Wednesday 14 September 2011

Service charge to charge or not to charge, they just charge it anyway!

I often dine out and I don't feel that you should tip if the quality of the food is bad, the food service was slow, the waiters are unhelpful or rude or if I didn't enjoy my dining out experience.

I won't name and shame places, that I have not paid service charge but you can imagine its a little awkward when you tell them that their restaurant sucked. If a customer does not want to pay service charge then they shouldn't challenge it in front of the eyes of all the diners in the restaurant. After the bill is paid and the diners are about to leave with their coats, then the restauranteur should ask is there anyway we could improve your meal? That's the polite way of getting feedback, if the person is grumpy general then they will complain, if there was a legitimate reason they will mention it. If they want to be stingy and save £18 then they will just say it was OK. Word of mouth goes a long way.

A restaurant faux par I have noticed when restaurants have a voucher deal they increase the service charge for all diners. One restaurant increased service charge from 12.5% to 20%. How do I know this I eat at the restaurant then I get my voucher deal email. Go on the website to see how good the set menu deal is. Read the terms and conditions, pedantic but you should know what you are buying these days. If there is no service charge included I look at the restaurant website and their menu. To see whether it's better to use the deal or go there normally. Or eat at a new restaurant I haven't tried. Yes these are my thought processes when I book a table.

I think that the service charge is now averaging 12.5% but in London you pay up to 25%. The big who ha about whether the waiters and waitress receive the tips, well I really hope they receive it for the level of service they give. But from a business perspective if you have lots of outgoing food wastage & no dinners then you are seriously in trouble. Skimming of tips so you can still run or you can make a better gross profit. You might think that is really cheeky. Same concept is happening in recruitment market some companies just pay staff the Bare minimum to keep afloat or cut staff down leave the people remaining to do 2 roles.

When I have eaten at amazing restaurants I use to be able to write the gratuity. One particular exceptional restaurant I left £50 tip dinner party of two meal was £80 plus my tip I think that works out as 62% tip. The oyster were fresh, the menu was inventive, the waiter was polite had good knowledge of menu, they did not hassle us , poured the wine correctly by twisting at the bottle so it doesn't drip, the wine had a cork not screw cap, the wine was reasonably price and tasted good with depth, they don't fill my glass until it is empty, or even better they leave me to pour the wine, the attention to detailed quality of food, the food is cooked with passion with every leaves you wanting more, a good cocktail as aperitif, the dessert has to rich and with lots of choice, the decor and ambience should be inviting, seating area should not be tightly packed n I hate sitting on a table near the toilet.

If a restaurant gets it right they really do get it right and they will override the recession, be busy and receive a good gratuity. I don't think that it should be automatically added to the bill. People should be able to pay the amount of gratuity they feel the service deserves. Being in a recession most people tend to not want to pay tips. If people are dining out they have the capacity to decide where to go and what their budget is. But shouldn't it be in the choice of the diners to pay gratuity based upon the emphasis of discretionary?

Sunday 11 September 2011

Neal's Yard Salad Bar - Alfresco, Jazz and Brazilian FeiJoada!

Neal's Salad bar is located in a Secluded area near Covent Garden. It makes a great escape for lunch or a break from walking around the shops. Sometimes the word Salad bar sounds like the restaurateur mission to create healthy eating, when the word bar is always associated with that alcoholic martini shaken not stirred.


So if your wondering what on earth Guarana is, its like a Brazilian fruit ice tea. I think the official Guarana website needs some help with the re-wording of their advert.
'Although we won't deny that taking guarana has some effects similar to those you can expect after taking caffeine, it is the exotic flavor that makes guarana sodas so interesting. The best brands deliver a fruity taste, aren't overloaded with sugar, and have a pleasant aftertaste...' http://www.guarana.com/

Jazz















Why I love Neal's yard so much, when the sun is out and the Jazz is playing you feel slightly at ease and slip away into your own escapism.


  
I decided to try a very famous Feijoada, Beef, Pork, Black Bean & Sausage in thick gravy served with spring greens Fried banana, Farofa & White rice. The origin of the feijoada runs back to the sixteenth century with the introduction of slaves in Brazil. Slaves were used for many things, cotton production, cocoa production, rubber and with the gold rush boom for extraction of diamonds and mine digging. Peasant and rustic food always shows alot of character, from the modern bubble and squeak to hot pot stews.
The Brazilian Feijoada is the Brazil undisputed national dish. It is a recipe of bean stew with rice and pork. Different garniture is used in different parts of Brazil, but usually include “farofa” (mandioca, a root from the rain forest, mixed with maize flour and oil)

Originally feijoada was made using every part of the pig, such as ears, tails, and nose floating among the beans. I think I tried the tourist version instead of offal they used fine cuts of beef and pork. I really enjoyed eat the Feijoada, it tasted like a rich stew with thick savoury gravy sauce. The meat was tender and was seasoned with Paprika, Garlic and Pepper.The white Farofa side is not something I would eat again or cook for my guest at a dinner party it tasted like dry couscous without any flavour bordering white saw dust. Overall I thought the dish tasted amazing very unique but reminisces a hearty stew.

The venue:Neal's Salad Bar
Cuisine: Brazilian
Date visited: 17/08/11
The damage: £12 Lunch for one 
The food: 8 out 10, The food was authentic with a wide range of dishes whether your a carnivore or vegetarian, the place offers something for everyone... yes they even have an all day breakfast.
The service: 9 out 10


Will I recommend it: Yes
Will I return: Yes
Have I had better: No... There aren't many Brazilian restaurants in London.