was all I should have expected, but for a restaurant of that caliber, I would have thought maybe a small appetizer, dessert, or glass of wine would have been added to our meal gratis. But there was no further mention of the incident.

We left satisfied but a bit disappointed also. As you've read, I've been pretty impressed with Fruition up until this point. And every restaurant and its waiters can have "off" nights. But I guess I didn't expect it of a nationally-recognized place that's been impeccable up until now. It's funny - it takes a rather small gesture to smooth over a mistake like this, and when restaurants neglect to do it, they potentially lose some repeat business. Though I can't say I won't go back and give it another shot (mostly because of their transcendent appetizers), I'm sure not itching to go anytime soon...

For the first time, I'm going to actively solicit comments - what do you think? Was I right to send my plate back? Is what they did in response "enough", or am I too greedy and demanding in expecting more? I know I have high expectations, but aren't they justified when I'm dropping $50 per person on a meal? And do you think someone from the kitchen spat in my scallops? (I've been wondering that.) Let the debate begin...