When it's now 5:50, you're 30 mins away with seatings only available at 6 or 9 pm and the latest your party will accept is 7pm, what would you do?a) Try locate another restaurant open this long weekend.
b) Book the 9pm service and have a snack in the meantime.
c) Book the 6pm service and turn up anytime after 6:30.
d) Stay home and eat baked beans instead.
As the 9pm session was out of the question, the troupe end up heading to one of the locals - hesitantly I might add since on my previous and first visit, it took a solid 2 hours before mains arrived (with no starters either!). Oh well, they were open during Easter weekend and had a table before 9pm.
Having had a seafood box at the fish markets a mere 4 hours beforehand, it had to be light. Starters consisted of:
- tasting platter of swordfish, kingfish and salmon
- garlic and herb pizza
- cured tuna and basil oil
- octopus carpaccio
For our mains, we ordered the vegetarian pizza and king prawns cooked in a tomato/chilli base sauce. Sounds bland, I know, however what was delivered was impressive. Toppings were generous with actual pieces of vegetables balanced perfectly against the splattering of tomato base and cheese. As opposed to the usual paper thin slices of mushrooms drowning in a vat of cheese. I didn't try the king prawns but they were well received too.
It was tough, but soon after came the warm apple and rhubarb crumble with ice cream. The ice-cream tasted indescribably odd however maybe that was because I was already drunk on mojito.
So by the end of the meal we felt pretty good. The bill came and an additional 2 items appeared charging an un-accounted for amount. Given it was a Saturday, not Sunday (+10% as stated on the website and menu), the only reason i could think of was a public holiday surcharge (15%, also stated on the website and menu).
Upon requesting an explanation from one of the waitresses, her response was: "Oh just ignore that item [BEV], it's already included in the bill and the other one's because it's bank holiday. The banks are closed so no trading can be done." Bissh pplzzz, I know for a fact Bank holiday is in August.
More importantly, how do they expect to secure return visits when the choices are either a ridiculously long wait for food, or be subjected to pay an undisclosed surcharge? Whilst patrons who enjoy the food and service may have no qualms about tipping, it's the deceitfulness which results in people deciding to either never come back and/or blog about them.
Posts
That was quite a lame excuse they gave you for the surcharge. LOL you should have mentioned that Bank Holiday was in August haha, would love to see the look on her face.
ReplyDeleteLove the post! Such a shame about the restaurant too because on a night where they do perform, it's a good night out. Now I don't know whether to keep going or whether to boycott it. Though to be honest I think my mortgage just tipped the balance on that equation! Hehe
ReplyDeleteundisclosed surcharge and long wait???!!!! EWWWWW
ReplyDeleteGlad that end of town's not on my usual beat! Though given it was the Easter long weekend, I suppose they feel entitled to charge whatever they like. I vote for a boycott!
ReplyDeleteI thought that surcharges had to be clearly disclosed on the menu? What a shame, things like that can really put people off.
ReplyDelete2 hour wait on the first visit? I would have walked out after the first hour and never given them the opportunity to sting me twice! Increasingly, restaurants are under the illusion that it's a privilege to dine at their establishment. They have be reminded that industry they are in is hospitality. No hospitality, no business!
ReplyDelete"The ice-cream tasted indescribably odd", I'm guessing it was the Coogee Bay Hotel. =P
ReplyDelete