The worst night out on LL (Liquorish)

[Jah Lush]

Louisa, why shouldn't we expect good customer service in Britain? I certainly do and if it's as shabby as this then I would certainly make my feelings known. Also, I think you mean the Ivy in Covent Garden.

[MadWorld74]

I agree. I really couldn't put my finger on what was wrong with the place either (apart and aside from the lousy food fandango)

The stark concrete and lighting was a bit Stasi-ish....maybe that was it?

[Gerrard]

I am with Brendan - I hate the layout, constantly been bumped into by punters wanting nothing more than to get a drink. Terrible place, almost on a par with the Vale IMO.

[macroban]

The local Stasi is located at 47 East Dulwich Road.

[MadWorld74]

whats at 47?

[Jah Lush]

Actually, I've never liked it, period. Not my style. Been in there twice and that was more than enough for me.

[mockney piers]

I actually think it was pretty good when it started. Food was simple, inexpensive and ok. There was a lovely waitress there who was always great, and the main man, a nice frenchman (never thought I'd hear myself using that phrase) genuinely tried to give people the best possible experience.

First he went, then she went, and the next couple of times I went (just to be sure) the standards of food and drink had plummeted (ensue drunken argument about I could make a better cosmo that resulted in some terrible cointreau related incidents at home some time afterward); and the DJ insisted on starting early, his music at full volume that I doubt any of the diners there at 6 in the evening ever returned (neither did their hearing).

I've yet to see it recover, in fact in the following 18 months or so it just seems to have got even worse.

[*Bob*]

Louisa Wrote:

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> But what you're failing to appreciate is that we

> live in ED, we live in Britain, we do not expect

> high quality customer service in the UK!

I agree with your point about 'demanding' vegetarians, but this is complete pants. If I don't get good customer service, I vote with my feet like everyone else and find one of the many places who provide it. We're not living in 1973 any more!

[Louisa]

Are you guys suggesting that British customer service has drastically improved since the 50's in the food industry? I completely disagree! If you venture north of Watford or indeed anywhere outside of London (especially those of you into fancy food) you would be shocked. Perhaps in certain parts of London you can and should expect high quality cuisine, but if you believe that we are on a par with other European countries you are sadly mistaken!

[Louisa]

... and this is coming from someone who likes traditional cuisine..

[Jah Lush]

Hmm...I think I'll just sit back and watch the bullets fly Louisa, just remember to duck.

[MadWorld74]

just to put the record straight. I am not a demanding vegetarian, so back off guys and gals! I simply enquired if the chef could substitute the Italian meats (if they stock Italian meats then I thought they'd have something else deli-ish)

I was brought up to complain if there was good reason and to complain without making a scene. Both of which I did.

[SeanMacGabhann]

As someone who travels far west and north in this country reasonably regularly I have to both agree and disagree with Louisa on this one

In many places the idea of tarting up a joint, inflating the prices and serving bad food is more prevelant than in London - it appeals to the middle of the road clientele who think they are eating posh.

Lower down the scale are the everyday chain pubs and eateries you get everywhere, including London

But for anyone who likes and knows good food it is easy to tell where somewhere is making an effort and I am rarely disappointed (or over excited to be fair) when I eat out elsewhere in the country. Standards have improved a lot - they just aren't where they could be (which shows how low they were) and customers ARE demanding more which is one of they key drivers

Accepting it's "where we live" and "it's always what it's been like" aren't really hepful attitudes - in any walk of life

[Louisa]

Sending the same dish back three times should have made the alarm bells ring in your head that perhaps this place was not what you were expecting. I would have not even sent the dish back, i'd have walked out or eaten it.

[*Bob*]

Louisa Wrote:

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> ... and this is coming from someone who likes

> traditional cuisine..

Well that would explain it.

The reason you've missed-out on Britain's food revolution is because you're still eating off the a-la-carte from 1973.

Yes, Britain does have a lot of crap restaurants. And yes, more of them are (proportionally) probably outside London. But there are fantastic places to eat all over the UK if you make an effort to seek them out.

[mockney piers]

A blunderbuss of a post there Louisa, hence resorting to fisking.

>Are you guys suggesting that British customer service has drastically improved since the 50's in the food industry?

Not that I was there in the 50s but i certainly remember the 70s and 80s and I would have to say the entire concept of service industry in this country has transformed, and now accepts that it serves a customer, not the proprieters ego, so yes, vast improvement (even if we've lost some 'character' on the way)

> If you venture north of Watford or indeed anywhere outside of London (especially those of you into fancy food) you would be shocked

Agreed, it's not uniform and outside the major urban centres can be like going back in time.

> Perhaps in certain parts of London you can and should expect high quality cuisine

Indeed, I'd like to be able to find it anywhere, but not every outlet has to offer it, I like to think every outlet offers service with a bit of a smile though.

> but if you believe that we are on a par with other European countries you are sadly mistaken!

