Pipasha — Restaurant in Cambridge

The attitude of the staff is not at all good. After calling when we came they said they do not have us on reservations list. I felt they did a big favour in allowing us in the restaurant. Later we ordered something that was only side dish. They came back telling that we cannot serve you if you do not order main courses. If side dish is enough for us why should we order main course ? It should be our decision not there. Avoid this restaurant when there are many others who know how to behave and talk to customers

Response from Owner as below

Dear Sir, firstly thank you for your review. This allows us to reply to not only you but our wider audience about our policy and our version of events.

Firstly you called ahead and asked about availability of a table, we advised you that reservations are advisable and it can only be done online. Walk in is at your own risk, however as it stands; a table is currently available.

3 of you walked in, as per usual; we asked you if you had a reservation. It’s not unique to us only, any restaurant would ask the same.

You confirmed you did not have a reservation. We accommodated you without any issues.

You proceeded to order just 1 side dish and two rices between 3 people. Our policy is that you have to order at least 1 main and it’s clearly shown on our menu and you took offence to this.

May we take the opportunity to reaffirm to you, for us to remain a viable business, we need to make a minimum amount of revenue from a table. For us to justify our resources, you need to order at least a main dish. Otherwise it is not worth us giving you a table. You may not agree with our policy, but it has been clearly explained to you. We gave you the option to upgrade your side dish to a main dish, so you can still enjoy your meal and meet our policy.

We feel that we accommodated you, served you and educated you on our policy with respect. You still ate your meal, which we are sure tasted good and served you promptly.

Honestly, asking you to order one main dish between 3 people is not a big ask in return for a table and service from a busy and popular establishment.

Responding to owner ======= Thanks for reply. I could not find button to reply back so I am editing to review to have my response at one place.

I wish all the best business for the restaurant but I must reply as I see the some of facts were presented in different manner from actual

These review not only help restaurant but to customer as well.

Food is really good but I had mentioned about two main problem. Attitude Policy.

Point 1 explained below If you see your response below it clearly shows the attitude you have. Below statement aligns with our complain that you behaved as you did a big favor to us

"We feel that we accommodated you, served you and educated you on our policy with respect." If I felt respected, I would have not written this review. There was no education, it was told to us not in nice way

"Honestly, asking you to order one main dish between 3 people is not a big ask in return for a table and service from a busy and popular establishment." not correct, see below

"Otherwise it is not worth us giving you a table." is money is more worth to you than a customer satisfaction ?

Point 2 explained below "You proceeded to order just 1 side dish and two rices between 3 people." This not correct, we were two adult and one child and we ordered two side dishes. We are not eating in restaurant first time that we do know how much should we order

"for us to remain a viable business, we need to make a minimum amount of revenue from a table" With the good reviews about taste of your good you are in position that you should take pride. Instead of forcing your policy on us, you should have felt confident that customer would order more and cannot stop on two side dishes. Also you are long established food joint you cannot go out of business just serving one customer who does not agrees completely...

Superb Three out of three now

Way more than three now, this is my go to after the recommendation of a (now very favoured) work colleague. The flavours have always been magnificent, the service efficient and friendly. Assuming the preceding...

1 was the duck rezella. If I had any complaint it was that the meat was a little well done, but the rest rescued it. 2 was the lamb kalimirch, again superb. 3 was chicken makhani. About now I'll stop saying how good it was, because my repeated visits should make it clear I wasn't being disappointed. 4 was the Goan fish curry. I'm not really a fish fan, so although I appreciated the delicacy of the spices and the fact that it had been cooked just to the point of readiness, ridiculously tender, it wasn't my favourite. 5 was a return to the lamb kalimirch. It was significantly hotter than before, which I mentioned, perhaps sweating slightly while I did so. Moments later my waiter arrived with a bowl of yoghurt. It's like that in Pipasha. 6 was the prawn badaasha. Smooth, creamy, the faintest heat, so as not to overwhelm the sweet nuttiness of the prawns. 7 being the chicken tikka rezella - the chicken's a bit dry for my taste, the rezella part is smooth and complex, not my favourite so far but better than most anywhere else.

(All of these dishes ordered sans bell peppers.)

These guys have earned my support, which isn't the easiest thing to do, and that's why I've taken the trouble of...

I enjoyed a meal at Pipasha with my father. We ordered a special sizzler, the Number 17, rice, a very large doughy thing with a flat layer of meat within, something spicy with chicken, something not very spicy with lamb and eventually a yogurt drink, and I dare say, I ate the bloody lot.

I should warn however, one of the spicier dishes came with no less than FOUR whole chillies. Not one to leave food, despite my sensitive digestion, I ate them all, heroically. This was very painful on my tongue and the next day, on my nether region. Specifically during the night. It didn't help that I had eaten so much either, for I was abruptly awoken to a lump in my torso which just had to be removed immediately and I have been thanking the heavens above for the exceptional organisation of my bathroom, for there was plenty of paper with which to clean the aftermath of my spicy encounter.

I must definitely recommend Pipasha to anyone who is into their spicy food. If you're not into your spicy food, I would still recommend you come here, but maybe you should not eat anything too spicy. Fortunately the very kindhearted people who work at Pipasha will be able to tell you whether or not the food you are considering to eat will be spicy or not. If you are afraid of asking, I can solemnly...