Monday, August 3, 2009

Bad Dining Experience


I've spent a lot of time complaining about slow service, but i never thought much about the fact that the best servers find a happy balance between leaving you to languish and rushing you.

Last weekend, my friend and i decided to stop into a newly-opened magnificent Bak Kut Teh restaurant in Subang for a dinner. The server led us to a table and put 2 menus on the table.

As soon as we opened the menus, before we had a chance to read one word, the server asked us whether we want to try their Ling Zhi (Ganoderma) drinks. We politely explained that we were not ready because we had not yet read the menu.

She paused for a while. After one minute, she asked us whether we want to try their seafood Bak Kut Teh and go on and on, non-stop, with a whole lot of other recommendations. It was frustrating. Why is she so anxious?

The menu lists almost every part of pork, using words which i think many customers have never heard of. The server gave us attitude when we enquire about the difference between those parts and she cannot even give a good explanation.

The server just made us feel uncomfortable unnecessarily.

My friend and i looked at each other and we were thinking the same thing. This would be our first and last visit.


My friend and i were at IOI Mall, Puchong yesterday and i had the worst coffee in my life at a newly-opened coffee shop. The coffee was overly bitter with an extremely coarse texture and extremely sourish.

I have a strong urge of sending it back to the kitchen at that moment. Sending food back in a restaurant is something i almost never do because it disrupts the flow of eating out with friends.

However, being ethical, you shouldn't send a dish back just because it's not to your taste or not prepared the way you expected.

In the end, my friend and i paid the bill and walked out of the coffee shop leaving the glass 3/4 full.

It is incomprehensible why people are willing to spend an enormous sum of money to open a coffee shop when they have not got the coffee right.

2 comments:

  1. Some waiter/waitresses are so impatient. It really spoils the makan outing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, indeed. It made me feel that the restaurant is anxious to get rid of us.

    ReplyDelete