I take a good amount of pride in 'congratulating' businesses on a fine performance, especially restaurants. I have a great deal of respect for those who have managed to stay afloat or even thrive during COVID. In short, I like to give credit where credit is due.
Unfortunately, this will not be one of those reviews.
As a craft-beer lover and as someone who tries to support the industry (with limited disposable income, we at least took home a crowler from various places a couple of times a month during COVID), I have been a fan of Royal Docks products. (in fact, I think the '+44 Pub Ale' might be one of the easiest-drinking beverages in Northeast Ohio!) So even though my brother is a Celiac, I was still pretty pleased that he and his wife took us to the RD Foeder House, a first-time visit to that locale.
For a Friday evening (maybe because of 'First Friday'?), it was uncharacteristically dead. Our server asked what we'd like to drink. I ordered two 5 oz. pours for starters, the 'One Street Dream' Old Ale (unbelievably awesome!) and the 'Dare' IPA. (BUT....none of the so-called '5 ounce-pours' were actually 5 ounces! In fact, the Old Ale was actually only filled up half-way??) I ordered a second 5 ounce of 'One Street Dream' which was poured to capacity, as was the full pint of 'London' (also excellent!!). But it was a strange serving experience!
Unfortunately, RD didn't have a g-f beer option for my brother and didn't offer a cider on their menu. So, he opted for a glass of wine and his wife ordered a mojito. But because the menu didn't really list specified gluten-free options, we discussed just leaving after our drinks and going somewhere else. But in the end, we decided to stay and 'make do' as far as available g-f food.
This is where things get dicey. Our server(s) (we actually had multiple people coming to our table) answered some questions about the menu and actually stated that 'any of our flatbreads can be made to be gluten-free'. (Um...isn't that something that should be clearly explained on your menu? We nearly walked out. People who are Celiac or gluten-sensitive have a TOUGH time eating out. Why not advertise this??) In the end, my Celiac bro ordered a flatbread, his wife ordered a Vlad burger, and my wife and I split a Vlad burger.
So, the meals arrive. Our burger was prepared well...actually, it was very tasty. My brother's wife, though, was specific with the server: please make it WELL-DONE! And it was not. So a quarter of the way through the burger, she discovers that there is a significant amount of 'pink'. So we urge her to say something, and she does. The server apologizes and takes it back. Meanwhile, a manager comes over after hearing of the miscue and announces to us that 'we have someone new on the grill tonight' and apologizes. She even offers a dessert, which my sister-in-law turns down. "No, thank you," she replies. "I just am really hungry for a burger."
The burger re-appears. But it's the SAME burger. Not a new one prepared the correct way. The SAME one! And, get this: it's also NOT well-done. So, the new chef has screwed up a burger TWICE on one order. Needless to say, my sister-in-law is pretty upset. We call another server over (the 3rd one to venture to our table) and she offers to bring another burger to the table.(same one re-cooked again??) But my sister-in-law is having none of it, and asks that the bill simply be brought to the table. Our server says that because of the error that her burger will now be 'discounted'.
So, the bill arrives. And the burger is, sort of, 'discounted'. Half of the price of the burger has been removed from the bill. Not the whole burger (prepared incorrectly, twice). Half. Worse, the price for the Mojito is NOT what was reflected on the menu. So another server wanders by and my sister-in-law starts to go over the receipt with her. (and, mind you, this is a receipt generated by a portable machine brought to the table. It does not itemize the bill, so you basically have your card swiped to pay, but you don't see the actual itemized charges until you're handed it.)
She calls the server's attention to the discrepancy in the drink price. And the server says, "Yeah, when they did up the menu, they had the 'old' price. So the receipt reflects the new one. I can call the manager over again, if you like."
By this time, my sister-in-law was furious, saying, repeatedly, 'we are never coming in here again.' And I can't say I blame her. Our bills are paid and we leave.
(end of 'part 1') read more