Reviews in Birmingham, West Midlands

Here is an extract of my letter of complaint to Buffet Island, but as expected, it was ignored. COMPLAINT Dear Sir/Madam, I write this letter in response to the poor customer service we received earlier today at your restaurant, Buffet Island, Erdington. Around 12:30, my wife, our children and I arrived for lunch. When we arrived for Lunch, I noticed that there has been a redesign of the buffet service layout. ( hot food being laid where previously desserts had been). Whilst waiting to be seated, I glanced over the buffet and noticed there was no tofu and black bean sauce ( my wife’s favourite) which is one of the main reasons why we have, for years chosen Buffet Island over other Chinese buffet restaurants. I was quietly speaking to my wife that for some reason there was no black bean tofu dish and as our entire family are vegetarian our options were limited, so I was suggesting taking the kids to pizza hut instead. One of your staff approached and was going to give us a table, so I replied that we were just deciding on going to pizza hut instead as no there was no black bean tofu . However, in an effort on his part to keep our custom he suggested that we stay and he would ask the chef to prepare an extra dish which he said was no problem . My immediate thoughts were very positive and that he showed initiative and was trying to provide good customer service. As he was seating us he asked for our drinks order.So I ordered drinks, seated the kids including one in a high chair. We have been to buffet island that many times, my wife and I have a system, she settles the kids (6yrs,4,2 and a baby), whilst I get the kids food quickly so as to keep them quiet. As I mentioned we are all vegetarian, so the kids meals only consist of fried noodles, chips and ice cream.(so even though it is quite expensive to pay full kids price for such very basic foods, their taste palletes are not sophisticated yet for much else on offer). However, when I went to get their small portions of noodles, I could not find any. The manager was in the buffet area so I asked if there was any fried noodles ( as there has always been fried noodles every single time without exception in the past). She rather rudely pointed to the bean curd, saying “that’s all’ and stormed off. To recap, WE DID NOT ASK FOR SPECIAL FOOD TO BE PREPARED FOR US, THE STAFF OFFERED IT TO US TO STOP US GOING ELSEWHERE. As she walked past me again, I asked if it was possible to have just plain fried noodles without meat and she bluntly said that they don’t make special meals. Obviously this meant there was virtually nothing for our kids to eat, so we packed up to leave. By this time our drinks order arrived. I went to the bar to say that we were leaving and that my drinks had arrived. I said that without the noodles our kids couldn’t eat anything, to which she replied that the menu changes every day. Well I have been attending Buffet Island for 3 years and Fried Noodles has always been there! She gave me a very dirty look mumbled something and charged me for the drinks (which we had not touched). By this time my wife had gathered the kids and met me at the bar. After another dirty look from your manager, ( as if we were just inconvenient timewasters) we left. There are several points that come to mind with this situation. 1. We would have happily went elsewhere at the beginning, if your waiter had not offered us the possibility of the chef accommodating our vegetarian diets due to the change of menu. 2. Altering the menu to take away a simple sidedish food such as fried noodles seems a very strange decision. 3. To satisfy a loyal customer, is it too complex a task to simply not add the meat to a portion of fried noodles !!! 4. If I was the manager in a situation like this, I would have never charged for the drinks, after all it was buffet island who stopped us from leaving to go elsewhere. 5. We went to Wing Wah restaurant afterwards, who’s chef has obviously managed to cook that ever so complex meal of fried noodles, so my kids were happy and it was actually significantly cheaper as well. 6. To put into financial perspective, we go to buffet island on both my wife and I’s birthdays, wedding anniversary, fathers day, mother’s day, my oldest child’s birthday and many impromptu luncheons such as today. ( Basically because our parents live far away and we have no babysitters so the kids have to come) On top of this we have had two company Christmas dinner evenings there ( average 12 people at each event) and in February my wife was negotiating booking a room for 50 guests for a Baptismal luncheon on the 1st of March. ( In the end we chose a hotel to hold the Christening reception because it was far easier for guests who had traveled from far away to hold the function where they were staying). However, it shows that we are good customers who have loyally encouraged neighbours and friends towards your restaurant. I did a quick spreadsheet estimating how much I may have spent there in a typical 12 month period. Mothers Day £35 Fathers Day £35 Easter £35 Valentines Day £35 My birthday £35 Wife Birthday £35 Wedding Anniversary £35 Christmas Office Party £180 (12x£15pp) General Impromptu visits £140 (4x£35) Total £565 Even if I reduce this by two evenings it is still around £500 per annum and we have been visiting Buffet island for over 3 years, so that is £1,500 My wife is the Managing Director of an advertising agency and was very insulted and embarrassed by the dirty looks and very poor body language given by your manager. As I write this letter to you, she is on her own laptop, typing a letter to the Sutton Coldfield Observer, the food critic of the Evening mail, the president of the Vegetarian Society and numerous online Birmingham food review websites. Obviously, her friends at the school, church and neighbours will be interested to know about it to. .Having run our own companies for several years, I have learned that it costs 3 times as much to attract new customers as it does to retain current ones. Perhaps this is something you should mention at the next staff meeting. After the shabby and embarrassing treatment we received by your manager today, we shall not be returning to your restaurant again. However, before posting our letters and leaving the online reviews, we will graciously allow you seven days to respond, so that the letter will also contain your response or lack thereof. Yours Sincerely,

