Do you have an allergy ? If so DO NOT GO TO THIS RESTAURANT! Worst service ever...A total Embarrassment. The Cook should be ashamed of himself! People, do not do it...also check out the reviews on Urban Spoon...I am not the only one who is not happy with this place. See below the letter I sent management in regards to our "dining experience" FAIL !
Sunday 3 July
The Mussel Bar, Fremantle
42 Mews Road
Fishing Boat Harbour, Fremantle WA 6160
Dear Ms Wright and Mr Reader,
RE: Complaint to Managing Director, Mussel Bar Fremantle and WA Health Department in regards to Breach of Duty of Care.
Firstly I would like to commend your restaurant manager for handling a very embarrassing situation with the best of her ability. She was calm, very professional and dealt with our complaint very well. I thank her. She is the only good thing I can say about this restaurant and the view.
Please note that this letter is being copied to the WA Department of health attached to a consumer complaint form. This letter outlines my complaint about the Mussel Bar, Fremantle in regards to the following points;
· Failure to note allergy from first point of contact as it was not written in reservations book even though was proved in writing when booked on Dimmi reservations online. (see proof of booking below)
· Chef failed to follow clear and direct instructions (written and verbal) from the Restaurant Manager who placed our original order.
· Chef re- served same contaminated food after Restaurant Manager notified and sent back to kitchen.
· Chef’s failure to provide a duty of care.
· Waitress physically grabbed me by both arms when I was walking towards kitchen with the plate to speak to speak to the Restaurant Manager. At no time did I go into kitchen or even attempt to.
· We were the first guests in restaurant yet our main meals came out over an hour after they were ordered and other guests received their entrees and consumed them before we were served our mains.
· Drink service very poor.
On Sunday 3 July my parents, partner attempted to enjoy a lunch on the water front in your restaurant. This ended in being the most embarrassing, awful dining experience I have ever had. Although I have no intentions of ever dining in your restaurant ever again, I feel it is important as the director and proprietor of this business that you are aware of the extremely poor experience which your restaurant is providing to guests.
At point of order all 5 guests ordered their meals and my partner was the last person to order his. He ordered a Scotch fillet Steak- adding and making very clear to the Restaurant Manager who took our order that he has a severe allergy to Onion, Garlic and anything in the onion family. The waitperson assured us she had written this down. My partner asked for no sauce whatsoever as 99% of stocks, demi- glace, sauces in restaurants are made with stocks which contain garlic and or onion.
We eventually got our drinks and my father who ordered wine and requested that it be served when his meal arrived also received his drink with the rest of the drinks. Normally we would not mention this of course but it just adds to the terrible experience we had in your restaurant. This was the only time we were offered drinks the entire 1 hour and 40 minutes we were in your restaurant.
When the food eventually arrived after one hour (five main meals – three steaks, one pasta and one entree sized garlic prawns and two sides.) Please note we were the first people in the restaurant, we were the first to order yet tables that arrived after us had received their entrees and consumed them prior to our meals being served. My partner’s steak arrived and was covered in demi-glace and piled with chopped spring onion/chives on top of the steak. We advised the Restaurant Manager, apologised, confirmed that she has verbally told the chef of the special request and she immediately took it back to the kitchen. The rest of us continued eating our food. Three minutes later the meal arrived again, I asked the Manager if this was the same steak and she said assured us that they wouldn’t do that as it is too much risk after they had been advised of my partner’s allergies. I was not convinced so my partner turned the steak over and the steak had clearly been scaped of any jus and turned upside down. There was still brown sauce on the beans and there was chopped spring onion in between the steaks folds. This is when I stood up, took my partners plate and carried it to find the Restaurant Manager.
I approached a waitress with the plate with my partner’s meal on it to return it to the kitchen. I was looking for the restaurant manager and as I approached the bar near the kitchen where the manager was, the waitress physically grabbed me and told me to stop! This is totally inappropriate and very lucky I did not call the police and press charges. I was at this stage very angry and disappointed but I did not raise my voice nor was abusive to the wait staff. The Manager handled it with absolute professionalism. I explained to her that it was the same steak and showed her the sauce and the chives/spring onions. I then informed her to please remove the steak from our bill and informed her that my partner did not wish to consume any food from the kitchen. My steak was ordered rare and was definitely medium-well and the prawns served on our steak were stone cold (as they had run out of Marron.) I did not even mention this as the Restaurant Manager had enough to deal with in the Kitchen.
I have never been so embarrassed to take my parents out for a celebratory anniversary lunch in my life. I wish I had checked the reviews of your restaurant on Urban Spoon before I even made the booking because ALL the recent reviews also reflect my dissatisfaction. It amazes me how restaurants with such bad service survive in Western Australia.
The resolution that was offered by the Restaurant Manager was appreciated as I had no intention of paying for the food as it was most inappropriate not to mention one of your wait-person feeling it appropriate to engage in physical contact with me.
I forward this complaint for your information and consideration. If you wish to contact me please feel free on *********
Kind regards,
Brad McKay
