CL and her friend had a "horrifying experience" eating out at Food for Thought @ 8Q last evening (July 19)She wrote this review and alerted the management of the restaurant: "After our main dish (which was pleasant enough), my friend and I ordered the Red Velvet cake for dessert.
"After I bit into the first piece, I thought it tasted odd, hard and tasteless. Having never had it before, I thought it was how the cake was supposed to taste.
"However, this was not the first time my friend had the Red Velvet and declared that it tasted bad compared to the previous experience. I ate a couple more bites and then it dawned on me what was wrong with the cake, it was burnt! Not just burnt slightly but burnt black at the top and the base.
"I turned the cake over and discovered that I was right. I also scraped off the very thick cream cheese icing and to my horror found the black top as well (see picture). Given the very charred piece of cake, I informed the waiter.
"The waiter looked quite lost but carried off the cake to his very sour-faced manager who looked at the cake, shook his head and muttered something to the waiter. (All this while, I was in a seat facing the counter where the manager had plonked himself, behind the counter).
"The waiter came back, put the cake back on the table and informed me that he would give feedback to the chef. He left.
"After about 7 minutes, I wondered if he got lost locating the chef so I waved for him and asked if he had informed the chef. He told me to wait and went off again to say something to his sour-faced manager who was still behind the counter. The manager said nothing to him and the waiter went off.
"My friend and I continued to wait with the burnt cake sitting in front of us (in full view of the manager, may I add). The waiter meanwhile scurried around serving other diners without so much as another look in my direction.
"After about 15 minutes, I couldn't wait any longer and asked the waiter if he had informed the chef. The waiter then told me that he could not inform the chef because the chef was not present. He then looked at me blankly.
"By this time, I had had enough of the poor service and asked him whether he was going to just let the cake sit at the table or whether he intended to offer a replacement. He floundered and the sour-faced manager FINALLY looked up and spoke to me to ask me how he could help.
"I asked him whether he intended to replace the cake. His excuse was "oh I didn't know whether you wanted another cake or I would just waive the charges on that piece of cake". I asked him whether he ever intended to replace the cake or just make us wait whilst they allegedly gave feedback to their chef (who was not there!).
"Sour-faced manager grudgingly offered us another piece of cake. We chose one and he proceeded to go back behind the counter to get the piece of cake. Within my full view, he picked up the selected cake and as he was transferring it from the tray onto my plate, he TOUCHED the cake with his BARE hands to keep it steady and upright on the plate.
"Albeit he only touched a small corner of the cake but it was nonetheless unhygienic as he had been handling money and definitely unprofessional.
"Further, although he informed me that all the pieces of Red Velvet were similarly burnt, he continued to serve it to 2 other tables who ordered it instead of informing them that the cake was burnt and clearly not in a condition to be served or eaten.
"I am deeply disappointed with my experience at Food For Thought. This was my first visit to the branch at 8Q and I had heard so many good things about the place. What a disappointment :( "
Certainly a lot of food for thought!
LATEST:
Food For Thought management responded promptly (July 20) but inadequately.
"Thank you for your email and we are sorry that you didn't enjoy your evening. We will take note of your feedback and the appropriate actions would be taken. Thank you so much again.
yours sincerely,
David Heng"
After what CL and her friend went through, I think they deserve better.
BOO-QUET for poor service and inability to do damage control.
2 comments:
MM Lee was right to say Singaporeans are champion grumblers, as illustrated aptly by this rambling complaint about one piece of cake (for crying out loud).
Anon, you obviously need to put into perspective what you have just said. A meal for 2 at FFT would set one back by about $60-$80. FFT is not some self-service coffee shop counter from which good service can neither be expected nor demanded.
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