This is the worst restaurant I have ever eaten in .. please avoid ... the waiters were rude and made a sarcastic remark when we advised them about the dry chicken tikka they made excuses about hot the burner was .. the food is very very bland and overpriced for what it is .. the owner said he is planning a refit but i dont plan to anytime soon

one of the worst chinese meals i ever had.poor food, poor service ,deafening poor music and to add insult to injury they charge for a glass of tapwater.dont go+

The restaurant serves very nice food and I was a regular there till I got into an argument once with the owner here. I ordered ice cream from the menu and they charged me a higher price to what the menu said. On wanting to speak to the manager, the owner said that they are in the process of updating their menus and they will charge a higher price. On explaining the restaurant can not do this, the owner got offended and started shouting and asked me to "get the F**K out of his restaurant". I have written a letter to the SHERE KHAN GROUP and am hoping for an apology, but would not recommend this restaurant to anyone.

we arrived it looked good from the outside ....but the food was terrible....i orders scampi n chips ...arrived cold after 45 min...my other guests had worse meals than me...cold eggs steak not cooked as they wanted no condiments...brought the wrong food for one person had to wait a extra 25 min ....she ate alone...while we watched...disgusting.....if that the best you can provide god help us all.....i will be taking this further...as we must have paid over £80 in totel....for something i would not have given my dog......gordon ramsey would have closed the so called kitchen where you cook the cold food...you need to look at this matter....honestly....

Channis Indian Restaurant The atmosphere is no frills (decor could do with updating, but is clean). The food tastes amazing and the value for money is spot on. Service was friendly. If you want to encounter the Birmingham curry experience, this is one of the best places to visit.

rubbish, i was sick for days after eating here .The bald woman who served me was extremely rude as well.

there chips are really nice but a little to much chilli sauce on our kebabs but nice other wise

This restaurant is the most fabulous restaurant ever, price is excellent and the food!!! where do i start.. the food is in a world of its own, from the king prawn jalfrezi to the meat bhuna to the fresh crispy poppadoms, just fabulous, SERVICE A++++

i think that your food in that cafe is delicious i think the people who work in there are kind and very helpful . from krystal xxxxxx

My husband took me to Plaza for the first time and the food was beautiful. Bill was reasonable the only problem i found was that the main meal was given too quick after the starter and as it felt that we were being rushed may be as it was a Friday night but no excuse for it.

I have been going to the moonlight with my wife, friends and family for over three years now and ever time is special , the food is excellent and the service is quick and the staff attend to your table and guests like your the only people in the place. The staff take time to explain the dishes and when the food comes it is always tasty and the portions are perfect there is never not enough. I have had a large table of guests with me for a birthday once and it was one of the best times. The beers and wines are great too and best of all the price is wonderful you get more than your moneys worth We are going for a party there this Friday and i know it will be good and that's with another ten plus .

i must say that once you are inside a weary drowsiness hits you head on.but no matter because the food will certainly wake you up. after your tongue tastes the first bite, all your dreams foods will be shoved one place down the list and number one will be replaced by shiraz. the food is of high quality. not to mention heavenly and also not to dear.

Fabulous choice of foods. Chicken Tikka starter is wonderful. Select your own ingredients for the Wok (Mongolian style) plus excellent Indian and Chinese and a great selection of Indian street foods, salads etc. Good sweet selection. Overall price is a little high and beware buying bottled lager, go for the draught as Kingfisher bottled is over £5 a pint!.

i will say if you eat everyday in this chippy, you wont say stop.... the best of the best fish & chips, and kebabs, wow kwl, they got lots of choice for you in chillis like hot, medium, mild sweet, ketchup, bar b q, mayonnaise, garlic mayonnaise, mint sauce, mint yougart, piri piri sauce, and lots more... the are the best...

Purnell's is a chic, contemporary fine-dining restaurant located in one of Birmingham city centre's finest conservation areas, close to Colmore Row and St Phillips Cathedral. Set up by Michelin starred Birmingham chef, Glynn Purnell in July 2007, the 45 cover restaurant occupies a Victorian redbrick and terracotta corner building, with large windows on both sides providing plenty of natural light during the day. The restaurant has its own bar and lounge area, for diners only, where a pre-dinner cocktail or after dinner coffee or digestif can be enjoyed on comfortable sofas. Glynn Purnell’s bold and innovative cooking that has brought him critical acclaim and numerous awards including a Michelin star provides the ultimate gourmet adventure. ‘A la carte’ and ‘prix fixe’ menus are available for lunch and dinner, as well as 5 and 7 course tasting menus.

Great food and service this is 5 star food at good prices

I visited last night for my Birthday. Slightly disappointed to be honest. Flashes of well made food including a nice risotto which my partner had, but the menu lacked anything that jumped out at me. Very much a hotel restaurant lacking in any flair. My main course was dreadful. Excellent wine list and knowledgeable Sommelier. Overall service wasn't great, our waiter was moody and rude at times. Consider this place with caution, there are better restaurants in this price range.