Well yes and no. We still don't have the appreciation of food deeply within the culture to ever compete across the board with France, Spain or Italy (among others), however we've come leaps and bounds over the past couple of decades and continue to improve. Sh!t food with sh!t service should be extinct within the next 20; the idea of quality produce and culinary adventure is slowly grindin into the national consciousness.

[Keef]

mockney piers Wrote:

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> but i certainly

> remember the 70s and 80s and I would have to say

> the entire concept of service industry in this

> country has transformed, and now accepts that it

> serves a customer, not the proprieters ego, so

> yes, vast improvement (even if we've lost some

> 'character' on the way)

Did you complain a lot in the 70's? ;-)

[MadWorld74]

I remember 1973 A La Carte cuisine! oh dear...my parents still seek out those places that are still serving it up!

I don't believe I like 'fancy food' whatever that is. I just like good quality food. Eating to me is something to enjoy, it's not just to survive.

The waitress kept bringing back the plate, despite me saying that I didn't want it anymore. Mr MW74 was eating a burger at the time, so I couldn't make him leave his food and just walk out. (He said afterwards that he would have been happy to just leave, but he's a shy man so just forced it down his throat!)

[Louisa]

I am not going to disagree, on a basic and traditional level, British cuisine remains great, some wonderful fish restaurants in the westcountry/Wales and the west coast of Scotland. Some great local traditional pubs which serve local meats and veg, even in London we have traditional pie and eel shops serving up high quality but some would say very basic and bland cuisine. When we venture into the modern continental style with a British edge, we hit a brick wall in my opinion. Chains like the Beefeater and Harvester are still seen as the staple for a night out in places like Birmingham, Manchester, the London suburbs. You therefore cannot expect high qualty customer service across the board when all we are doing is diversifying into chains!

[Jonboy]

MadWorld, I think Louisa has been inflamed as you went to a rival of Eric & Margaret, qv. Try to bear in mind that they are the yardstick by which professional catering establishments, including the Ivory, are judged.

Totally agree with you - ending up with a piece of cheese isn't on these days, especially after trying to entice you with coleslaw first. Yummy. It reminds me of the Royle Family episode where they realise, to much consternation that Anthonys new girlfriend is vegetarian. Cue Nanna - "She can have a piece of cheese though Barb, can't she?"

Liquorice isn't a favourite, ambience is too wierd and I'll not eat there after your story.

[Mark]

Liquorish: They used to do good burgers and cocktails but haven't been there for a while, no real reason just that it's no longer on my personal preferred list. Also, as someone pointed out when I was in the new Sema Thai recently, don't people realise that solid floors, walls, ceilings and surfaces mean that the acoustics in a place are going to be loud and crap. OK, it's fashionable but it's annoying, especially in places like The Gourmet Burger Kitchen and Green & Blue. Bring back carpets and tapestries on the wall I say.

[Keef]

The Burger place is absolutely awful for that!

[LostThePlot]

> Chains like the

> Beefeater and Harvester are still seen as the

> staple for a night out in places like Birmingham,

> Manchester, the London suburbs. You therefore

> cannot expect high qualty customer service across

> the board when all we are doing is diversifying

> into chains!

Customer Service is not linked to the chain or the private restaurants, it should be seen as being something that delivered irrespective of the establishment. I have had excellent service in Licorish, and also the Harvester up the top of LL, likewise I have also had to go to the bar at both places to ask when my food is going to complain.

Sadly, we do have a habit of being "British" about making a scene when we're not happy with something. Making a scene is being a bit Am Dram about it, with wailing and gnashing of teeth. Never do that. Just state it quietly, and simply that you're not happy. Which you seemed to do. You're paying for a service, and that service should be delivered. Food is tricky though. If you don't like the taste fo something then it's not necessarily grounds for complaint. If however like Louise you get mucked about then you've every right to complain, and do so without being ashamed. Bob's VOTE WITH YOUR FEET comment is right. Never be afraid to walk out.

My 2p worth

[Ladygooner]

Jonboy, as I recall Nana's words were "she can have some wafer thin ham though, Barbara?"!

Jonboy Wrote:

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> MadWorld, I think Louisa has been inflamed as you

> went to a rival of Eric & Margaret, qv. Try to

> bear in mind that they are the yardstick by which

> professional catering establishments, including

> the Ivory, are judged.

>

> Totally agree with you - ending up with a piece of

> cheese isn't on these days, especially after

> trying to entice you with coleslaw first. Yummy.

> It reminds me of the Royle Family episode where

> they realise, to much consternation that Anthonys

> new girlfriend is vegetarian. Cue Nanna - "She can

> have a piece of cheese though Barb, can't she?"

>

> Liquorice isn't a favourite, ambience is too wierd

> and I'll not eat there after your story.

[mockney piers]

Louisa, I finally agree with every word in one your posts. Marvellous :D

Mark, totally with you on that. My hearing's pretty bad at pulling apart high frequency stuff, so I end up saying pardon the whole night.

SYT - Say Yes Tapestries anyone?