Tanjia Garden — Restaurant in London

Last Sunday evening 9th Feb I came to have dinner with my young son. I had the worst experience in my life!! Never ever have I experienced anything like this before!!

I am absolutely disgusted by the poor customer service by the manipulative waiter and the dirty waitress in her dirty tracksuit with a dirty mouth, both trying to make it look like it was my fault for ordering food twice and accusing me of stealing!!

I came this place probably 10yrs ago. That time it was good and it was busy. I decided to come here again as I was here nereby.

The problem was I ordered 1 couscous Royal only and when the food arrived I saw I received 2 full plates. I was shocked how big the portion was. I said to the waiter that this is too much and especially for my son! I got confused and asked if this 2 plates is of 1 order couscous royal. He said yes. I said its too much for my son, he said don't worry let him eat and whatever you can't eat you can pack in.

The waiter was also constantly disturbing us and sitting next to my son, saying he is a good boy, but also bad because he was on the phone playing games. Like no body has asked for your opinion and neither should you sit next to my son or sit next to any other customer uninvited, unless it's your friend or relative! My son will always be good boy in my eyes, no matter what people's opinion is!

The waitress came over and I mentioned to her it was too much. We can't finish it. Wanted to takeaway rest and asked for the bill. When the bill arrived I saw I was charged twice for the food! I was like hold on, I was told that this was all 1 dish. She called the waiter and waiter came over and manipulating me that I have ordered two couscous royal. I said I don't want to argue with you, but I did communicate before that this was too much and asked if it was 1 dish only. He said yes. Then the waitress telling me that she is shocked I didn't see it was 2 plates and accusing me for not mentioning. I did mention it to the waiter before, who is probably her father. They were both arguing with me. Then ended up paying for 1 dish and 2 mocktails. You can not argue with a customer AT ALL!! After paying I had another terrible experience. I am not finished with my story yet.

I asked what about the packed food? She said well everything has been packed together, meaning it's been mixed with my leftover plate. Then also reminding me I only paid for 1 dish. I was just confused, because she said I can take the bag with lefover food. So when we wanted walk out, the waitress tried to stop me and asked are you really going out with the bag? I said yes ofcourse, because the food was already mixed and you will trow in the bin anyway. She then twist her words saying didnt mix my leftover plate with other plate and then saying I didn't pay for that. Then accusing me of stealing. I was like woowww...I never stealed anything before. I am so upset and traumatised by this whole experience. I left the bag and we walked out. How embarrassing this while whole experience.

I am avoiding this place, because I’m disgusted by their disgusting behaviour towards me, both lacks the service, instead of fixing the issue, they made it like it was my fault. You can’t blame the customers, accuse me of stealing even though I paid and denying your own mistakes and fault!!!

Close down the restaurant orelse improve customer service skills, the athomosphere and especially your ears and your dirty behaviour! Don't play games with the customers!! You are damaging your own business by giving them a bad experience. No wonder why it's not busy! The place was empty...

Overall positive and would be happy to return (for a cheap lunch when I'm picking up the bill as I don't think £12/13 for a main course is really justifed and with so few customers maybe I'm not alone). Unusually for this type of food the main courses seem better and more interesting than the meze/starters so I would personally skip them. I expecetd to be underwhelmed by a chicken tagine but it was actually very good and although I've visited neither Morocco or the Lebenanon (!) it seemed very authentic to me. As mentioned the starters I saw/tried were indifferent. Strangely it took about as long for them to rustle up the main courses as it did a double Scotch for my thirsting father. No reflection on the food but it was very quiet when we were there so hard to see why they took so long with that? Otherwise service was good and we were even offered a half bottle of the house red gratis, which we declined. Having had our glasses just re-filled it seemed a bit over the top at lunch time. Generous of them though, even if there was the slight inference we were mainly there to fill ourselves with cheap/free alcohol. I can live with that. Bakalva is straight out of a box, and not a very nice one (the type you could pick up from your local newsagent at a fraction of the cost). They've gone to all the trouble of dusting it with icing sugar and adding a sprig of mint but I was not fooled. I can;t belieive it would be that hard to make enough freshly to be able to serve something better so that was a bit of a disappointing way to end the meal I suppose. A bit limited but getting there and surprisingly good to find in Stratford. The pity is that the location means there is virtually no passing trade so looks a bit perilous and hard to imgaine it doing particularly well. I may have been less impressed if I'd had to go out of the way for it but to stroll down the road for this I was...

I have been here a few times before and usually enjoy reliable service. How it has changed. This was the first time ever I have felt the need to do a review and not leave any form of tip, simply because the service was so bad it was laughable.

No toilet paper in the ladies. I informed the staff who said they were aware but were waiting for a delivery (so that's alright then ,no problem breaking H&S legislation then !). The East European waitress grabbed some serviettes and took downstairs.

So with the food. Wine ordered and even the waitress changed the glass without asking as it was so dirty. Well she actually swapped with it with the table alongside – so the next couple got it.

Waited around 15 minutes for the humus to make an appearance. Then we ordered the lamb tagine with couscous.

Tagine came. Moroccan waitress took the lids off, and then we waited. Food started to cool down, then we waited and the food still cooled down more and then the couscous eventually came along to join it. Would of preferred the food to come together, if not at least leave the lid on to keep warm.

Main meal finished. The lamb tagline was lovely

Ordered mint tea, which now comes with sugar already mixed in the teapot rather than allowing you select how much sugar you want to put in your glass. Ordered the baklava at the same time. It never came. After 15 minutes we asked for the bill and then waitress asked didn’t we want the baklava. We said that we did initially but were tired of waiting to which she responded, “oh, I thought you may have been full”.

We wanted to pay by card and we were informed the card terminal had declined all card payments that day. I popped out to nearest cash-point.

It’s such shame. This visit was a disaster and my closest to a Fawlty Towers experience eating anywhere...