The thing is, how do you go about judging a restaurant? This is the question I pose to you. I'm keen to look at food (that's probably important hey?), ambience and service. What I need is how to weight these categories. What do you guys value as most important? If you get a great meal in a shopping centre does that compare to an average meal on a gorgeous wine estate for example? How much of a difference does the waiter, host/hostess, chef etc. make to your overall experience? Enough to ruin a great meal? Enough to make an average meal acceptable?
I'd love to know your thoughts. I'll get the basic vibe you guys are after and then start trawling through the archives to give a rating to every restaurant I've reviewed so far.
Drop me a line (jokes man, who actually says that?). E-mail me at jamiewhoblog@gmail.com or just leave some thoughts below.
Cheers,
Jamie Who
Posts
7 comments:
This is a tough one. You could rate like john platter: Like the "super quaffer" i.e value for money would be rated differently to a top notch expensive restaurant.
Rating should cover:
*value for money/cost
*service
*venue ambience of surroundings/asthetics/view???
*taste/flavour
*presentation of food
*menu choice
*general impression i.e gut- feel
For instance, we had a group of JHB visitors and decided to try the new Grande cafe and beach restuarant on the 29th. The venue setting is awesome, the service was shocking (we were seated outside in the cold wind with gas heaters that blew out or were out of gas. We were cold and enhaled gas until we managed to get a manager to help remove them), they stuffed up our orders. Some of us ate later than others and my chicken dish and veg on the side (all extra costs )was awful. Their speciality Kingklip sauce was aweful according to one guest. The bill was initially incorrect (overcharged)and we finally walked out paying R350 a head. I woke up feeling "raped". Gut-feel: crap
Service, service, service
..so top weightings should go to:
1sty.Taste of food
2nd.Service
3rd.Overall gut-feel
4th.Cost
I think so many things effect a dining-out experience - Here is what i what i would rate:
**Food (obviously -this is super important)
waiter (cause they can make you annoyed or happy)
**Location (cause burgers are nice at steers, but somehow if I got to eat a steers burger at the mount nelson it would taste even better)
**Price (right now that matters alot to people)
**Vibe (even the hippest, prettiest restaurant can be ruined by too many people, slow service and table that are too close together)
I'd say service to begin with. It kind of sets the table for you - if the waiter is on the ball then you're halfway there. If not you're meal can be amazing but would it be worth the snotty, slow or lazy service?
Food - of course - the tongue doesn't lie.
Prices - was it worth the price, or were you suprised to receive awesome food at an awesome price.
I also think you need a fair meter - what you pay for is what you get.
If you're at Nobu at the experience is terrible and the food don't measure up - you can hit them hard.
But if you're eating at low budget place, where the waiters are getting ripped off - should you expect great food and great service?
And then leave the rest to personal taste. I hate bright lights, terrible chairs and people packed ontop of me - everyone's got their stuff!
Good luck
I like to categorize restaurants into groups like la colombe, maze and other fancypants places, upmarket café/bistro type places like the food barn, speciality restaurants like massimo's pizza club, and quick bites and old faithfuls - like those spur burgers you grew up with. I personally love spur nachos AND la colombe's fillet with truffle and brandy sauce, but the former is like a love between siblings and the latter, like lovers - incomparable...
I have one restaurant that I have always given a 10/10. It is an experience, the setting, the food, the waiters are well trained, the chef - all and all there is NO other restaurant in South Africa like Bell Gables. If I want to have a million dollar eating experience I go out to Bell Gables.I have tried this system in the past 9 years but restaurants just do not last and are mostly mediocre.
Sometimes we want good food and then we try other restaurants or bistros. We do not get too technical with a rating as we believe a restaurant should be all about the food - the rest is part of the side-show/garnish. If the food is good we will go back if not we will try another place. I can not see myself going back to a restaurant because the view or decor was amazing - but if the food was delicious I will definitely go back.
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