I am beginning to think that I must be extraordinarily hard to please.
I’ve recently been to four different places – all at different prices points, sizes of restaurant and number of staff – and have thought, well, that was OK but nothing special. This is all part of being a reviewer I know, but when you read other bloggers reviews of the same space and they think it fabulous or note that a restaurant has had consistently 5-star reviews from diners, you do start to wonder.
This restaurant did live up to expectations – I’ve deliberately not chosen a local example! A local restaurant with very tasty food served with passion*
I do know that @happy_appetite agonised over posting one review as he wanted to present a fair view and not completely lambast a place – we’re actually not out there to condemn.
I can
- Tell you about the top restaurant with almost more staff than customers who couldn’t manage to take a lunch order for 25 minutes for a group in a private dining room?
- Tell you about the friendliest service ever?
- Rant about the overuse of the word tapas meaning anything small but delivered at the same price as a full size portion at a standard restaurant
- Despair over dishes served up purporting to be representative of that countries’ cuisine
All are valid. But most of all I want to tell you about the FOOD – how ordinary it was. That despite (in some cases) using expensive ingredients, it was bland. But I’d be writing the same review in every case.
That’s why I am so disappointed.
Whatever you do restaurants, please do it to your best ability – continually check and recheck the flavour. Especially in the run up to Christmas. Why should we suddenly have to suspend our desire to enjoy something really tasty. Is it any wonder, that many of us return to the same place time and again because we know we’ll have a great meal and a warm welcome?
I look forward to your thoughts!
*Scottish plaid (tartan) mash indeed!
