New French Restaurant On North Cross Road

[Tosca]

Just been there, and it's really not good enough. The waitress didn't write down our order and instead of 2 escargots we got 2 soups and 1 snails. [They only charged for 1 snails, but we had to wait another 20 mins.] The fish soup tasted good but was just about warm, and not hot, and the thin slices of fried bread, set on the side with rouille and grated cheese, were stale. The Feuillete pastry was way over cooked. The Confit of Duck had a crispy, and in parts overbaked skin. Overall, it was also overcooked. The potato Dauphinois was a disgrace - flaccid and overbaked. t warm, and the thin slices of fried bread, set on the side with rouille and grated cheese, were stale and not crispy. I feel really sad that they're not getting it right, they must have put a lot of energy into setting it up. We won't be going back

[DovertheRoad]

That's quite a harsh critique especially on detail that many wouldn't notice. For me, eating out in East Dulwich is about decent food at a half decent price in a decent looking place. Rather than say Michelin starred perfection?

[KidKruger]

I think everyone has a right to their expectations.

Expecting food to be cooked somewhere near right is reasonable IMO.

In the U.K. what makes me laugh (and this is not specific to this restaurant or ED) is how paying customers are prepared to forfeit their hard-earned wages to prop-up a restaurant that cannot make the grade.

So many unhappy customers smile politely, pay a tip, pay the bill and walk out without saying a word to the waiter/manager.

When the waiter comes over (as they do, with the implicit expectation that you'll say 'fine, thanks') and asks how things are, tell them you're underwhelmed and will not be paying full price for a meal that's not full quality.

If that'll cause a free cabaret in the restaurant so what, the restaurant need to know - there's a transaction here.

You're under no obligation to treat businesses with kid gloves !

Basically restauranters must get a decent percentage of their income from pissed-off customers who're happy to just keep on paying (and returning) on the off-chance that one day they'll be lucky and a meal will eventually be OK.

This is a lose-lose proposition, the restaurant doesn't get the feedback they need so don't improve where and when they should, the customer has unsatisfying experiences and pays for the privilege.

How many of the unhappy posters above have told the restaurant with the detail posted here and why do you think it's OK to pay a restaurant full price repeatedly when they fall short ? - genuine question, I really don't understand the logic of this approach.

[DovertheRoad]

Absolutely respect Tosca's right to an opinion. Everyone's expectation levels are different I guess?

As is what good looks like to any individual. Unless it's very obviously bad it's surely shades of grey and wholly subjective. For something like this establishment I'm happy with a 7/8 out of 10. Not looking for perfection.

[Alan Medic]

Amazing contrasting reviews of the same place.

[steveo]

Maybe Tosca didn't have a glass or two.

I find wine makes the food taste nicer and the service seems to improve

[red devil]

I guess some people are easily pleased and others less so. I'm with MrD when it comes to expectations for this type of restaurant, and steveo with the alcohol.

Re. Tosca's review, I always thought the fried slices of bread (> croutons) traditionally served with Soupe de poisson came about as a way the French would use up any left over bread (a morning bought baguette quickly loses it's freshness and will be stale by evening). The idea is that you plonk them on top of the soup, sprinkle some cheese and let it soak/melt for a bit before scoffing. I'm not even sure you would pick up any staleness after it's been fried anyway...

[Alan Medic]

The waitress not writing down an order seems peculiar. Anyway, you can't expect snails to be quick.

[DulwichFox]

Walk past ever night.. Looks nice but seems a bit busy and a couple too many tables...

If you don't mind listening to everbody elses conversation or others hearing yours ... then Ok I suppose.

Not so good for a romantic intimate occassion..

DulwichFox

[DovertheRoad]

You in the mood for some lovin' Foxy?

[titch juicy]

KidKruger Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I think everyone has a right to their

> expectations.

> Expecting food to be cooked somewhere near right

> is reasonable IMO.

> In the U.K. what makes me laugh (and this is not

> specific to this restaurant or ED) is how paying

> customers are prepared to forfeit their

> hard-earned wages to prop-up a restaurant that

> cannot make the grade.

> So many unhappy customers smile politely, pay a

> tip, pay the bill and walk out without saying a

> word to the waiter/manager.

> When the waiter comes over (as they do, with the

> implicit expectation that you'll say 'fine,

> thanks') and asks how things are, tell them you're

> underwhelmed and will not be paying full price for

> a meal that's not full quality.

> If that'll cause a free cabaret in the restaurant

> so what, the restaurant need to know - there's a

> transaction here.

> You're under no obligation to treat businesses

> with kid gloves !

> Basically restauranters must get a decent

> percentage of their income from pissed-off

> customers who're happy to just keep on paying (and

> returning) on the off-chance that one day they'll

> be lucky and a meal will eventually be OK.

> This is a lose-lose proposition, the restaurant

> doesn't get the feedback they need so don't

> improve where and when they should, the customer

> has unsatisfying experiences and pays for the

> privilege.

