It being the time of year for that sort of thing, tomorrow night is my work Christmas party. Unfortunately, for some inexplicable reason, the people that plan these things have decided to take us to this. Bearing in mind my recent run of bad restaurant experiences, and the fact that categorically the worst meal out I have had this year (and one of the worst meals I’ve ever had, for that matter) was on our company holiday in Lisbon back in October, I took the liberty of checking out some of the reviews. It’s not looking good–here’s a selection:
– “This place is wrong, on so many levels.”
– “Awful. Dreadful. Very Very bad. Don’t go. And if someone has booked it for you – don’t turn up. Honestly.”
– “…even if you think ‘well its as much as you can eat and drink for £40 all in’ – It is not worth it.”
– “I have never been anywhere so awful… The unlimited beer and wine was foul.”
– “This was the worst evening out I have ever had in my life. Everything was poor. The staff attitude, the music, the food and the drink, all were poor.”
– “We were served a peculiar meal, which included potatoes, a vegetable discovered by the Elizabethans.”
Even the small number of positive reviews don’t fill me with confidence: one of them describes it as a “tacky touristy place”, and another suggests that “if you want fancy [you should] bugger off to All Bar One”, (which of course we all know to be the epitome of fine dining).
So I find myself with something of a dilemma: should I go? Will it be so bad, it’s good? Should I just go so that I can write about it? Anyone?
Go! Go go go!! And complain!!!
Drink as much as you can?
Yes, but according to the reviews even that isn’t the place’s saving grace:
“And don’t be tempted to think that at least you can get drunk and forget the food – the beer is warm, flat dark ale and the wine is undrinkable.”
and
“The unlimited beer and wine was foul”
Oh dear. Good luck
Actually, in the end it wasn’t nearly as bad as it could have been (but then I didn’t pay to go there–I’m not sure if I’d feel the same way if I had had to pay to get in). Certainly wouldn’t be top of my list of London tourist attractions…