Pigalle Restaurant Bedfordview — Restaurant in Gauteng

We booked for Sunday lunch 1st April for four people. The waiter did not inform us of any specials on taking our order. Being Easter the restaurant was very busy with many large tables. We accounted for this when waiting quite a while for all courses. The main issue was the fact that what is quoted on the menu, and what is served is very different. We ordered a caramelized pear and almond table salad. The pears were very sparse which is unacceptable when quoted as a main ingredient. In addition, there were olives included ( a complete taste contradiction) despite the fact they were not listed as an ingredient. As non olive eaters, they were not a welcome addition. However, as they were also not plentiful, we let it go. Three of us ordered the chicken dish, described as chicken breast stuffed with brie, sundried tomatoes and pesto. Not one of these ingredients was there, but the breasts were stuffed with.....you guessed it! Olives. When I communicated this to the manager, he agreed they should have been mentioned, asked if we wanted something else but was quick to add that to make another dish would take a fair amount of time. We declined as it would result in a totally disconnected meal. We waited to see if management would show any gesture of compensation on our bill. It should not be the patrons' part to ask. Naturally, the full price was charged for all three chicken dishes. It was totally apparent that our small party of four was of no significance in relation to other big groups. The simple result is that after many visits, we will not return, and I will ensure that our disappointing experience is shared as widely as possible. Ironically, a friend had been to Pigalle the week before for a birthday dinner and felt that the restaurant's offering was disappointing too. Time for an honest look at your customer...

My husband booked for Valentines dinner because he always has dinner here with his leadership team and highly rated it. But I'm afraid to say that I think they overbooked for Valentines day. When we got there, they were not ready for us, and I had to stand for a good 15 minutes in high heels because the bar was full of other couples also waiting for quite a while. Eventually, my husband went to the front and asked the manager what was happening, and then they took us to a table in the middle of the restaurant. The set menu was nothing to rave about and had very limited options, and it was not cheap. They messed up my starter and then burnt my main, my poor husband was so embarrassed and upset because they ruined what he hoped would be a great food experience. By the time dessert came they had put my Creme Brule in a small round ceramic bowl but a few ladies around me had gotten theirs in beautiful long dishes, and my husband said theirs were right and mine was not because he always got his in the long dishes, I guess they just really did not like me. The manager did come after they messed up my main and gave us free coffee, but that didn't make up for the bad...

To use an analogy, a dinner/experience of 2 halves!! Arrival OK, shown to table, looks fairly smart, gives an impression of trying to be upmarket, didn't live up to it! Initial service fine, drinks arrived OK, starters were good. Then I ordered Lamb Rump for main, with Polenta fries. Dish arrived, didn't quite look like lamb, didn't taste of lamb either, wife tasted & agreed. Called waiter, who stated it was lamb and then got manager, who came & confirmed it wasn't lamb, never happened before in 13 years! Was replaced after awhile, wife's food now cold. No Polenta fries came, asked about them and was asked if I wanted fries? Brought regular fries and said Polenta would follow, never did!! As a way of apology, manager offered a coffee, then a liqueur, neither of which we drink at end of dinner. Then agreed on a glass of a good red. Were brought 2 glasses of chilled red that was actually colder than the white. Obviously a cheap wine from either a bottle open for sometime or maybe a box. Manager never appeared again, because he was eating his meal with another member of staff in amongst the customers!! Not achieving that...