The Begging Bowl

[Gidget]

Am not prepared to queue up like that for a table. It's too much like the crazy crap that was Meatwagon and everything else it turned into. Bad form for the Begging Bowl to not reply to a customer's letter. They are the ones who are acting self-righteous. They are part of the same group as The Herne and the Palmerston after all.

[Gidget]

m&m fairy,

You say you like street food and don't mind queuing. The prices they are charging aren't street food prices, so are you still happy with queuing?

[annabel42]

It was not so long ago that the Palmerston was asking on this forum for forumites suggestions as to how the Herne could be improved.

[Earl Aelfheah]

Generally I would agree that it is bad form to make light of a customer complaint on Twitter. Having said that, if the BBs claim is true that the customer emailed a threat to rubbish them via their ?large group of friends? and by way of social media, whilst also using the company letterhead of a well known investment bank upon which to pen their letter (a very silly thing to do IMO).... well, taken together, this may go some way to explaining their inadvisable action in the treatment of this complaint.

Having said that, we don?t of course know who?s account is the most accurate. There is enough to suggest two sides to this story however and that being the case, it may be wise to discount this particular anecdote and give a new business the benefit of the doubt.

I suggest that anyone interested makes a visit for themselves and reach their own conclusion regarding the food and service they encounter.

The BB may also want to be a little more considered about their use of social media when discussing customers (even difficult or unreasonable ones).

[Gidget]

IJJ1963 Wrote:

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

> One of the chefs and owners of the Herne and

> Palmerston (the one recently on TV in the Battle

> of The Chefs) is involved but it is independant

> from both and is run by Head Chef Jane and

> Manageress Jenny. The Head Chef is a top chef from

> NZ who has cheffed at some top restaraunts in

> Thailand and she designs the menu. The place is

> open from 6.00pm - 10.00pm Tuesday to Saturday and

> 12.00pm - 3.00pm Saturday. How do I know all this?

> I ate there again last night for the fourth time

> since it opened! It is by far the best and most

> authentic Thai food I have had outside Thailand

> and the attention to detail and authenticity is

> obvious when you taste it (they even make their

> own coconut milk by grinding fresh coconuts each

> day and dont use that tinned stuff you get served

> everywhere else). I have not had too much trouble

> getting a table but if its busy we have a drink in

> The Victoria and one of their lovely knowledgable

> staff comes over and gets us when our table is

> ready - what could be better? I appreciate the

> convenience of being able to pre-book especially

> for the outside tables - which, I understand, were

> hand-made by a local craftsman - but we have never

> had to wait too long. I have made reservations at

> some so-called top eateries only to be sat at the

> table half an hour later than booked and be

> dissapointed by the food. If you had to wait 24hrs

> at The Begging Bowl, I can assure you it would be

> worth the wait - you will not be dissapointed by

> the food. It is that good. My veggie mate was also

> similarly impressed. The place is great and a very

> welcome addition to the area. I think they may be

> underpriceing until they are established - how

> else could they serve such top quality cuisine at

> such a low price - my advice is to get down there

> before they start charging what they really should

> for cuisine of this standard.

I think this is a fake recommendation, perhaps done by one of the owners related to the Herne. On one of your previous posts you recommended a company that had done work for the Herne. You are also claiming that The Begging Bowl is underpriced and yet no one else appears to agree with you.

[Gidget]

IJJ1963 Wrote:

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

> I ate there on Friday the food was the best Thai I

> have had in this country no wonder the place was

> so busy. The place was buzzing and as well as the

> outstanding food - try the gurnard rabbit and

> sirloin dishes - there was a great selection of

> beers and wines. Considering the exceptional

> quality of the food it was really great value get

> down there before they realise they are

> underpricing themselves and put their prices up. I

> thoroughly recommend the place.

Same person again.

Edited to say - And why leave two write-ups in 3 days?

[annabel42]

Gidget

Have you thought about reporting this?

