Leura Gourmet — Restaurant in Sydney

we have never had a problem before. we always enjoy our meals. we are longtime patrons. *this particular problem can be dealt with quickly and easily. then other patrons will not be part of the 'water game'.

*if you read this and have experienced the same please comment. the manager will take more notice if there is more than just this one isolated complaint. the aim is to help improve. the service. this woman is sabotaging this business. other reviews focus on poor staff attitudes as well. I PITY THE OWNER.

on Mon 22 july at lunchtime the table next to us ordered coffees and tap water. the coffees arrived. then the bottle of tap water was asked for again. it did not arrive by the time a man at the table asked another table server walking past to get one. she did so immediately and apologised for the delay.

the SAME happened to us not 15 mins later. that younger smiling long fairhaired server is worth more money. 🙂

on Thursday 25 July we went for breakfast. we asked for a coffee and tap water. the coffee arrived. the water did not. I asked again. when the same server arrived with our meals she had still not brought the water. the meals had been cooked in this time. about 20 mins. I asked again. each time she said nothing. no "sorry" no "I'll get it for you now". she just walked away.

*we recognised the same pattern that had played out on the Monday. this appears to me to be passive-aggressive behaviour because she is not happy. I may be wrong.

about two minutes later I got up and went and got the bottle of water. I asked a chef where it was. *when I went to pay this table server arrived and went and stood behind the counter nearby looking at me. she wasn't doing anything else.

*I took the opportunity to address her. I pointed out that she had remembered a large order next to us in every minute detail. I then added that after the second time I had asked her for the water there was NO POINT asking her for a third time. that's why I went and got it myself. this summarised the situation for the other two staff members present at the till. a man and a woman. she NOW said "oh sorry!! sorry!! sorry!!" I noticed her apology just did not match her demeanour. I said a few more words to the other staff at the till and left. *a great question would be to ask her WHY she came over and just stood there while I paid.

*I wrote this detailed, accurate and objective account so that the context of my brief comments on the day are better understood.

*we did not go to play games we went to...

If you're Asian, don't come here — you will be treated terribly.

We were a group of six, including two young children and two seniors, and we were the second party in line waiting to be seated. A waitress instructed us to wait by a door marked “staff only,” where staff members were frequently coming and going. One of our children, only four years old, was nearly hit by the swinging door, so we naturally moved slightly forward for safety.

To our shock, the waitress immediately came over and told us—three times—that we must move back, despite the fact that we were merely trying to keep our child out of harm’s way. At that same moment, we observed a group of white diners also waiting to be seated, standing comfortably and undisturbed in the more spacious area near the tables.

When I asked them why we were being told to move to a narrow and unsafe spot for the children — especially when there was clearly a more spacious area in front that was still far from the dining section and wouldn’t disturb anyone while the waitress simply turned away and walked off. Moments later, a man emerged—claiming to represent the restaurant—and told us bluntly that this was their “rule,” and that if we didn’t comply with where they decided we should wait, we had to leave the premises. When we again asked why other guests were permitted to wait elsewhere, he pretended not to understand what I was talking about.

We were deeply offended and humiliated by this interaction. It felt targeted, unjust, and discriminatory. As people of color, it is impossible to ignore the clear contrast in how we were treated compared to white patrons especially in front of our young children.

The entire experience was filled with discrimination and disrespect. Our whole family was shocked and deeply angered. We strongly urge everyone to avoid supporting a restaurant that lacks even the most basic sense of equality...

POOR SERVICE

I am writing to formally express my profound disappointment and distress following my recent visit to your establishment. Having traveled a considerable distance with great excitement to experience your restaurant, I was utterly taken aback by the treatment I received, which I found to be both discriminatory and unprofessional.

During my visit, I was subjected to behavior that I believe was rooted in racial bias, as I was treated differently solely because of my Asian heritage. This is not only deeply hurtful but also completely unacceptable in any service environment, particularly in one that prides itself on hospitality and inclusivity. Moreover, while I was still dining, a waitress began clearing my table without any prior indication, apology, or acknowledgment of my presence. This action was not only premature but also lacked basic courtesy and respect for me as a customer. Additionally, when ordering coffee, I was not even asked to specify my preferred size. The waitress simply brought the incorrect size and proceeded to serve it without any apology or effort to rectify the mistake. Such disregard for customer preferences and the absence of appropriate customer service is extremely disappointing.

The overall quality of customer service I experienced was far below what one would expect at an establishment of your reputed standard. The rudeness and dismissiveness displayed by the staff are unacceptable and warrant immediate attention. I hope you take this feedback seriously and investigate the matter thoroughly to ensure that no other customer has to endure such treatment in the future. I look forward to hearing what steps you will take to address these...