BASE Plenty Valley — Restaurant in Melbourne

Yesterday morning 3 friends and I attended the Groove Train at Plenty Valley. When we first arrived, my friend was looking for a lighter to have a cigarette. The manager snatched the ash tray and replaced it with a "no smoking" sign. Mind you, I have sat at the same table in the past whilst my friends had been smoking. The lady who served us rushed us to place our order and took half an hour to provide us with table water. When she did, she slid it across the table with an angry look on her face. My friend (who is Muslim and cannot eat ham/bacon) ordered eggs benedict without ham/bacon. When her meal was served, she found a slice of bacon in it. After telling the lady, she dismissed her complaint and put a new meal in front of her (which made her feel sick to the point where she couldn't eat it). As we went to pay, we told the lady at the counter about the pork incident and implied that we would not be paying for the eggs benedict with the bacon on it. She went and got her manager for him to tell us that we were paying for it because we got what we ordered in the end without an apology. I said it was ridiculous but proceeded to pay anyway. We told the man we were paying half cash half card (which I have done every single time I had been there in the past) and he said no, we only accept one payment method so we went to the ATM to get cash out. As we returned, I told him that the customer service at his restaurant was disgusting. He rolled his eyes and he told me I have a "bad attitude" with a smirk on his face. I will never, ever return to this restaurant again. The management team and the staff are all rude and disrespectful. I work in hospitality and if I spoke to customers the way he did, I would not have a job. Isn't the customer...

I hope my honest review helps them improve both their food and service. There’s potential here, but they seriously need to step it up.

Here is my Honest Review

Service : was really poor. There were only two staff members on the floor, and it felt like it took a year to get any attention. I was waving my hand so obviously, yet they never seemed to notice. If you’re short-staffed, here’s a suggestion: have a QR code menu with online ordering available at the tables. I really don’t think tips should be expected with service like that.

Food: The portion sizes were fair for the price. I ordered the calamari salad and the seafood paella. • The calamari salad was completely tasteless—even after I asked for extra dressing. Luckily, there was salt and pepper on the table, which helped make it more edible. • The seafood paella was honestly ridiculous. It was served on a cold plate, and the rice was wet and sticky—like risotto. Paella rice is supposed to be dry, al dente, and slightly crusty at the bottom, not mushy. It seems like the kitchen confused risotto with traditional Spanish paella. This dish really needs improvement.

Drinks: I ordered a hot chocolate, and surprisingly, it was the best part of the meal. But even that had a flaw—it came in a short glass that was too hot to handle. Hot drinks should always be served in a proper cup or mug, not a glass.

Honestly, when the food arrived, I couldn’t even be bothered to complain—I just wanted to eat...

I’ve been to Base at Plenty Valley before and it’s nothing special, but over my last few visits there has been a decline in product, coffee is average and service has become non-existent. Owner please pay attention. Generally I get asked if I’d like to sit inside or outside. I get shown to my table then I get asked if I’d like a drink or coffee before I choose something from their menu. Today, same deal. I walk in late afternoon, I ask if I can sit at a booth, no problem the place is 3/4’s empty. I go to the booth where there are crumbs on the seat. I wipe away the crumbs myself and sit down. Note the lack of housekeeping. There were no staff members near me to hand me a menu and no one came to ask what I’d like to drink. So I wait and I wait. I’m looking directly at the staff being one female and two males + one behind the coffee machine. I’m waiting for a menu, or some sort of acknowledgment, but they are busy talking amongst themselves and looking at their mobile phones, particularly the female. There was a complete lack of situational awareness. Umm, hello? Don’t you want my money? I left it for 5-10 minutes and when you are sitting by yourself, 5 minutes feels like an eternity. A male staff member walks past me and again no acknowledgment. In the end I got up and left, I wasn’t even asked as I departed the premises. Soooo, in a nutshell would I go back? No way, unless by some miracle things change there. Pick up...