[tim hill]

who is IJJ1963. he sounds likeb he works there, he must be a cheif.

[annabel42]

Or perhaps some-one connected with the Herne Tavern or the Palmerstone?

[LondonLogCo]

IJJ is probably trying to curry favour with the owners

*boom-tish*

He probably does some work for them, or is trying to

It's all a bit gusshy and purple, if be'd added " and I want to marry them and have their babies" I wouldn't have batted an eye lid by the end

But, he's put me right off

So "nil point" for that review

[Gidget]

Or, he could be the part owner who also owns the Herne and Palmerston.

Reminds me a lot of the fake reviews that were put up by the Hellenic restaurant that must not be named.

[Jeremy]

The posts do seem rather over-the-top. But it could be one of the foodie/blogger/twitter crowd sucking up to them or something. Who knows.

[annabel42]

In which case not an objective review and therefore to be discounted.

[Gidget]

Sounds like the sort of blurb a PR company would write - IJJ1963?

[IJJ1963]

Steady on Gidget & co! for the record i am not an owner or employee of the Begging Bowl and have no connection or interest in the place other than i thought it was the best food and value i had had in ages which is a view echoed even more enthusiastically in southwark news and elsewhere i posted a second message to clarify points raised on the forum gleaned from having gone in the BB several times and chatting with the staff is that not the point of the forum? i have no connection with the palmerston other than i have eaten in there once but did not see fit to post any recommendation. i have posted recommendations on a number of builders and service providers who have done good work for freinds and family one of whom i was introduced to at the herne quiz night and who does work for them and the palmerston a fact which i only mentioned as a point of reference for forum users clearly some others have not enjoyed the BB as much as southwark news evening standard and i did but the best way for people to judge a place is by going down there and trying it for themselves judging by your rantings you seem to have some sort of axe to grind with them and appear to be using this forum as some old gossiping fishwives club is this how you spend all your time? how sad you really should try and get out more i hope that this clarifies your misunderstanding and misconception and that you get yourself a life some time soon all the best.

[Gidget]

Punctuation is your friend.

And your reviews were very sycophantic.

[annabel42]

YouIJ 1963 are not doing the BB any favours by insulting the very people you are urging to try the

restaurant.

[LondonLogCo]

UDT x Fazer ?

I'm quite breathless after reading that

Anyway, back on topic. Are they doing any early promotion or deals sometime soon ?

[Gidget]

No doubt IJJ1963 will know of any upcoming promotions or deals.

[taper]

Gidget

Stop digging and apologise perhaps?

[Peckhamrye]

Could we possibly just get back to hearing about how people find the place? I ate there, found the staff charming, the pricing a bit inconsistent, some of the food not as chilli-hot as I would have liked but a world away from the usual Thai offerings. I will be back.

[Gidget]

taper Wrote:

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

> Gidget

>

> Stop digging and apologise perhaps?

I don't have anything to apologise for. Why do you know so much about the review being done by the Standard? Very curious.

[taper]

You accused IJJ1963 of writing a fake recommendation and of being associated with the Begging Bowl. I assume s/he has now satisfied you that it was not a fake and that his/her view of the place is a genuine one, honestly held? If so, you should apologise.

[standswithfist]

Gidget - reading your posts is like reading a witch hunt! Have you been yet to the BB? When you do i will gladly read your review. But if not stop complaining!

[annabel42]

In the interests of objectivity, the following seems to summarize the overall opinion of the posters who have tried the BB:

Food : Excellent; some food not so good; debate as to whether too much or too little chilli; portions too

small.

Staff service: Friendly, welcoming

Queuing : On pavement, sometimes long waits of up to an hour. System in place whereby called to table from

Victoria pub; doesn't always work as customers sometimes forgotten.

Pricing : Overpriced

Owner/management

PR : Not good; only response to written customer complaint - discuss publicly on social media website.