• Added: 30th of May 2008
• Area: Brompton
• Category: Restaurants

London SW1W 0PP
020 7958 7000

VICTORVAN said
Beware the double-tip
I took a party of my work colleagues here for a leaving do. The food was pretty good, and the service was efficient.

When the bill arrived (for about £450) I noticed that 12.5% service charge had been added. This is fair enough, but on this occasion half the expenditure had been on drinks consumed at the bar before the meal -- you wouldn't normally give a 12.5% tip in a pub!

I was then asked by two different waitresses if I'd like to give a "tip" on top of this.

Of course the "double-tip" scam is still widespread, although you won't find it at the really best restaurants. When you then don't give a "tip" as well as the "service" you're made to feel mean.

So be warned!

• Added: 3rd of November 2007
• Area: Holland Park
• Category: Restaurants

London W11 4UE
020 7221 6090

VICTORVAN said
Nice food, shame about the service
This is a smart Italian restaurant on Holland Park Avenue. It's been there for a few years and is clearly popular with the well-heeled local residents.

The menu is the standard modern Italian fare, with a few unusual pasta dishes added for good measure.

The food itself was pretty good -- particularly the seafood risotto which was chosen by two members of our party.

The service was efficient, in terms of how long it took for dishes to be brought to the table, etc.

But attitude? The waiters and managers (all male on this particular evening) were the most charmless and humourless bunch of people you could imagine. Not a smile or any attempt to be pleasant from any of them.

They clearly don't really care as the place was full up on a Tuesday evening.

But I can think of several other Italian restaurants with comparably good food, but also with the added ingredient of being pleasant to their customers.