edit:artcaffe

 Since my last review of Artcaffe, I’ve been there a couple of more times to warrant an edit of my last review. You see, this is what separates the good from the great, the tall ones from the giants and the remarkable from the memorable – this is ‘consistency’. A quality that many a people are lacking and also a quality that many a restaurant/cafe/callitwhatyou may are in need of a definition for!

Location:They haven’t moved last I was there. Still at West Gate Mall, Westlands

Hospitality: Service is good but slow…it’s just too busy! That was then. Now…

The service is absolutely horrible!! It has deteriorated to the point of shame, shock and horror. There are two girls and a dude decked at the entrance who smile at you and ask you ‘table for?’ and make a lousy attempt at sending you to a table without any thought into it then slowly drag there feet back to the door to idle chit chat. Then there is a waitress who seems to be serving all the patrons sitting inside. She’s flustered, infact, she looks like she’s about to cry cause she’s so inundated with angry patrons and no one’s trying to help her! The supervisor has come to our table twice to ask us if we are fine and twice we’ve said we have no menus yet and she’s promised to get us someone to deliver the menu. I mean seriously, will it kill her ailing back to bring us the menu herself. Oh sorry, I forget she’s the supervisor and that would be beneath her. So finally flustered girl comes round to us and we are asked again whether we’ve been served to which my not so patient colleague spits out hell no! Oh dear this is not good!

So we finally order but they forget my bottle of cold sparkling water. And when we are done, we wait, and we wait, and we wait, and I think of taking my top off and flashing my boobs at everyone to get someone to notice that we are asking for the bill because we need to head out back to the office. The supervisor comes back again and requests asks whether we are done eating. She walks off apparently to get someone to clear the table and bring us the bill. At this point I want to shoot her in the back with a paintball gun but she’s too busy giggling at the end of the restaurant with the restaurant manager being all important!!!!

Finally the bill comes and I hand them a credit card and then they disappear. And we wait, and we wait, the tips of my hair are greying. So do I tip really. My conscious tells me to tip the flustered girl cause she’s the only one earning her keep. As we walk out we have a harmonious ‘thank you’ tailing us from the three musketeers at the door who could have helped with the service but are tasked to stand at the door.

I rest my case

Food: Consistently superior and offers such impressive tastes, right-sized portions, simple but varied menu. That remains true and the chef gets my kudos.

Decor: Chic and polished, comfortable (must turn up the a/c though…)

Views: The terrace provides some interesting traffic view

Parking: Ample and secure

Rating: Six stars

I have dropped this to three stars, yes three stars!!!! Service is an integral part of the entire experience. And I was frustrated, tired, irritated, upset…..and many more negative emotions were running through me that killed my ability to enjoy anything!!!!!

Shape up soon or I’ll be gone forever!!!!! That’s if you even care.

Rate-o-meter:

1 star – Eeewwww!

2 stars – consider another business, basket weaving maybe…

3 stars – alright, I probably tipped the change in my wallet

4 stars – you delivered and I tipped willingly and generously

5 stars – are you kidding me, you rock, will be back!

6 stars – it’ll be hard to keep me away.