Aspire 2 go somewhere else! Whenever someone starts up a new restaurant they should be aware that any person (or group) walking through their doors could be a mystery diner; whose primary purpose for coming to the restaurant is to review it. And as everyone knows, one good review could make your fledgling business. Unfortunately for Aspire 2 Eat this is not one of them. Externally & internally the restaurants looks appealing with its fresh décor; but looking at the place more carefully you're not really sure what it is trying to be. Is it a restaurant or is it a wine bar, or is a café? We arrived about 1.30pm (19th April 2008); Lunch in this self styled Wine Bar was between 12-2pm. We were greeted then seated in Wine bar area. The first thing we noticed was that the table was not set. (Maybe someone had just left and it was on the immediate things to do?) We waited for what seemed like a short time before we were asked if we would like a drink. I promptly asked, Can we see your wine list?, the reply was astonishing, We don't have one! Tell me what you would like to drink? I said Tell me what you've got? It may have been my pride in not promptly thinking of a basic wine that stopped me continuing this rather fruitless conversation. I glanced around the room for some inspiration and saw the fridge; in it was the only wine label facing me, Chablis. Can I have a glass of Chablis? to which the reply was We don't sell Chablis by the glass! It seems whether I wanted to or not I had to play this game. What do you sell by the glass? Pinot Grigio? I asked. I could see our waitress about to ask what size, so I quickly added Large!. I did not want to have to endure anymore banter. The thought did occur to me; was it cheaper and easier to buy a bottle for my group, but i would never know because there was no wine list. After seeing what I had gone through to get a basic glass of wine, other members of my group decided to stick to the basics. (tap water, orange juice & coffee) The drinks came promptly, but no tap water; we had to endure a lengthy wait before we asked for the tap water again and what seemed obvious, menus. Of the very basic four main course options, I ordered sausages and mash, with bread for the table. We also ordered lasagne and a veggie burger with fries. By this stage we were expecting the table to be laid, no luck. After another long wait we asked if we could have the bread; the reply was short and sharp We have to cook it first!. At this stage we knew we were in trouble, like school children who had spoken without putting their hands up. The bread came; and was dropped on the table without even a second glance, and our waitress was out of sight before we could ask for cutlery. So we (actually the professionally trained Chef amongst us) grabbed a teaspoon from our Tour Guide's coffee cup and proceeded to use the handle to spread the butter. Ok, at this stage we thought we definitely need the cutlery, so the bravest (our Chef again) asked Can we have some cutlery?; despite there being 3 of us to dine (4 in total), we got cutlery for two; but not place-set for us, but dropped on the table in a pile. Some time later it was announced that there were no sausages. (Surely the kitchen should communicate this to the waitress) So concerned was I that I was on some hidden camera programme that I found my self looking around the room for Basil Fawlty to say well actually the sausages are off . So I selected Noche as only one of the three remaining choices. The meal; We were becoming increasingly hungry at this stage (the bread a distant memory); we really could not wait any longer. Then the meals finally came but it was nothing like what would be described in any cook book. The lasagne was mostly mince without the tomato based sauce; micro-waved till the pasta was tough, and a cream sauce poured over the top to disguise a poorly prepared dish. My noche had what seemed like a whole raw red onion added, to what would have been a nice dish, with its wild mushroom sauce, but the onion was so overpowering I had to discard the sauce where I could. Our other dish, of the three dishes, had fries that looked like they were fried, then re-fried to give them some life. When we picked up one of the fries it flopped and was so unbelievably oily and dark brown. The so called salad was just lettuce with no dressing at all! It was glaringly obvious to us all that there was no Chef in the kitchen. The complaint; When we tried to point out the culinary errors, as at least one of us was more than qualified to do, it was met with a short and avoiding I am sorry it is not to your taste. Nothing was taken off the bill despite some of us not eating the meal. The bill was painfully paid in full, but it was not itemised; and it was not on a printed receipt with a thank you, but scribbled on a bit of paper with a single total. We did not leave service, of course (we asked for the bill to be itemised to be sure service was not added). read more
