Where do I start....? The service is utterly non existent and for a place charging these sort of prices this is actually funny.
Having worked in the hotel and catering industry for quite a few years I feel I am well qualified to comment:
Went for lunch on the 20/01/10 at 3.30pm
Greeted nicely by waiter no1 and allocated a dirty table in the inside part of the restaurant. I asked if we could have an empty clean table at the atrium area at the back and was told that it is not a problem.
Having sat down (with no menu on the table) I waited for the next 15 minutes for waiter No 2 to arrive. (Please keep in mind that there were 7 waiters in the place and only 6 occupied tables majority of who were having coffee). Upon him inquiring if we are ready to order I pointed out that that there was no menu on the table.
10 minutes later the menu arrives with waiter no 3.
Another 10 minutes later Waitress no 4 tells us (politely) that we can not have champagne at the table where we are sitting and ask us to move back inside to the main restaurant area. She moves us again TO A DIRTY TABLE. She then proceeds to clean it and asks us if we are ready to order. I place an order for 6 canape platters which they call small plates in their menu (this is important for later)... Its: Chicken skewers, Tortilla, Zucchini, Salmon Gravlax, Mini burger, Grilled lamb chops.
30 minutes later my champagne glass is finished and still no food in sight. At this stage I am finding their incompetence hilarious. The kitchen is open plan with the restaurant and there are 6 chefs two of who are having a chat about their personal life literally across the walk way from my table. Keep in mind there is just one more table waiting for food in the whole restaurant. Its 4.20pm and exactly 50 minutes since I walked in through the door......
Another 10 minutes later the Tortilla and the Zucchini arrive.... There is no salt or pepper on the table... The rest of the plates are missing. Oh and its waitress no 4 who serves us... I ask to speak with the manager.... The tortilla is more akin to a cake.....
Another 10 minutes the Salmon Gravlax, Mini burgers, Grilled lamb arrive.... Waitresses no5 and no6 advise us that manager is busy and will be coming later.... I have to ask them twice to refill the champagne glasses.....
In another 10 minutes the manager arrives. (I am still waiting for the last plate the Chicken skewers). I introduce myself and my friend (I am a GM at a boutique hotel; she is an assistant manager at a 2 Michelin star restaurant in London). And proceed to very politely point out the issues above. I did not ask for a discount, or any freebies, I genuinely felt like helping a colleague.... She proceeds to thank me for the issues raised (no apology) and then tells me that the food service was meant to be this way as they are trying to do traditional tapas service (implying that i don't know tapas service and just as the final plate arrives. This is despite them advertising the above dishes as small plates....). She tells me that she will ensure that the service charge is taken off our bill.....
The food was decent, but not exceptional especially for that price. The Chicken skewers arrived half cold despite being last, Tortilla was more like a cake, Zucchini was not grilled properly, Salmon Gravlax was lots of salad and very little salmon, Mini burger was overcooked with old bread, the Grilled lamb chops were good.
10 minutes later I ask for the bill as we are both late for our appointments. Waitress no7 brings the bill with SERVICE CHARGE INCLUDED........
The total bill comes to £78........