Monsieur Bleu

Definitely in the top 3 meals I've ever had taste and presentation wise. Unfortunately the service and atmosphere from the staff let it down. This was a very special, if not my most special, evening meal planned in my life. I had within a couple of hours just proposed to my other half to great success. I had preempted this by putting a message on my initial booking, and when a confirmation call for the reservation came through for the booking on the day I excitedly told the staff what the day was, her birthday, and engagement.

We wasn't very warmly welcomed by staff, told to wait a bit on the couch area to the right, then we were given menues. I asked if we could move tables to one with seats, and this was arranged without an issue.

We sat down and enjoyed a very tasty meal, all be it that our location was infront of the kitchen doors where staff were in and out. This didn't overly matter, but we had arrived before most of the other guests with plenty tables free. Presumably our booking wasn't as high up on the list, perhaps from me only booking the venue a few weeks back 🤷‍♂️, although when looking at the website you could book for the following day so maybe we were just unlucky.

In a state of euphoria we still had a lovely meal. But didn't receive any congratulations or any extra nicities. My girlfriend had her birthday badge on full display. Another table had a birthday and some form of something was brought out with sparklers, but this didn't happen to us.

We decided to go for a cigarette before deserts. While smoking it started raining, to get back to the front door we used a blanket which was on an outside seat to cover us, while laughing. The staff very grumpily took the blankets off us us and said they were not to be used like that, it felt like we were told off like children and there was no humour or smiling. It frustrated us that the welfare of a blanket seemed to be more important than paying guests.

At this point, we decided to skip deserts and get out as we didn't feel welcome. On paying, the waitor (who I will commend on their polite professionalism and knowledge of the menu) wished her happy birthday and we left.

I had saved up for this meal, and overall felt I should have gone somewhere else where we'd have been made to feel more special. In hindsight I can understand that you must have many engagement bookings, but for me, this was a once in a lift time which tell short. I shouldn't have been made to feel out of place there and left dissatisfied.

My girlfriend was trying her best to be positive, but she was visably less happy than she was before we came to the restaurant.

My only assumption for the lack of nicities is that my fiance was planely dressed in just jeans and a tshirt and didn't look the part to be in a posh restaurant. Unfortunately, as is the nature of a suprice engagment, she was just wearing normal day to day clothes. Maybe I'm over thinking here, but this is how we felt, that we were not important enough to receive any special service from the restaurant despite seeing it happen at other tables.

Again, the food was superb, compliments to the chef, but no compliments to eating the food in this establishment.

All we needed was a congratulations, a smile, or a sparkler at the very least.

The following night we went to a much more afordable Italian restaurant. Where we had a much nicer time. A free glass of prosecco and a warm welcome and congratulations - it isn't hard or a big cost. We left them with a nice tip, and we were happy.

I should have spent my saved money elsewhere.