Chow Tory — Restaurant in North Island

Come on, Chow, you can do better than that. Much better. A lot better.

First impression was good. The line into Chow. The vibe. The décor. The crowd. The other reviews I read before coming in. The waiter/usher who brought me to my table. That’s it; it all slowly went downhill after that.

My table was sticky; it felt like it was not cleaned thoroughly from the previous service. The restaurant's cleanliness was meh. The food was decent. The cocktail was fair, and the dumplings and the fried chicken were worth it. All these matter to a certain degree, but I believe the service and the attitude matter equally, if not more.

During the whole meal I felt that I was perceived as almost nonexistent, as on several occasions I would like to add an order, add water, or inquire on something, after making eye contact/raising my hand/trying to gain attention with separate staff members, after a few saw me, they simply passed by me and continued onward without even stopping. If almost all other similar-style restaurants in the country are able to engage continuous interaction with the guest for the whole duration of the service, I think it’s fair for me to point out this oddity.

The majority of the staff pretty much just disappeared with 20 minutes remaining before the restaurant closes. The waitress who initially took my order was gone like a wind since the very first order. I added another bao bun after the first round of my dish. Sitting within reaching distance of the serving hatch, I watched the last remaining staff pass by my bun ten to twenty times without anyone bothered noticing it. It was left there on the counter for over 15 minutes. The staff who took my added order didn’t care to bring me my food even though he passed by the food several times; he simply took some to-go food and left.

Later, I was told that all but one staff just returned this week from getting covid, and I am sorry to hear that, I truly am, yet it still should not be a reason for the lack of professionalism. Being in the service industry is hard. Being a waiter/waitress is not easy. However, if the aforementioned health condition is hindering any/all your ability to perform your job, I believe not just me but every customer and everyone who cares for their/your wellbeing, that I rather have you stay home and get some rest and recuperate to your full capability before returning. I think it would be quite unreasonable if I am to work with my sub-par health condition, especially since it’s covid.

While there were compensations in the end, I hope and I believe this is not the way to conclude any service. Parting with guests via “sorry” and apologies does not go a long way. I rather pay the full amount or even order more expensive items from the menu and have a good night, than have to go through this unfortunately dreadful, hopefully a one-time-thing dinner.

While the following should not be any way of a factor in how I should be received, this first-time experience to Chow just made my first week in moving back to NZ for the first time in over 20 years extra peculiar. Being said, I don’t want to be treated any special. I am not and should not be a special customer. I just and should just be ANOTHER customer. Treat everyone EQUALLY. Unless this is the way Chow has been treating the patrons, then please carry on. But based on my observation sitting at possibly one of the busiest intersections in the restaurant for over an hour, it was not the case.

Finally I would like to thank Mere, the only staff in the end for the love of god who finally acknowledged me and tended me for hearing out my dissatisfaction. I appreciate being understood and provided the best explanation possible for their performance this evening. And I was promised the next time will be better. I have your word.

Chow, I hope this is just one, if not the only, outliers of your performance, as opposed to most of your other reviews. I hope my next experience will be better. The only way now is up, right?

(Including photos of the bun sitting there waiting to...

Update - Following the review below (which still stands regarding that staff member) Chow have contacted us and dealt with our feedback very well. We have since been for dinner and had a lovely experience with great and attentive (yet not overbearing) service. Would have given 4/5 for this experience, 1/5 for the first one so averaging it out at 3. Would like to point out that it's not often restaurants take customer feedback that serious so well done Brooke :-)

Unbelievably rude front of house staff, our group of 20 left due to his comments before we actually sat down on our table. We had a reservation for my birthday last Saturday, which Chow reconfirmed with us twice and we scheduled our evening around their availability as we heard a lot about the cocktails and nibbles. After we were asked to wait outside for a good 15 minutes, the 'bouncer' then said we could go upstairs and should go to our table. Upon entering the restaurant, a bearded front of house staff member didn't even greet us but had a go at me right away for walking in. We had already long signed in and were specifically told to enter by his colleague. Rather than clarifying that or at least asking how were were or whether we could potentially wait a moment, he then said after having a massive fit about how we entered: oh well, i guess you're here now and asked if we were still on for dinner. We had said twice upon reconfirming that we were there for drinks and nibbles, so that's what I told him. He then turned to his colleague who set up the table and said loudly: "Oh did you hear that, apparently they're only here for drinks, and that after you set the table so nicely. I guess you'll have to change it all again" in such a rude and condescending tone, that I actually teared up and felt so upset given I had spoken to two people about this, it was my birthday and we were very excited for this part of our night and left with my group without ever taking a seat. This experience may not sound as intense as it was in the review, but we could not believe how this specific staff member spoke to us. So this review is not about the food quality, but about how their FOH represents this restaurant. Don't usually leave reviews, but most of us kept talking about it for the next couple of days because we were absolutely horrified with their customer service, so just a heads up if you're planning to celebrate a special occasion there, you may just be made to feel ridiculous by that guy who clearly feels like he can turn away 20 people with his attitude and comment and didn't need...

Very sad to report birthday lunch here was really not very nice :(

reasons;

Food was awful. The menu advertises as fresh Asian food, proudly made in their kitchen. But everything felt like it has been made yesterday and was just sitting under a hot lamp. We were surprised that the dumplings were actually deep fried wontons. Dry, tepid pastry, really over cooked, flavours which sounded intriguing but just didn’t work unfortunately. Everything was so much more batter or pastry that filling - the filling was undistinguishable between dishes. Especially the dumplings. All tasted the same. Tempura cauliflower was almost burnt and was not in any way tempura… not light or delicate batter but thick chewy batter. The salt and pepper squid tasted like it was bought in, more pieces of batter than squid. Jackfruit bao was fine but underwhelming. The edamame beans were even not great, covered in a mountain of salt and boiling hot - almost like they’ve been nuked in the wavy boy. The cocktails were fine but not strained properly, the bar was filthy and really brought down the tone of the dining experience, really needed a wipe down.

Not the best service. It took 10 mins waiting by the sign (Covid related) asking you to wait to be seated, not the end of the world but then we were ignored by the first person to see us and the second seemed not super friendly and walked us to the back of the restaurant to a really dingy corner by the fire exit… past loads of nice two person tables. I asked to move to a booth and begrudgingly they let us sit there, it was for four so I understand why they didn’t want to use the table but it was really quiet and to be honest it was my birthday so was hoping for a cute booth or something special if available. No guidance on the menu or offers. My partner and I feel a bit stupid now, we paid over $100 for lunch on lots of little dishes, not realising they do a $15 lunch deal…. Would have really appreciated the waitress letting us know there was a deal? We love supporting hospitality but this venue made us feel like we wasted our time and money sadly :( especially on a special occasion.

Kind of left feeling swindled, not taken care of and with stomach aches from the food not being super nice.

If you do really want to go here, please do this deal and avoid all the dumplings and fried food…

Really has ruined...