I was excited to try this restaurant for the first time after seeing a glowing review on TikTok. Unfortunately, my experience was extremely disappointing--not just because of the food, but more so due to the unprofessional behavior of the owner.
While waiting for my order, I witnessed the owner speaking to his staff in a highly disrespectful and condescending manner, particularly to a grown man assisting him. He repeatedly chastised him like a child, all while preparing food. I also observed questionable food handling practices--he used a cloth to wipe the prep station, then proceeded to handle various prepped items with his bare hands, raising serious concerns about cross-contamination.
I ordered a veggie with oxtail gravy. However, I noticed the owner mixing a broth from an unknown source into a gravy on the side, which did not resemble oxtail gravy at all. When another staff member opened my plate to verify the gravy, he clarified that I had requested oxtail gravy. This seemingly simple clarification caused the owner to become even more aggressive, shouting at the staff member to "just serve the food."
When I asked again if it was oxtail gravy, a woman kindly offered me a small sample in a sauce cup. The owner, now visibly irritated, asked in an aggressive tone whether I wanted a full container. I calmly said yes. He then continued berating his staff in front of customers, stating loudly that he couldn't work with the man and that he talked too much. It was uncomfortable and unprofessional, and even the woman assisting told him he was embarrassing himself.
As for the food: the oxtail gravy was fine, but the alternative gravy they served me tasted like store-bought vegetable gravy making the rice nasty. The cabbage was bland and lacked flavor, though the plantains had few burn ones. Unfortunately, I was unable to enjoy the meal and ended up discarding most of it. I call this a donation day.
This visit left a bad impression--not only because I was served something I didn't order, and couldn't eat but because of the chaotic and disrespectful environment created by the owner. I will not be returning. read more