Marina Vanica
Google
The evening started off well, with the owner greeting us warmly. During the order, the staff tried to push the “fishing of the day”, which happened to be the most expensive item on the menu. However, we weren’t bothered as it’s their job in the end. We politely declined and chose different options. Everything was going smoothly until my order arrived and I realized it wasn't the sea bream filet I had ordered, but a large fish with a special sauce on the side. I immediately brought this to the attention of the waitress, who explained that the sea bream had run out and the kitchen had decided to substitute it (without consulting me). Only after expressing my concern was I asked if I was okay with the swap. I agreed, but before accepting, I specifically asked the waitress if the price would remain the same as the original dish I had ordered, and she confirmed that it would.
To my disappointment, when the bill arrived, I was charged 60 euros instead of the expected 20 euros, with the explanation that this was the cost of the fish I had consumed. When I approached the owner to express my dissatisfaction, mentioning that I had been assured there would be no increase in price, the waitress suddenly denied ever making such a promise. The owner's response was rather arrogant, making me feel foolish for even expecting to pay 20 euros instead of 60 for that particular dish. It was as if my concerns were unreasonable. If you, like me, have experienced excellent service in the UK where mistakes are taken responsibility for, please be aware that this restaurant does not follow the same practice. You won't just get the wrong order here, but you'll also be billed for the kitchen's errors. The most frustrating part is that if you express your disagreement, the staff will make you feel like you're the one in the wrong.
In the end, the owner begrudgingly offered to split the difference and returned 20 euros just to get me to leave. This whole experience not only left me angry but also feeling foolish for expecting to be treated with respect.
The lack of consistency and transparency, both in the kitchen's decision and the communication from the staff, left me extremely disappointed. It is unacceptable for a restaurant to make such a significant change to an order without consulting the customer and then charge them an exorbitant amount without prior consent.
In the end, what made the experience even more disappointing was that the food itself was actually quite good. It was a shame that the excellent quality of the food was overshadowed by the unacceptable customer service and lack of integrity exhibited by the staff. The whole experience was ruined simply because of the unacceptable treatment and miscommunication.
