HuB Tata - Cafe & Guesthouse — Restaurant in North Sumatra

I really don’t like giving bad reviews to small businesses but I can’t understate what a bad experience this was.

I ordered the tempeh rice bowl and cendol. My friend ordered gado-gado and a milkshake.

After ordering I was told the cendol was unavailable so I base my review purely on the food and service.

My friend had their food delivered after just over 30 minutes after her order.

10 minutes later I received somebody else’s meal, followed by the customers who came in well after us receiving their rice bowls.

My friend waited for my meal letting hers get cold before she started eating anyway, I eventually told the counter to not worry about mine as my friend has almost finished. They said okay and as I went to sit back down it arrived at the table, 55 minutes after ordering with absolutely no updates during this time.

It wasn’t busy, there were plenty of vacant tables.

While the service was disappointing the food was far from worth the wait.

The rice was slightly above room temperature and extremely dry, as if it had come from a microwaved 2 minute rice packet that had been left on the counter a while.

The tempeh was cold and dry, the vegetables lightly blanched and unseasoned, the sauce was nothing special and served in an extremely small quantity, not enough to give the dish the flavour or moisture it needed, and the wilted greens served after the photo attached had zero flavour.

We received a sorry when we went to the counter and nothing more. I wasn’t expecting a discount, free food, or anything else, but an explanation, some water, or even just an update while we were waiting would have been appreciated.

The restaurant is clearly positioning themselves above the others in the community as a premium option. While it is still cheap relative to what you’d pay in western countries, it isn’t worth it, and definitely not worth it compared to other options here.

The final tip off was the service charge. I have an issue with service charges and tax exclusive prices to begin with (it was stated down the bottom of the menu and I was aware of this) but just include it in the price of the items, as it has to be paid no matter what, the only reason you’d exclude it is to make your prices look cheaper on the menu.

In response to the owner’s reply: I appreciate your kind reply and you addressing my criticisms.

In regards to the service charge and tax being exclusive from the listed price, just because this poor practice is normalised in Bali does not mean the practice needs to spread.

If you want to show transparency then list the prices of the items with the service fee and tax included then where you note at the bottom of the menu that items are listed as tax exclusive, change that to say tax inclusive.

Even better, work the service fee into the price and never mention it, nobody likes to be charged a mandatory fee for something that couldn’t be avoided. Nobody likes the government taxing them, why would they want to pay a tax to the business just to be able to order food too? It’s purely to make the prices appear cheaper, nothing more.

Again, thank you for addressing my criticisms and I hope you can use them to better your business in the future, you have a beautiful cafe and excellent potential.

Original review: The service charge is what dropped my review from a 2 star to a 1 star though. If I had crappy service, why should I pay a service charge?

Don’t waste your time or money. Just go and buy a pineapple and some bananas at the roadside stalls 2...

Waited 1h to get our food… staff apologized but still it’s too long for such a simple meal that in the end was room temperature and not that good. Others had their food before us even if they ordered after us.

I picked snicker milkshake that was good, not sweet at all but tasty!

Then 30 minutes after gado gado arrived and the veggies were ok, either steamed or raw, nothing special. But the problem was the sauce that had not a lot of flavors and like a bitter taste ? I didn’t like it so I just ate my veggies, so a bit expensive meal for just veggies…

Then 30 minutes after my friend had his rice bowl (so 1h after ordering) but the server tried to give him the wrong meal in the mean time. At that moment I already finished my meal so we didn’t eat at the same time… his rice bowl had not enough sauce, its was good but nothing exceptional.

Maybe the other meals are better, like the pancakes that I saw and that looked yummy. But everyone were served after 30 minutes so it’s too long anyway, and the place wasn’t full.

I’m disappointed because the place looks nice, the view is food, the staff looked kind, but the wait was too long for meals that aren’t that great and also for that price, much improvement can be done, in the end it’s more aesthetic than yummy, so not worth the wait in my opinion, and don’t forget that you need to put the service charge at the end price, so a charge for a service...

HuB Tata charms with its white windows, pops of green, and postcard-perfect views of Lake Toba—talk about a serene start to the day! A lush little garden adds to the magic, with blooming flowers doing their best to distract you from your growling tummy.

Breakfast, though? Patience is the main course. If you’re an early riser with a jam-packed itinerary, the wait might be a test to your zen, which thankfully we weren’t in a rush, though our tummies would beg to differ. Distractions were much required which can be exploring the place out.

We tried the Loaded Pancakes 🥞(less “loaded,” more “lightly accessorized” with a choice of mango, coconut flakes & home made choc sauce) and the Caprese sandwich—delicious but barely enough fuel for adventurers on the go.

Bonus points for the cozy cottages below, some with lakefront views and direct water access. Although, a docked boat next door does take away a bit of that untouched-lake vibe.

Bandrek served was like a gingery, brown sugar potion that warms the soul, though became a teaser which could be downed quickly before our meal was served.

Verdict: great for vegans/ vegetarians. Come for the views and vibes, not the speediest serving. Best enjoyed when you’re in no rush.

Note: theres a 10% tax and 5% service charge thats stated below the menu on every page thats...