It's unfortunate that I have to write this because i've never had this sort of experience in Vancouver, especially during a grand opening. I get it, it's a grand opening and all, but to be this sorely prepared amazed me. For lack of a better term, the urgency wasn't there and it felt like the servers were already over being there after only 2 weeks of soft opening and media events.
I went to the soft opening and actually had a great time, despite a dish taking longer to appear. Food was yummy and servers were polite and attentive. So I felt like it'd be ok to come again. I would have given 5 stars, but after my second visit, I'm giving 1 star, because a major overhaul needs to happen if they want customers to come back. The staff need to be reorganized to deal with the traffic properly or more staff need to be hired to cover the bases of the restaurant, as my party did not feel they were ready to handle the needs of a grand opening. The take out counter appeared to be swamped with orders and only one person was waiting tables, running (walking) the food to the floor, putting in orders and making cocktails, which is way too much work evidently. There were two people at the coffee bar and selling pastries.
So going back felt like a 180 of my original experience. We waited a good 20 minutes to be seated, with nobody behind us and a free table sitting vacant. The server prioritized putting in several orders before finally seating us. We soon realized that people at the sit-in tables were neglected, and the takeout orders were prioritized. It felt like the waiters were ignoring tables on purpose, so much so people would have to go up to the counter to order. By the time we were able to order pastries, the full display case was nearly empty and was not being restocked.
After noticing that some tables that came in after us already got their food and we still hadn't gotten our water filled or cutlery, my friend had to go up to the wait staff to ask for our order to be taken and they said "blame my manager". Not apologetic at all, and not an answer we would expect from a place that is trying to give off a classy atmosphere.
Our drinks order was incorrect on multiple occasions and the coffee was not passable. My friends remarked that you should just come here for the cocktails. The americano was too watered down and the espresso base was poured first before the water. They ran out of the components to make the peach earl grey cold brew at 10am and offered to make us something else. My friend requested the normal cold brew, and somehow we ended up getting three mango matchas delivered to our table instead?! These were ok, but did not feel like a cohesive, well-incorporated drink. The mango puree was great but the matcha just felt like a separate entity, possibly from concentrate since there was no foam and it was sweetened. We tried to ask about the cold brew we were expecting and missing, and we got an attitude that seemed to put the blame on us instead - that it had been delivered and we had already been told it was out of stock. So we had to speak up and say it was the normal cold brew we were promised. So it was evident that the staff were not in communication with each other. I think that the staff should be better trained at being flexible rather than saying "I can't help with this, I have to ask another person".
My friend's yogurt bowl came near the tail end of our experience and it was again, disappointing to them. The yogurt tasted like tzatziki sauce and the honey was missing. The frozen fruit started melting into a puddle in the bowl and it was not a pleasant experience for them. We did not eat it. What surprised us even further was that the waiter brought over another yogurt bowl after 15 mins that looked more appetizing with the honey, and realizing we already got one, said that another table should have received our bowl first. Again no apology, and it seemed like they were mad we had started eating it when it was placed on our table.
Still no cold brew.
After this, we decided to get up and get the bill and leave.
Sad that I had chosen this place to take my friends from out of town, and it left a sour taste in our mouth.
On a lighter note, I would only go back for the pastries and cocktails if anything. read more