September 27th, frd and I had visited this restaurant to celebrate the birthday. Expecting a delightful evening, we were instead met with disappointment due to several issues.
1. Cake Fee Miscommunication:
- A day before our reservation had contacted the restaurant via WhatsApp to inquire about delivering a birthday cake for storage beforehand. The restaurant agreed but failed to mention a cake cutting fee. This hidden charge was only revealed mid-meal, leading to confusion and a sense of unclear pricing.
2. Inconvenient Water Policy:
- We were informed that only bottled water was available for purchase. This policy felt unreasonable and lacked customer friendliness.
3. Confusing Service Experience:
- I ordered an Empress cocktail, attracted by its appealing presentation. The drink arrived in an elegant wooden box after the appetizers. However, within minutes, staff asked if they could retrieve the box, creating an awkward situation where we had to hurriedly take pictures. This made us suspect that the restaurant might have only one such box for all customers, disrupting our dining experience.
- Following the main course, staff attempted three times to clear our plates as we were taking birthday selfies. They didn’t ask if we had finished or when to serve dessert. We eventually decided to leave without desserts, as no one approached us to ask. This behavior reflected poorly on the service standards.
4. Staff Apathy:
- The staff exhibited indifferent attitudes, offering no smiles or proper engagement. Communication was minimal, both in pre-booking messages and during the meal. Crucially, staff informed us of the cake cutting fee only after we started eating the cake, a most inappropriate time for such a notice.
In summary, our dining experience fell significantly short of expectations. The restaurant should ideally provide a comfortable environment and excellent customer service, but our actual experience was quite the opposite. We hope the restaurant addresses these concerns to improve overall dining experiences for future guests.
**Rating: 1/5**
**Recommendation:**
- Consider other dining options for a more enjoyable and hassle-free experience.