> How many of the unhappy posters above have told

> the restaurant with the detail posted here and why

> do you think it's OK to pay a restaurant full

> price repeatedly when they fall short ? - genuine

> question, I really don't understand the logic of

> this approach.

This is all true and I would add that a restaurant owner will absolutely want to know if something's not right. It gives them a chance to put it right and send you away a happy customer, rather than an unhappy customer that's likely to write a bad review on the EDF or Trip Advisor or wherever.

There's an old adage that you're taught in catering; that an unhappy customer will tell way more people about their bad experience than a happy customer will about their good one. So it's essential to their business that a customer is sent away happy.

[DulwichFox]

DovertheRoad Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> You in the mood for some lovin' Foxy?

Always.. Love a Candle me... Old Romantic.

Foxy.

[Seabag]

DulwichFox Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> DovertheRoad Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > You in the mood for some lovin' Foxy?

>

> https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:AN

> d9GcQ053pvUJzmL6ps3aXAcifemwsohc-bqzuNX2mfFTeZZrVF

> LKx3ng

>

> Always.. Love a Candle me... Old Romantic.

>

> Foxy.

That's that creepy candle that someone else uses on here

Blow it out Foxy, battery powered candles are the new 'candles'

[DulwichFox]

Seabag Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> DulwichFox Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > DovertheRoad Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> > > You in the mood for some lovin' Foxy?

> >

> >

> https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:AN

>

> >

> d9GcQ053pvUJzmL6ps3aXAcifemwsohc-bqzuNX2mfFTeZZrVF

>

> > LKx3ng

> >

> > Always.. Love a Candle me... Old Romantic.

> >

> > Foxy.

>

>

> That's that creepy candle that someone else uses

> on here

>

> Blow it out Foxy, battery powered candles are the

> new 'candles'

It was of the only one I could find that was small enough..

I saw some of those battery powered things in a neighbours window and thought they were going to set fire to their nets.

Got new glasses since then..

Anyway.. This is my own Candle pic .. taken in the EDT..

Hope you like it..

Foxy

[Phlox]

If you like French food, check out James Martin's French Adventures on ITV player.

[JoeLeg]

"When the waiter comes over (as they do, with the implicit expectation that you'll say 'fine, thanks') and asks how things are, tell them you're underwhelmed and will not be paying full price for a meal that's not full quality.

If that'll cause a free cabaret in the restaurant so what, the restaurant need to know - there's a transaction here."

Very, very legally dodgy territory there. It's true that the 'contract' between a customer and an establishment is of a civil nature. If you find there is fault with your meal, and you genuinely believe that the price charged should not be paid, then you have to leave what you reasonably believe to be the price of the raw ingredients on the table, a legitimate address at which you may be legally served a summons, and invite them to see you on small claims court for the balance. It is not a matter for the police, unless...

Unless you do anything which can give rise to the suggestion that you had any intention to avoid paying full price from the beginning, or you leave a sum which clearly is not the cost of ingredients, or the address is suspect, as any of that is fraud and then the police can be involved and you can be charged.

I would always encourage people to tell the restaurant if they had a bad experience. It may be painful to hear but we need to know. Anywhere that does not respond with at least politeness and a 'thank you for your feedback' should not be revisited. And anywhere decent should at the least be willing to remove offending items from the bill - we generally do it even if we disagree with the customer, unless it's plainly just an issue of personal taste, and even then we're usually happy to cook something else without charging for it. But be cautious with threats to not pay full price, it's very dodgy ground.

[KidKruger]

Basically, you can't be reasonable expected to pay full price for less than reasonable food / service / waiting times.

If this was enforced more by customers then standards would increase almost immediately.

You're not going to feel like doing this unless you feel you have a very strong case anyway, in most cases I'd expect the restaurant management to recognise this too and make the necessary gesture. If they don't, then so what, it's just a disagreement - which can happy in any field where payment is due i.e. painting and decorating you're not happy with.

This is one of very few trades where people politely pay, again and again, for what they are not happy with (just read the numerous threads on this forum !).

[JoeLeg]

I agree with everything you say there - the quality of delivery should match the price asked. Of course this is the real world and people mess up. If a customer isn't happy then they should say so; there's often a potential friction point where things are subjective ("my steak is overcooked" vs "no it isn't", for example), and generally good places will simply suck it up and bring a new plate of food; it's the cost of doing business.

I'm simply making the point that refusing to pay full price is a legal mine field fraught with danger, which both sides should endeavour to avoid. Once the threat of withholding most of the payment is made, it often shuts down most other lines of peaceful resolution and so should only be used if the establishment is being pig-headed and refusing to be reasonable. As I say, anywhere with half a brain is going to express gratitude for the feedback and either remove offending items from the bill (regardless of the validity or otherwise of a complaint) or offer free replacements. If they don't then they deserve to go out of business.