The Northern Whig

My husband and I and two other couples went for a pre concert meal around tea time on a recent Saturday afternoon. Didn't appear to be too busy.. Service fine - very friendly; order taken - 5 meals arrive - mine doesnt. Many apologies. My meal arrives when everyone else has nearly finished - Wrong meal. More apologies. Members of my party suggested we might be treated to a bottle of wine as a means of recompense - Uh Uh!! Not even a glass for the injured party.. Maybe the involved staff werent senior enough to make this momentous decision to keep customers sweet! I was just back from the States where I did my fair share of fine dining and I KNOW that the situation would have been dealt with very differently there. Even a fast food restaurant deals with complaints in a more positive manner. I would have left as a very satisfied customer. As it was - I wont go back and I'll tell all my friends of the experience. I have found that in Northern Ireland when a complaint is made and a letter written - I've only done this twice despite dining out pretty regularly - there is a great deafening SILENCE!! I don't want a free meal - I just want an acknowledgment that the service or the food were not up to scratch. I must admit it is usually the service which leaves a lot to be desired; a lack of training in most cases rather than rudeness. What should have contributed to a great evening out did rather dissipate the feeling early on but it was soon regained when we got to our concert. But... I wont be back, Northern Whig.

By the way - Brown's on the Boucher Road do a

great meal for two plus a bottle of wine for ?20!! Great service, great food, great atmosphere for casual/semi smart dining and the staff are like friends - would thoroughly recommend.