1 Star -- Extremely Disappointing Experience…read more
We visited Selby 100 Mile House expecting the same high-class dining experience it was known for before the change in ownership. Unfortunately, our experience was extremely disappointing from beginning to end. The new owners have apparently been there for about three months, and there is currently no menu available to look at, which makes it difficult to know what kind of dining experience you're walking into.
We were told about the evening specials, and honestly, we were shocked by the offerings. The choices were chili spaghetti, chili, a chili pie, a burger, and two flatbreads. That is a very different experience from what we expected from a place that previously had a much more upscale reputation.
We decided not to eat dinner and were simply going to have a couple of wine slushies and leave. The atmosphere was also not what we anticipated. When we arrived, there was a karaoke competition happening, and the drink options were primarily different types of slushies. Again, not what we remembered Selby 100 Mile House being.
Once the owner realized we weren't planning to order dinner, she came over and convinced us to try a pasta salad that she said "everyone loves." Unfortunately, the pasta was undercooked and had an unpleasant texture that made it seem as though it had been sitting in the refrigerator for quite some time.
When the owner came back and asked how it was, I tried to be polite. I told her honestly that it wasn't my favorite and explained that it was a texture issue. Her response was completely inappropriate. She brought over her 7 or 8 year old daughter, asked her whether she ate certain foods, and when the child said no, the owner responded, "I like to call that a touch of the Tism."
That comment was incredibly offensive and completely unacceptable in a customer service interaction. I was simply giving honest feedback about the food, and I should not have been subjected to a remark like that.
Then the chef came out and, rather than simply accepting that we didn't enjoy the food, approached us in a way that felt very intimidating and seemed determined to convince us that we should like it. The interaction made an already uncomfortable experience even worse.
There were also significant concerns regarding cleanliness and presentation. The chef's personal appearance was extremely unkempt and unhygienic, which was particularly concerning in a restaurant setting and completely destroyed any confidence we had in the food.
We were also told that the restaurant gets its food from local butchers. Based on what we experienced and saw, that claim did not seem credible to us.
The one positive thing I can say is that our servers were attentive and pleasant. They were the only bright spot in an otherwise very disappointing experience.
We came in expecting the Selby 100 Mile House we remembered and left wondering what happened to it. Between the limited food selection, lack of a menu, questionable food quality, uncomfortable interaction with the owner, inappropriate comment, and overall lack of professionalism, this was absolutely not the experience we expected.
We will not be returning.