NICHI — Restaurant in Trafford

Popped in after seeing the TC advertise the updated part of the food hall. Sat and ordered some mineral water, it didn't arrive for a good 15 minutes. We were parched, we were asked twice if we were ready to order and when they weren't sure the waiter hovered behind my husband trying to give me a thumbs up if we were ready, but we were still waiting for our water. He then asked what we'd ordered to drink as there was no check on for our order. Ordered the lango miso soup, the lobster tempura, hacienda box and some padron peppers. The waiter said i don't think you've ordered enough food i recommend a minimum of one more plate. We said we were fine with our selection and we could always add on as we chatted and ate. The menu is designed to share as explained, the soup arrived, the waiter told me the soup was designed the be drank from the bowl but if we needed spoons he'd get some. I'm all good for drinking soup from a plastic bowl, thanks though. Lobster arrived, regular seafood eaters and lobster is my all time fave. On at Market Price which is absolutely to be expected and was reasonable at £35, half a lobster. It was so over cooked and I could bounce it from wall to wall like a toy ball. We had one piece each and said no more. I tried to catch the manager on duties eye a few times but there was no interaction. The waiter came over and asked how our soup and lobster was, explained the lobster was massively overcooked, he said he'd let the chefs know and walked off. Didn't even take it off the table. They had even put half of a lobster shell on the plate, the meat on the plate was definitely frozen so I'm unsure where the shell came into it because it wasn't cooked in the shell but the shell was cooked??????

After I'd said we didn't enjoy the lobster, service stopped. We had finished our drinks, no offer of anything else. No offer of anything instead of the lobster. Service done.

I asked another waiter for the bill and the waiter who'd been looking after us presented it. Plates still on the table, no offer of let me clear these away and I will be right with you.

I checked the bill and the lobster we hadn't eaten that hadn't even been sent to the chef or manager to check was on the bill and now cold and even bouncier still sat in front of me.

I mentioned to the waiter that the lobster was on the bill and I wasn't happy about that given we were unable to eat what they served to have the bill SNATCHED out of my hands. Now, luckily for this waiter I was tired and the tables are in very close proximity of one another because I'd of dealt with him how I'd once handled my own staff after 25 years managing hospitality establishments. My own husband doesn't snatch from me in that way!

Manager came over to appease us, but it wasn't really handled it was just its off the bill. There was just no managing the team, the guest experience or the restaurant.

We then had to find someone to pay so we could leave. Service charge was still on the bill, which I've paid everytime I've eaten out and then tipped on top. But given the complete lack of service it should of been removed.

Super inhospitable experience.

All full and well using your bubble gun for table theatre and adding dry ice to sushi platters, but if you can't get the basics right you're wasting your energy doing table side theatre.

All in all, we probably won't return, but then again I'm not certain the establishment will be trading next time...

I am writing this review with much disappointment. We came here as a group of four as my friend was up from down south with his partner and we wanted to go somewhere nice for dinner. This restaurant is visually appealing from the out side and menu looked good. On entering the restaurant we were met with friendly staff. This unfortunately was where the good bits stop.

When browsing through the menu the waiter came over too the table to take are orders. While he was taking are order he recommended the jacket potato as in his own words “would be a spectacle for the table as it’s so soft it falls apart like a flower blossoming” unfortunately one of are group in an act of sympathy for the waiters unfortunate speech that honestly felt forced and am presuming is some sorta KPI decided to opt in for this so called spectacle. Well what a major disappointment when the food we had ordered arrived we found it all to be pretty standard. Now I understand this is the Trafford and they charge a premium but it was very pricy for what was offered. The food was very average nothing to write home about for the price. Then the jacket potato arrived and it was just that a bog-standard jacket potato that the poor waitress then proceeded to stab with two wooden spoons if am going to be honest it was embarrassing for all involved. It did not “blossom like a flower” it was mullered by two wooden spoons and then butter was poured over the top. It was 100% not worth the £9 charged in any way, shape or form.

Then to top it all off, when the bill arrives there’s a 12.5% service charge on there. Now I don’t recall when the USA took over the UK’s restaurant industry but am pretty sure 12.5% service charge wasn’t on every bill as standard a few years back. But yet again this is one of them restaurants that prays on the UK’s public to be too embarrassed to remove it off the bill. It should not be on there as standard anyway, Tips should be added if requested by the customer. The customer should not have to ask to have it to be removed as a standard. This again is topped off when we decide to pay it hoping it would go to the waiter who has had to sink so low as to up sell a jacket potato as a table side spectacle. So we asked does it go to him at the end and the answer was shocking. He proceeded to tell us that he might get 5% off the tip, the rest will either go to the higher paid chefs or to restaurant management. Now if that isn’t pulling the wool over people’s eyes for higher profit margins I don’t know what is.

I don’t think I have to say this but am saying it anyway, unfortunately I will not be going to nichi again. Very...

Very bad first experience, came on saturday, wasn't as busy as i thought it would be but was still decent amount of people, there was 20 minute wait for table which is fine as we didnt book, after being seated and ready to order it took over 30 mins for anyone to come and take our order, it then took another 20 minutes for our drinks to come, after that it took 1 hour for our food to come, mine came out earlier than my friends, we all ordered the same thing, so im thinking they gave the food wrong to another table and just gave me the returned item as it wasnt cooked to the level i asked for.

They give something called tacos but its not tacos its simply tortila bread which is tasteless and soft, rather than crunchy like taco should be, i suggest removing this from menu as false advertising

i ordered another drink, 20 minutes later still no drink, so i flagged down another staff asked for my drink they said they would bring it, then another 20 mins later still no drink, then i flagged another staff, another 10 mins went by finally drink came nearly 1 hour later after asking 3 times for it, and then guess what another drink came 2 minutes after that so i had to turn that down as my 2nd drink came finally, they added this to the bill but i got it removed as i didnt have a third drink, what on earth is happening with your staff communication, for a brand new restuarant this is just terrible. I ran bigger busier restuarant with less staff more smoothly this is just pure shambles.

My friends got very angry as their food took so long to come, i had finished all my food and was waiting for 20 mins just sat there and thats when my friends food came, all in all very terrible experience, also no cutlery on table, after being handed my steak, i was waiting 10 mins for cutlery so my steak was getting cold, this honestly worst experience ever at a fancy expensive restuarant, dont recommend this place at all.

My advice is hire more staff, put people on positions rather than everyone just doing random stuff or put people on sections to look after a few tables each, either way needs better management as this isnt a big seater restuarant, it shouldnt be this bad.

The staff themselves are friendly, its just poorly managed, and kitchen staff need to prepare more the day before so food comes out on time rather than over 1 hour wait near 2 hours. Crazy amount of time wasted.

The DJ was pretty bad playing pretty much elevator music, just save your money and get rid of him and hire more staff instead thats what necessary.

The steak itself was very bitter and sour something...