Portofino Italian Restaurant Bath — Restaurant in Bath

To be honest, this is my second time visiting this restaurant. When I first came here, the service and food were very good. That time I ate with my son, but the second time I went there to eat, the attitude of the service staff was very problematic. First, he had a weird reaction when I entered the restaurant. There was only one other customer and me in the restaurant, and there were no customers at other seats. Since this was my second time dining, I asked him directly if I could sit in the same seat as last time. He said he couldn't use the table but didn't give me any reason. His attitude was already very unfriendly. Later I ordered two entrees. Judging by the look on his face, two entrees are enough for four people? Do I have to order an entree per person? In addition, after eating, the wife took her son to the bathroom to change his diaper. I followed her and changed my son's diaper. We entered the toilet together. The service staff saw us walking into the toilet together. He saw me taking my son in to change diapers, and knocked on the door while I was changing diapers, saying that only two people could go in here. Why? what reason? Because I'm Asian? Am I more likely to be bullied? Do you discriminate against us? As for the food, I did think it was good the first time I ate it, so I brought the whole family to this restaurant again this time. Unexpectedly, this dining experience was so bad. Instead of improving, the food deteriorated. I ordered a risotto and a pasta dish. The risotto was normal, but the pasta had no flavor at all. Not even a basic salty taste. Even if I make it at home, it still tastes better than him. I don't think I will eat at this restaurant again. If you have children, I recommend avoiding this restaurant. Finally I asked the waiter what his name was and he answered me. I won't reveal his name here. I know you will read this message. If you see it yourself, check...

Paid my first visit to this restaurant on a whim. Decor looked nice from the outside.

First sign of trouble was when the lady at the front of the restaurant hesitantly asked me if I had a prebooking for myself (I dined alone) when 80% of the seats inside were empty. Finally got a table and she told me I had to vacate the table by 630pm; I had arrived at 515pm. Fine. No biggie.

Took a look at the wine menu and I should have walked out right there and then. A 175ml glass of bog standard pino grigio starting from £7.50 a glass? 500ml carafes of wine costing over £20? They're not some old vintage stuff either. But never mind I soldiered on. Figured I'd try it out once anyway. Maybe the food would be worth it.

Ordered the lobster ravioli and the tempura jumbo prawns. The tempura prawns had soft and limp fried tempura shells on them. Four for £12. Nothing to shout about.

The lobster ravioli came in what they described as a seafood bisque, but from the picture one could see that you can't tell where the ravioli ended and the bisque began. The bisque struck me as more of a marinara chunky tomato sauce with little barely discernible seafood bits in it, yet this somehow had more body than the ravioli swimming in them.

The lobster filling in the ravioli was pitiful and the ravioli were even smaller than the prawn ravioli one could buy from Sainsbury's. And the whole ravioli dish couldn't have had more than six ravioli in it. Even the side portion of chips I ordered was more filling than the ravioli dish, which was one of (if not THE) most expensive dishes on the menu.

But at least the food wasn't bland. So that's something. Gave the same feedback I said here to the waiter when I paid my bill. His only response? "Well you're paying for the flavour".

Overpriced place for tourists and rich retirees....

WARNING - DO NOT ORDER OYSTERS OR OTHER SHELLFISH FROM THIS RESTAURANT, YOU WILL GET SEVERE FOOD POISONING. THIS RESTAURANT HAS NOT INVESTIGATED THIS AND HAS BEEN CAUSING FOOD POISONING TO CUSTOMERS FOR THE PAST THREE MONTHS.

UPDATE 19/02/24

I am very disappointed that you have not so much as acknowledged my email suggesting that you are selling food that is causing food poisoning.

Whilst I enjoyed the food which didn't cause me food poisoning and had every intention of returning, your lack of response to both this email and my neutrally-worded review on Google, as well as multiple other Google reviews complaining of exactly the same thing as recently as 6 days ago, has spurred me to lodge a complaint with Wiltshire Council's Public Protection team who will be investigating your restaurant for selling food which contravenes food safety standards.

I also see Portofino claiming that a customer was complaining about spending so much and "should not go to expensive restaurants" - who wants to go to any restaurant and get food poisoning?

Rude conduct from the restaurant.

UPDATE 09/01/24

The following day after eating here, both my partner and I became ill with bad stomachs and I was bedridden for a day with chills, vomiting and hallucinations, with my partner having a temperature and headaches the following day, luckily she escaped the hallucinations!

I researched and found that when oysters are stored improperly or not treated before serving can pass onto you a vibriosis infection, which gave us our exact symptoms.

I contacted the restaurant with a friendly email on the 22nd December and was not replied to - I am now posting this review publicly.

DO NOT ORDER...