Surtoe — Restaurant in Ghent

Subject: Ribeye steak microwaved

The subject line may seem sensationalised, but it did happen - please read on. Surtoe was recommended to us by a local friend praising their steak and food in general. It was a spontaneous decision without a reservation on a Sunday night at around 8:30pm (they close at 9:30pm). The restaurant was quiet with around 3-4 tables seated. Once seated, we were rushed to ordering (no English menu so we used Google translate). As we had some bites before, we, a party of two, only wanted a steak and a starter with a beer and a glass of wine. The female waitress commented, “people normally have 2 mains.. you are seated in a nice table.. we have a rule at least one main per person on the menu… appetiser does not count as main…” We appreciated they have house rules, so the lady went on to say she needed to check with the chef but proceeded to ask how we would like our steak. “Medium rare,” we said. After coming back, we commented to her that we would have appreciated a bit more kindness not being rushed and not being forced. She went on to say she has been in the service for over 24 years (suggesting she knows better?). By then, we commented that we would just like to go, but she mentioned order has been placed. Fine, our mistake for responding to her that “medium rare” is how we would like our steak. Food and drinks came eventually. Presentation were fine and tasted well but immediately, the steak was rare and not medium rare (see photos). We took photos and asked her if it was cooked medium rare, in which she said, “it’s the Belgian medium rare.” Please can people comment if that is correct that Belgian medium rare is actually rare. Nevertheless, we requested the steak to be cooked a bit more, so she brought it to the kitchen, and due to the restaurant being very quiet (only 3-4 tables seated), we could clearly hear microwave being used and upon looking at the open kitchen, our steak was brought out from the microwave and to our table (see photo). We confronted her that you cannot just cook the steak in the microwave, she reacted by saying, “the steak was not in the microwave… I cannot do this, just leave…” clearly upset and perhaps embarrassed. We left - shocked. We do not have issues with restaurant rules, and we did wait for her to ask the chef if it would be ok for us to order less. We absolutely cannot tolerate being rushed, mistreated, and food being cooked without care (which legitimate restaurant would microwave the steaks). Therefore, this restaurant is a must avoid. It will be good to hear their response to the photos.

Responding to the restaurant’s follow up comment: If the kitchen closes at 8:30pm, please inform the customer. We did not force you to serve us - you were fine for us to order a steak, grilled prawns starter, a glass of wine and a beer. If this was not sufficient for your minimum spent, politely let us know, and we would go. No one treated your wife as a private slave. The steak was not cooked to what we expected (please respond whether “Belgian medium rare” is different from the standard medium rare?), so it is only fair to request the steak to be re-cooked and certainly not microwaved. I am happy to let the photos speak for themselves. I trust they were not the standard you would be proud to serve. My comment remains true...

My wife and I had a fantastic experience at Surtoe.

We were offered a seat and an aperitif by the bar whilst our table was being prepared The ambiance, decor, tables and cutlery was very classy and spotlessly clean.

But the best part, without question, was the food.

Delicious fresh bread was offered whilst we waited for our food (which didn’t take long to arrive)

We had the beef carpaccio and prawn croquettes to start, followed by Dover Sole and Ribeye steak. Everything was cooked to perfection.

The quality of the food that comes from such a small kitchen is very impressive.

We were not rushed to leave our table once we had finished our food, contrary to other comments on here, we actually shared a drink with the husband and wife owners, who celebrate 25yrs of the Surtoe restaurant this year.

It just goes to show, if you show people some respect, you will receive warmth (and good food) in return.

Thank you for such a great experience, hopefully we will...

A very very good, honest restaurant serving excellent seafood.

We had a delicious prawn starter, with a couple of showstopping mains. The tuna was cooked perfectly, and the Dover sole equally so. Good wine and a friendly atmosphere meant we had a lovely time at Surtoe.

Before coming here I had read the reviews and was a little apprehensive about the welcome we would get, but this is a welcoming family run restaurant. Hospitality is a difficult trade, and part of your bargain as a customer is to go in and order food and drink. I can well understand an owner not being happy with customers who don't order appropriately. We have no...