azadeh d.
Yelp
I've been coming to True Food Kitchen at Fashion Valley for over 12 years and have always appreciated the quality of the food and overall atmosphere. Unfortunately, my experience today was so profoundly disappointing that I feel compelled to share.
From start to finish, every part of our visit fell short, something I never expected from a place I've returned to for over a decade. We ordered two drinks (a juice and a matcha latte) and two entrees. The drinks didn't arrive until after our food had already been served, long after we had initially ordered them.
Our server, a young woman who appeared upset or disengaged from the start, greeted us with visible attitude. I gave her the benefit of the doubt, we all have off days, but the pattern continued. When we finally received the water we asked for, it was served carelessly, dripping everywhere. I had to wipe down my own glass and the table.
The entrees were equally disappointing. The poke bowl had barely any ahi, which was tolerable, but my Penang curry, a dish I've ordered countless times at this very location, was completely off. It came out watery, dull in color, and unappetizing. I raised this politely with our server, who responded with indifference and said, "I don't know about it. I'll get my manager." No apology, no kindness, just cold and dismissive.
The manager arrived and, to her credit, immediately acknowledged that the curry did not look the way it should. She offered to take it off the bill, which I appreciated, but I declined to order a replacement as I no longer had the appetite or time to wait.
When the server returned, she told us the item was being removed from our check but still did not offer a single word of apology. Instead, she defensively said, "I'm new here. I don't know how the food should look," and followed with, "It's not my job to know what the food is supposed to look like." I responded by saying it is part of her job to be attentive to customers, but she shrugged and said, "You shouldn't tell me what to do."
At that point, I was in disbelief, not only at the quality of the food, but more deeply at the complete lack of professionalism and basic courtesy. Mistakes in the kitchen happen, I understand that. But what is not acceptable is the dismissive, rude, and confrontational attitude from someone whose role is to provide a welcoming experience.
This was the worst experience I've had at any True Food Kitchen, and sadly, I won't be returning to this location. I hope management takes this seriously, especially when onboarding new staff. Training someone to know the menu is important, but teaching basic respect and hospitality is essential. No guest should be made to feel disregarded or disrespected while trying to address a valid concern.
After 12 years of loyalty, this visit was not only disappointing, it was deeply disheartening.