Restaurante Lá ao Fundo — Restaurant in Funchal

We ate here last night. The food was generally tasty but our evening was frankly ruined by inconsistent service and the incredibly rude owner. Certain waiters were excellent whilst others looked like they'd rather be anywhere else and couldn't be bothered to describe the specials. The free soup and our starters were tasty, however I ordered the Mozambique shrimp curry for main and a huge bowl of curry sauce came out but I had to fish in it for 3 tiny shrimp, whilst there were about 5 big heads floating in it also (obviously inedible). My husband had about 8 shrimp of this size in his starter so something clearly wasn't right. I think it's only fair to bring this to the attention of a restaurant if you are minded to mention it in a later review, so I did mention it quietly to one of the waiters. He ignored me so I mentioned it to another when asked how our meal was whilst we paid. He confirmed it wasn't fair that there were only 3 small shrimp, and he asked someone else to speak to the owner. Unfortunately it became clear that the waiters are terrified of raising a complaint to the owner, who they refer to rather unapologetically as Gordon Ramsay. You may think this is a jovial pet name, referring to good food and a charisma but you soon learn it really pertains to being in Hell's Kitchen with his awful temper and his showboating for certain 'chosen' guests who appear to be friends/acquaintances of his whilst ignoring all other guests (another table were told they couldn't reserve a table in a certain area as these are always kept for the owner's friends). On hearing I had mentioned the 3 shrimp in the curry, he came over to essentially tell us off for complaining and arrogantly said I was lucky there were 3 prawns as in some places I would have only got 2, whilst seemingly complaining that we didn't speak Portuguese. His behaviour was so loud and rude that his own waiters were embarrassed and several other tables commented, thus it ruined their evening as well as ours. A shame, this place could be so much better. We travel and eat out a lot and never have I been treated so rudely. We will not be back and have told our friends here on the...

Very disappointing given the reviews. Overall overpriced, and experience was absolutely bizarre.

Pompous and stylish service to start, we accepted the couvert but then were delivered pathetic bread rolls that were basically airplane quality (and tasted like they'd already flown around the world a couple of times). I asked if they had any other bread, and the waiter said no but he would gladly bring some fresh ones (ours were clearly stale), made a big flourish of bringing us each a new side plate, new knife, laying it all down... and then placing just another of the same bread rolls on it?!? Meanwhile, the olives and dip accompanying the bread were of no better quality...

The starter was an improvement, quite a tasty samosa. The mains were .. well, once again the service was baffling. A very exaggerated display of bringing a player of rice, clasping a fork and spoon awkwardly together as if they were tongs and serving each of us two scoops of rice and then one soup of curry... completely unclear why this was necessary or desirable. Later on I saw them serving other tables this way too so I suppose it's some practice of the restaurant, but it makes no sense! As for the actual food, the prawn curry was "okay", a very generic curry taste and very small number of prawns, and the rice wasn't even the right grain to really accompany it...

The kicker was that the service which was over-the-top to begin with just deteriorated dramatically - first becoming chaotic (different waiters coming to us and asking us the same questions), then decaying until we were completely ignored by everyone.

Truly can't understand the high reviews...

Highy not recommend tatare. Today evening (22.01.25), I came here second time. Before was really nice and good meal experience, but was different 'tatare master'. This time, really nice waiter, took my order. I ordered: meat tatare and grilled tune fish. I have been alone, so easy peasy service for good team. Not this time, the weakest link was "chief".Arogant for all. Stuff were working gr8, but only he had to make my starter-tatare.I was surprised, when he started preparing meat outside kitchen, honestly he did it on the trotuar side. Sec. surprise was when he started chopping meat he even not at once did he wear gloves🤯 In meantime he had a lot of situations to jovial and unnecessary discussions with other people. After more than 45 minutes of waiting for the starter, I articulated my nervousness. He came to explain that he had a lot of "work" to do, but I saw everything!!😉 This moment, I decided to cancel my starter.

5 minutes later I received totally cold main dish!!! Enough is enough! I have left this place without pay. He wasn't surprised.

I'm curious why I was ignored by him? Maybe he don't like bloody tourist but he doesn't must work here.

I would like to once again compliment the waiter. He was the only one who showed embarrassment this situation.

He deserves a...