Au Ciel - staff attitude

[dc]

Asset Wrote:

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> Saying that I've not been

> in the pub for ages as the staff are rubbish now

But how would you know if you haven't been in for ages??

[lozzyloz]

No, Asset is right about the Dog. The service is average at best and the staff turnover makes a career in Northern Rock look like a job for life. However, it does have a certain charm. Don't even begin to mention their Sunday Roast.

Blue Mountain is also well over rated and the best alternative in ED (IMO) is Jacks, when it's open. Honest good food and straight up service.

[Asset]

ok dc , for pedantry's sake I'll amend that to - the staff were rubbish last few times I went in.

[EDOldie]

The service in the Dog has always, no matter who's in charge, been questionable, but strangely having been one of the more expensive pubs in the area I think it is now one of the cheapest. Bringing this back to Au Ciel they certainly have the cheapest coffee (and I think the best) in the Village. Having been so knocked by the success of the Lane is the Village now having to compete on price I wonder?

[Pongo]

EDOldie Wrote:

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> Pongo, I was being ethereal.

Apologies - you just do it so well

:))

[lpool]

Seem to remember that it was the Au Ciel owner a few years back (may have been under different ownership then) that threw a wobbly because a well known "French" cafe in Lordship Lane was selling the same expensive cakes, but at about half the price the Au Ciel had marked them up to. Sadly, to avoid problems for distributor, the Lordship Lane cafe stopped selling them.

[EDOldie]

It's a gift.

Pongo Wrote:

>

> Apologies - you just do it so well

>

> :))

[johnhinton]

best coffee? there is the new Romeo Jones on Dulwich Village, where the staff/owners are embarassingly helpful. (Must go and look up the appropriate threads)

john

[katgod]

Have had bad experience in there too. They say they close at 5 - went in 4.45 and got the rolling eyes, "bloody customers" type attitude. asked if they were open or not - if they'd said not we would have left, but they said they were open. So I ordered an ice cream and a coffee, and was treated as if had asked for a full roast dinner - surely 15 minutes is enough time to scoopp some icecream and brew some coffee? Other customers in there complained about dishes being removed before they'd finished etc, and it all got quite heated. Seems to me that if you want to go home at 5, then you need to close at 4.45 to allow tidying up time. Probably an owner decision and staff not being paid past 5, even though tidying up etc needed. So they get upset customers who go elsewhere. bit more thought from the owner could easily over come this problem. Shame as it is a handy location.

do not agree thast village is snobby - people in the deli and bag shop very friendly, also book shop has great service.

[Carrieann]

The staff in Au Ciel are vile beyond belief. They never say hello, please or thank you and if you ask them for anything they roll their eyes and mutter in French. I have complained twice, directly to the staff in question, and got nowhere. I won't go back. I hope the manager or owner reads this and hangs their head in shame.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Hey Carrieann, what's your game now, can anybody play?

[KateW]

Glad we're not the only ones! Boy'f and I gave them the benefit of the doubt the first time they were rude but last weekend was the final straw when we asked for one take-out ice cream (at 4.40pm when they close at 5pm) only to be barked at that they were closing. I adore their pistachio ice cream but now refuse to go there as a result of their darn rudeness.

[grandpafred]

Where is this place???

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Dulwich. Visas available from Tooley Street.

[eccentric]

edited

[eccentric]

KateW Wrote:

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> Glad we're not the only ones! Boy'f and I gave

> them the benefit of the doubt the first time they

> were rude but last weekend was the final straw

> when we asked for one take-out ice cream (at

> 4.40pm when they close at 5pm) only to be barked

> at that they were closing. I adore their pistachio

> ice cream but now refuse to go there as a result

> of their darn rudeness.

Hi KateW try Hope and Greenwood on NCR they have the best organic butterscotch ice cream in the world (IMHO)

[Fuschia]

eccentric Wrote:

> Hi KateW try Hope and Greenwood on NCR they have

> the best organic butterscotch ice cream in the

> world (IMHO)

Jack's cafe sells pistachio ice cream...

[shoshntosh]

au ciel staff APPAULING!!! hurrah, at least it's not just me...

[bon3yard]

Satansburys do a cracking Pistachio Kulfi for the bargain basement price of...well, just over a quid. I'm sure its unethically sourced and has the blood, sweat and tears of a few disadvantaged asian types but when it tastes this good...and yeah, where is this place anyway?

[kristymac1]

Hope and Greenwood's icecream is to die for (and the staff are lovely) - particularly the cafe latte one. I bought the last of their supply for my freezer a couple of summers back - I was 5 months pregnant at the time.......

[chocaholic]

I was in Au Ciel last Sat. The staff are painfully slow. The girl who served us looked very stressed and grumpy. There was a bit of bickering going on between her and one of the other members of staff so that maybe explains the grumpiness.

I waited so long to be served I asked for a glass of wine without looking at the wine list...huge mistake. She kindly brought me the most expensive one on the list! ?6 for a glass....a tad steep. Tho after the day I'd had. I'd have probably paid ?10!

Wasn't going to go back but having read that they do nice cakes I may give them one more chance ;-)

[bawdy-nan]

I have to say that I have just had the most splendid experience in Au Ciel.

Yesterday at gobsmacking rush hour the card machine broke down leaving me picnic-less and cashless and marooned in non-cash pointed Dulwich Village. After much hanging around I was preparing to depart empty handed when the woman behind the till - (who is, I agree, not always super-sunny in a have a nice-day maccy-d-stylee) solved the problem by agreeing that I could write down my details and pay the next day.

She didn't have to be so accommodating and I'm not a regular but it made a massive difference to me.

Personally I'd prefer a bit of trust and flexibility to automaton perma-grin.

[Libby]

Bawdy-nan, I was in Au Ciel yesterday and was amazed to receive a cheery "goodbye" when I left! Did wonder whether they have stumbled upon this thread and as a result are pulling their socks up.

[Asset]

FYI Bawdy, there is a (free) cash machine in the newsagent in the village.

It's good to hear they were so nice in the shop.

[bawdy-nan]

Ah-ha! That's fantastic news! The cashpoint I mean - thank you for the info...