-- Two Visits, Two Disappointments. Never Again!…read more
Lao Sze Chuan -- Milford, Connecticut
I rarely write negative restaurant reviews, and I generally believe in giving a business a second chance before forming a final opinion. Unfortunately, after dining at Lao Sze Chuan in Milford twice, I can confidently say there will NOT be a third visit.
My first experience was already unpleasant, although the food itself was acceptable. My friend and I were attempting to enjoy a peaceful dinner when a family entered the restaurant, followed by an extraordinarily loud exchange involving members of the family, kitchen staff, and restaurant employees. There was shouting, apparent arguing, and even doors slamming.
I had no idea what the disagreement was about, nor was it any of my business, but the atmosphere was completely inappropriate for a restaurant where paying customers were simply trying to enjoy their meals.
Nevertheless, I dismissed the incident as an unfortunate exception and decided to give the restaurant another chance.
That was a mistake.
On Wednesday evening, my friend and I returned for dinner. During my previous visit, I had ordered Mongolian beef, which was reasonably good, so this time we both decided to order the Beef and Vegetables dish, prepared with hot oil and spicy seasoning.
Unfortunately, what arrived at our table was absolutely unacceptable.
From the very first bite, the beef had an unpleasant, excessively fatty taste. I initially thought perhaps I had simply picked up a bad piece, so I gave it another chance. The second bite was just as bad, consisting of what seemed to be almost entirely fat, with barely any actual meat.
When I looked across the table, I noticed that my friend had already pushed a substantial amount of beef to the side of his plate. He was experiencing exactly the same problem and was equally dissatisfied with the quality of the meat.
Two customers. Two identical dishes. The exact same complaint.
This was clearly not just a matter of personal taste or one isolated piece of fatty meat. The quality of the beef in both dishes was unacceptable, particularly for a restaurant charging these prices.
We politely brought the issue to our waitress's attention. She approached the kitchen to explain our concerns, and shortly afterward, we could hear loud voices and shouting coming from that direction.
She returned and informed us that the chef maintained there was absolutely nothing wrong with the meat.
Seriously?
We weren't complaining about the seasoning, the spiciness, or some subjective preference. We were pointing out that a substantial portion of what had been served to us was practically inedible fat rather than meat.
Our waitress genuinely tried to help and even took our plates back to the kitchen so the chef could see the problem firsthand. Once again, we heard raised voices coming from the kitchen. Yet the result was exactly the same.
No apology. No reasonable explanation. No offer to replace the meals. No alternative dish. Not even an attempt by the chef or management to speak with us directly.
Absolutely nothing.
I find this attitude astonishing. Even a modest restaurant should understand that when two customers independently raise the same concern about the quality of their food, the appropriate response is to listen, investigate, and make a reasonable effort to resolve the problem--not simply dismiss the complaint.
By this point, the experience had become so unpleasant that I was feeling physically nauseated. I wanted nothing more than to leave without creating a scene.
Then came the bill: approximately $75.
I was too disgusted and uncomfortable to bother questioning the amount. We paid and left.
Unfortunately, the discomfort didn't end when we walked out the door. While driving home, I continued feeling as though I might vomit. Thankfully, I remembered having a few caramel candies in my bag, and eating them seemed to help settle my stomach enough to make the drive home more bearable.
I cannot say with certainty what caused that reaction, but I can say that the entire dining experience left me feeling physically miserable, extremely disappointed, and completely unwilling to return.
One person, however, deserves special recognition: our waitress, Minu.
She was exceptionally polite, professional, attentive, and genuinely courteous throughout both visits. She made an effort to address our concerns despite receiving what appeared to be very little cooperation from the kitchen.
I made a point of leaving her a tip exceeding 25%, because the failure of the kitchen and management should never be held against an employee who is sincerely trying to provide excellent service.
Minu, thank you for your professionalism. You deserved better support from your colleagues, and we deserved a much better dining experience.
Before leaving, I made it clear that we would never return and asked that our dissatisfaction be communicated to the chef. Customers should not