Restaurant Review

A recent assignment submitted.
I thought, why not? Might as well~! (:

So here goes~!

This review calls attention to the Jack’s Place at Bras Basah Complex.

The first impression was formed by the friendly staff who took the reservations over the phone. Therefore, a higher than average service level was expected as I walked into the restaurant with my friend Jerome. However, the first physical interaction with the host was unpleasant.

Upon entrance of the restaurant, we were greeted by Junjie. There were no proper greetings done, as he just wanted to quickly seat us down to serve another table. He walked hastily to place the menus on a table, and left us to walk to the table ourselves.

However, the ambience of the restaurant was good, a very different environment in comparison to the neighbouring shops. The soft love songs played in the background complemented well with the softly lit restaurant, creating a romantic, if not relaxing, atmosphere. It was also well-decorated with green and white items, such as the table cloth.

Also stressing green and white in its design, the easy to read menu presents a considerable variety of appetizers, main courses, desserts and beverages. Additionally, it features a monthly promotion, which is ‘Local Fusion Delights’ in June.

The menu could have been better if less emphasis was placed on the prices though, such as doing without the dollar sign($), and/or not placing them in a column.

After browsing through the menu, another service glitch was experienced as we tried to catch the attention of the staff for order-taking. The restaurant had only around 6 tables opened, yet it took a while for the staff to notice.

It annoyed me when Junjie, again, approached our table, as he appeared to be distracted and in a hurry. However, he was helpful during the order taking process due to his familiarity with the menu but he did not bother to up-sell.

The garlic bread and drinks were then served shortly after with the first course, Seafood Cream Soup.

Filled with crabsticks and cubes of carrots, potatoes, celeries, the soup was delicious with its thickness and taste just nice. The slightly salty soup base was also well-balanced with the sweetness of the crabsticks and carrots.

After the prompt removal of the first course, the second course was served around 10 minutes later.

The service thereafter was better, probably because the inflow of guests had slowed down. However, the table was not reset after order-taking, which resulted in having a fork and knife for my spaghetti. Nonetheless, the waiter replaced my knife with a spoon quickly after I alerted him.

My main course, Laksa Infused Spaghetti with Grilled Seafood, did not seem to be very appetising from the way it was presented, probably also due to the ingredients and the crockery choice. The seafood was displayed on top of the spaghetti, overwhelming the bowl, making the prawns, fish fillets, crabsticks and scallops looked like it was all over the place.

As for the food quality and taste, the combination of laksa pesto and spaghetti tasted weird. The laksa pesto was thick and flavourful served at the right temperature, the spiciness would have suited people who fancy spicy food. Yet probably due to its large portion size and oiliness, the Spaghetti only tasted good for the first few mouthfuls. After which, it was dreadful having to finish up the dish. Nevertheless, the grilled seafood served were generally fresh, with prawns which were succulent and sweet. However, on the whole, it is a dish I would not recommend.

While indulging in the main course, the captain came to check if everything was going fine, and if the food was okay. I commented that the pasta was too spicy to my liking, but other than that, everything else was okay. Thus, he just nodded and went away. Other waiters were also attentive; they refilled the iced water and asked to clear the plates at appropriate times.

Being too full for the dessert that came with the set meal, we had asked if it could be taken away. The dessert was supposedly a scoop of chocolate ice-cream which could not be packed, so the captain kindly offered to change to cheesecakes for us.

After the bill was called for, the captain took the opportunity to engage in a small chat with us, which I thought was excellent as it shortens the perceived waiting time. The dining experience then ended off very well with a warm farewell bade by the captain who escorted us to the exit.

Overall, I felt that the dining experience was rather pleasant, with the pleasing ambience and friendly staff. However, I believe it would have been better if I had stuck to their usual menu items and if they had improved manpower management and training.

I could not understand why Junjie was fulfilling the task as a host, captain and even the waiter, while the other staff were just serving. I believe crowds should have already been expected especially during dinner time on a Saturday. Therefore, the manager could have scheduled more staff with designated roles, so that they would be able to perform their duties better and not rush through the processes, which can ruin the whole dining experience.

On top of that, I personally feel that asking for guest’s feedback is not sufficient. If the food was not to their liking, then offer a discount or a complementary item. It may be an additional cost to the business, but it will increase the tendency of the customer returning to the restaurant or recommending it to his/her friends.

Lastly, when they offer monthly promotions with special items, I feel that it would be good if they can sell smaller food portions for customers to try it out. If they do not like it, they can order smaller portions of the normal menu items as well, as they might not have the stomach to finish up a full main course anymore. Of course, the prices should also be adjusted accordingly.

Hmmm. Updates on Comms Parade & Ball sooooooooonnn! :D

The parade was just~ *beams* PRIDE. (:

Till then!