SYMPOSIUM coffee house Portsoy — Restaurant in Scotland

Very poor experience and customer service. My pregnant wife and I ordered two salads and a hot oat milk. At least 3 other tables around us got drinks quicker than we did despite arriving later, and it took a reminder we were waiting to get my wifes drink. It also took at least 10 minutes for them to clear the dirty cups on the table from the previous users. When the salads eventually arrived, one was steaming (chicken and avocado with pesto dressing). Turns out it was the avocado steaming hot which left us perplexed. Cold chicken and hot steaming avocado... Both salads were drowned in some really grim sour dressing, not mentioned on the menu. I'm not remotely fussy but after trying to eat this as we were both very hungry, we decided it was stupid and called a waitress to say it was inedible. (we had to call, there was no check on service etc). She told us they had ran out of avocado and it comes frozen so they had to microwave it to defrost it hence it being hot... Oblivious to the fact that hot avocado is foul. She also stated the dressing is the dressing that comes with the salads and that's just the way it is. We were offered a free coffee, which we declined and said that we're not paying for this. She took the dishes away and said she'd refund us. Came back 5 minutes later saying no-one there could issue a refund for card payments, and she took details so the boss could issue a refund later. So after sending an email to them without reply, then chasing through the bank (who couldnt refund as there was no evidence of us not getting the food....), and further emails to Symposium as per their reply to this review, and still nothing.... So in summary, dreadful food, dreadful service and...

Had a great time here today. The staff were absolutely incredible and lovely towards our 1 year old son. They put books on the table with no hesitation and the food was really nice.

They made my Sons food first, which was a nice touch and shortly after our food also arrived.

I had the hunters chicken sandwich which was toasted, ward and delicious. I'm use to a sweet BBQ sauce but they was a more tangy flavour and I loved it. My wife had a salad and she too enjoyed it.

One touch that I was super impressed with, because my wife is pregnant, they made sure to check the ingredients in their products to make sure it was safe.

Pricing was well worth it too and the meal left me feeling satiated.

Will be going back when visiting again / if not before we leave.

Would...

4 people personnel. One was afraid to speak, looking frightened. They were preparing 1 other table, and 1 couple was right before us. Our order for 2 coffees and 2 sandwiches took more than 25 minutes (coffees almost 15), and one of them was wrong. Personnel visibly talking to each other, doing "nothing" except one, while we waited ?? Some takeaway coffees were helped before us (while sitting at a table, waiting, and already ordered). HOW SLOW; Everything in seperate boxes and bags.... It looked so nice while practicing at home, in the kitchen. Oh: Sandwiches were 'nice', coffee tasted like almost nothing, with...