Franco Manca: are they serious??!!

[dimples]

I found when I went there the pizzas lovely and the staff dreadful, just not interested .

[Laurent Quenelle]

-- moved topic --

[ernesto]

its pizza, not el bulli, course its going to be uninspired production line crap

[Take Note]

Exactly...

[rbrtdngl]

Eaten in and taken away, never had a problem with the service. Tasty pizza and reasonably priced. Everyone experiences moody and obnoxious staff from time to time, get over it!

[dbboy]

see http://sodopizza.co.uk/

[Alex K]

Sorry, dbboy, the associations with "sodopizza" are... off-putting. I don't want some toppings. Excuse the phrase "toppings", the same goes for "bottomings". At least on my food.

[BJL]

Shame about your one bad experience visiting FM, Laurent Quenelle - I've been going about 4-6 times a month since they opened and have never had anything other than great, friendly service. And really good value, tasty pizza. I've also eaten at the original Brixton location (when they took over Eco) and don't get your negative comparison.

"The fact that I had recently found out that it had been bought by a former Pizza Express executive"

Where did you "find out" that info from? A former PE executive is mentioned as a shareholder in this article but not as the owner.

Finally - do you ring other takeaway restaurants and ask the staff to read the menu over the phone to you? As has meen mentioned here, FM is usually quite busy...

[Ruffler]

rbrtdngl Wrote:

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> Everyone experiences moody and obnoxious staff

> from time to time, get over it!

Errr.. Not really. If I did I certainly wouldn't return.

[ernesto]

hard to give it nhappy smiley faces 24/7 when yer on minimum wage and faced with the booooooorgeoise + their snotty nosed "gifted" offspring of east north east clapham day in day out.

[jimbo1964]

ernesto Wrote:

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> hard to give it nhappy smiley faces 24/7 when yer

> on minimum wage and faced with the booooooorgeoise

> + their snotty nosed "gifted" offspring of east

> north east clapham day in day out.

FFS

[Sue]

As all tips go to the staff, they have an additional incentive to give good service, which in my experience they do.

ernesto, you really sound a happy soul from all your charming posts on this forum. Maybe you should go and work at Franco Manca and be a little ray of sunshine there :))

[ernesto]

fawning servility with a smile. the moon on a stick.

[ernesto]

I am paying you to be cheerful and happy. I do not wish to know of the issues you have with housing costs or other such trivialities on min wage . I am wealthier than you and deserve to be treated as such. know your place.

[miga]

.

[ernesto]

indeed, but as you say, it is a transaction involving 2 people. both have to play the game. I would not want to deal with the patronsing vermin who often frequent the vibrant LL.

[jimbo1964]

ernesto Wrote:

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> I am paying you to be cheerful and happy. I do not

> wish to know of the issues you have with housing

> costs or other such trivialities on min wage . I

> am wealthier than you and deserve to be treated as

> such. know your place.

Well no wonder you're having trouble relating to people if that's your attitude.

[ernesto]

*woosh*

[Sue]

ernesto Wrote:

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> indeed, but as you say, it is a transaction

> involving 2 people. both have to play the game. I

> would not want to deal with the patronsing vermin

> who often frequent the vibrant LL.

Why don't you go and troll somewhere else?

[ernesto]

removes antagonistic post

[Pocket]

I was really disappointed in FM and haven't been back. Thought the menu rather limited (quite a small selection of bland toppings) when we went one evening. Found the menu 'what you could have / could not have together' options odd and rather confusing. When we did order pizzas were large but really sparse on flavour and - yes - pretty sparse on toppings too. We all agreed it was like eating a large flat piece of sourdough and not a lot else.

An interesting concept (stylish interior, 'authenticity' vibe etc) but I felt (and yes - it's just my opinion)it completely lacked soul. Sorry FM!

[Cyclemonkey]

We have been regulars at the Brixton branch for a few years and have been to the East Dulwich one a couple of times. The pizzas are very good with decent quality toppings. I like the wine but it does say on the menu that the mineral driven nature of the wine may be challenging.

We have found staff to be busy but good - we were even given a free panettone on Christmas Eve. However it is a busy place for casual dining not a special occasion place, maybe people need to adjust their expectations.

[Jeremy]

Cyclemonkey Wrote:

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> it does say on the menu that the mineral driven

> nature of the wine may be challenging.

I've not tried this wine... but surely for a cheap-and-cheerful pizza place, wouldn't they be better off serving a less "challenging" wine?

[Cyclemonkey]

Well maybe. However casual is not the same as cheap and cheerful in that way - if you read the menu they out a lot of store by local sourcing and quality ingredients. The wine is an organic wine from the Piedmont region and the notes say it is a lot less fruity that people would normally expect a red from the region to be.

[Ellem86]

LQ, I have to say I was disappointed as well because I was expecting the Brixton standard but I didn't dare post about it on the forum because I know that any comments about local businesses which are not entirely positive are not well received here, regardless of whether or not they reflect your experience. It's quite possible to love ED but still not enjoy a meal/service in a restaurant. As a number of people have said that they enjoyed their meal at FM, I will give the place another chance as it could be that the chef/staff were having an off day when I visited.