If you're curious to experience food poisoning, eat here!
I visited Chai Thali on 19th February with four work friends. The staff were friendly, and the food was beautiful--I had butter chicken with steamed rice, lamb samosa chaat, and garlic naan, and it was delicious.
Unfortunately, the next day, three of us who had the butter chicken became very ill. One of my friends vomited several times throughout the day, another felt unwell but luckily wasn't physically sick, and I had several terrible times 'the other end'.
Concerned about this, I filled out the restaurant's online enquiry form two days later, informing them of what had happened and requesting a refund for my starter and main. Their form promises a response within 60 minutes, yet four days passed, and I heard nothing. Meanwhile, my friend--the one who had been vomiting--called the restaurant the same day I filled out the form. He spoke directly with the manager, who eventually offered him a partial refund (starter and main).
Since I still had no response, I decided to visit the restaurant with my friend when he went to collect his refund. The employee who served us the week before was again very polite and even asked how we were feeling, which was nice. However, when I enquired about my own refund, the manager was called over and the situation turned hostile instantly.
From the moment he approached, he was rude and confrontational. He accused us of not calling the day after our visit. When my friend explained that he had been too unwell to call, the manager sarcastically responded, 'Mate, it's a phone call,' making a dismissive phone gesture with his hand. He repeatedly insisted he was not refunding anyone else and said he had only agreed to refund my friend - Which he was correct of course but even though I told him I ate the exact same food as my friend, he decided to completely dismiss my experience!
I explained--again--that I had filled out their enquiry form. The manager snapped back, 'We don't have an enquiry form.' I told him I had filled it out (as had the third friend who was also ill), and neither of us had received a response. He continued to deny its existence.
He then doubled down on the 'you didn't call the next day' argument, again requiring the both of us to explain that we were too sick to do so, which is why I myself used the enquiry form--a form he apparently doesn't even know exists.
Rather than showing any concern or professionalism, the manager tried to usher us out. That's when my friend pointed out that their website lists a 5/5 food hygiene rating, yet the official government website shows 3/5. The manager shouted back, 'We're getting that changed,' and once again, pushed us towards the exit.
Later that day, when we checked their website again, they had already removed their food hygiene rating.
PLEASE DO NOT EAT AT THIS RESTAURANT.
The food made us ill, it will make you ill too and the owner does not deserve your custom or your hard-earned money. He could have spoken to us like human beings, but instead, he chose aggression and confrontation, which left me shaken for the rest of the day. The moment he was called over, the situation escalated from 0 to 100 in the blink of an eye--completely uncalled for.
On a side note, we noticed that on both visits, the restaurant was completely empty--which now seems like a red flag in hindsight and I'll certainly think twice before eating somewhere so devoid of customers in the future. read more