Westwood Meathouse — Restaurant in Bashkia Durrës

Poor experience here, despite it having so many high reviews (draw your own conclusions on that...) We didn't have a reservation when we arrived (around 8pm on a Friday) and advised that they would check it was ok, when we were led into the restaurant there were plenty of empty tables so seems like they just want to create an illusion of exclusivity / fine dining. Once sat we were given menus, asked if we wanted water and then left to peruse. There were 3 or 4 staff members just wandering around and we waited at least 10 minutes before we were approached by a server to take our order. For starter, we both ordrred the caprese brushetta. It was ok, wrong bread used. It was thivk and chewy. Quartered cherry tomatoes rather than juicy slices and definitely needed more olive oil (was better once I'd added a decent glug). We waited about 10/ 15 minutes for this to arrive. During this time a DJ started blaring music, making it very difficult to hear each other - and enjoy our meal! For main, my husband ordered a 400g pichana, asked for it medium as he had seen pictures online that looked like the steaks were cooked pretty rare - the hope was that if he asked for it medium it would come medium rare. He was right perfectly medium rare - not what he asked for, but what he wanted. It came with a little sauce pot with some liquid that was set alight, it went out within a couple of minutes. We weren't told what this was but summised it was probably raki set alight, needless to say don't dip your food in it! Steak was over salted too. Pictures attached (not best as lighting was low where we were sat) was my MEDIUM RARE duck - still clearly quacking. I tried to eat what was salvagable but had to leave the rest, mash was lumpy too. The server came to check on us early on into our mains, where I had pointed out that my duck was rare. He clarified I asked for it medium rare (I did) and gestured to the duck indicating that what I had was medium rare, I pointed out that what I had was very rare. Considering the poor service this far, the wait for food and blaring music I didn't want to spend anymore time here. We asked for the bill as soon as we were done eating, at which point they arrived with the korca my husband had ordered before our mains had arrived...clearly forgotten about. We had a bottle of malbec (2800 lek) too, which was nice enough. Bill came to 9,900 lek (about £100) - paif and promptly left. The place is for the 'gram, service poor, food lack lustre and place treated like a club. Give this place...

Saw this place on google maps and wanted to try something new and judging from the reviews how it had almost perfect and how good all the pictures looked I thought it would be very good. I had already seen it was more on the pricey side but I was ok to pay for quality. Went there, atmosphere was ok and we sat down everything good. Prices were even more expensive on the menu there but still I was ok if the food would be good. Ordered my steak well done because thats the only way I eat it and they said ok, but when they brought the steak it was more like a medium rare so I requested for them to cook it longer and the waiter said “there’s only like 3-4 pieces not fully cooked but sure we can make it possible for you”. They should have been able to do it since the start and not after bringing it wrong, but anyways just a small mistake it was okay I could wait longer. They bring it back and it was still not well done, even after I told them to make it brown on the inside it was still pink. I was very hungry at this point so I just decide to eat it and it was so tasteless, no seasoning nothing. Not to mention the steak came with 3 small cubic potatoes… Before arriving I was very very excited to try the steak and french fries combo but the dissatisfaction was unreal after I experienced it. Waiter asked if everything was okay I said not really because of the steak and another wait came and said well we don’t recommend it in well done. They could have said earlier so I can leave and not waste my time but still doesn’t change the fact it was tasteless. Anyways go at your own will, I don’t recommend this place.

P.S. Thanks for the comedy act! Just a friendly reminder: in the hospitality world, respecting all guests' preferences is as rare as a perfectly cooked steak at your joint. But hey, given your talent for undercooking beef, maybe you should stick to comedy - you seem to have a knack for it! 🤙 Cheers to improvement, maybe next time you'll nail both steak and customer...

We ordered starters. Fried mushrooms 12 euro and cheese baked potatoes 8 euro. The mushrooms, didn't taste like much, but was very crispy. But they were served with KETCHUP! like a children's meal. Not good. Asked for another sauce or dip, but all they had to offer, was mustard and mayonaise. Not at all satisfying. I asked for salt and pepper 4 times, but it didn't reach the table before I only had 2 mushrooms left. We ordered wine, which was served with sublimity. And a very well produced Argentinian wine at only 20 euro. The cheesy potatoes was very nice, very cheesy.

They brought the garnish for the main course to the table, when we weren't half finished with the starter. We told them to wait and bring it with the meat. They looked surprised.

The coke we ordered, didn't reach the table, before we asked for it the 3rd time.

The main course was served. Nice fried potatoes, again served with ketchup and an entrecote, very tender and nice, a portion of wild duck, which was not as tender as hoped and the 2 very different types of meat was served with the exact same garnish. NOT a very good choice as beef and duck are very different types of meat.

The waiter tried to explain that the duck was meant to be dry, but it had a very strong ligament in the middle of it, that made it impossible to chew. (It was a duck breast filet)

All together not expensive compared to Danish prices, but very expensive in Albanian standards. And definitely NOT up to the standard, proclaimed in the description.

I would recommend the entrecote, but only the meat, the garnish was not suitable or well prepared. More thought should have been put...