So how was it for you? : This week we've turned the tables and left restaurant reviewing to the diners. In Soho, London, Esther Oxford took the notes, Edward Sykes the pictures - We had to pick the rolls out of the basket]
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Your support makes all the difference.L'Escargot, 48 Greek Street.
Serge Lenglez and Johan Van den Bosche - two students at the European University in Antwerp.
They were both keen to emphasise they came from a private university in Belgium. They were in London for the weekend. The food they had sampled the night before had been 'terrible'. They chose to eat at L'Escargot because their taxi driver had assured them it was 'expensive'.
'We had scallops with spinach; very good. Then chicken terrine: reasonable but not excellent. Not like the water comes in your mouth, understand? For dessert, we had meringue with cream and strawberries. The meringue was old and hard. You should be able to crack it and have it soft inside. But this one . . . it was uugghh (spit)] And the after-taste: good food is supposed to leave a pleasant after-taste. But the after-taste here, it tastes like food.
'The service? I would say it is 'farmer-ish'. One of the girls came to the table with the bread basket. 'Do you want some?' she asked. Then she just stood there: we had to help ourselves.
'When the waiter came with the chips, he brought the spoon and fork, put the basket down, then walked off with the spoon and fork] To come to a classy restaurant you expect to be served.
'I don't expect to wait for my cutlery to arrive. Maybe it is the British attitude, but in my opinion the staff are not adequately trained.
'It was the same with the wine. You pay pounds 40 for a bottle of wine, you drink, the glass is empty and they take no notice] If a glass is empty, they have to see it]
'The restaurant? It is clean but it could be more private: the tables are too close. When people sit next to you it is not very pleasant; there is not enough space. And the finishing touches are missing.'
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