Discussion
C70R said:
I just don't know what compels people to say such ridiculous things on the internet.
I can only assume it's a desperate cry for attention.
Mainly due to I find it to be true, I have tried with Italian cuisine and have tired a range of low end, middle market and high end Italian restaurants in New York, Milan, Sorrento, Lake Garda, Palermo, London, Glasgow and locally. Usually suggested by workmates or by friends, I would never choose Italian cuisine if there is an alternative.I can only assume it's a desperate cry for attention.
I have been disappointed at both the bland food, which to me does resemble warmed up vomit with the flavour removed and the prices charged, simply its not a cuisine for me, and not a desperate cry for attention, yer tastebud lacking sad sack.
Vandenberg said:
C70R said:
I just don't know what compels people to say such ridiculous things on the internet.
I can only assume it's a desperate cry for attention.
Mainly due to I find it to be true, I have tried with Italian cuisine and have tired a range of low end, middle market and high end Italian restaurants in New York, Milan, Sorrento, Lake Garda, Palermo, London, Glasgow and locally. Usually suggested by workmates or by friends, I would never choose Italian cuisine if there is an alternative.I can only assume it's a desperate cry for attention.
I have been disappointed at both the bland food, which to me does resemble warmed up vomit with the flavour removed and the prices charged, simply its not a cuisine for me, and not a desperate cry for attention, yer tastebud lacking sad sack.
Regardless of how you arrived at the comparison you’re digging a hole trying to back up your hyperbole. Bad food can be experienced in any cuisine but to extrapolate that to condemning any entire cuisine is silly - hence the accusation of attention seeking. In what way does a plate of Parma ham with figs and honey taste like warmed up vomit?
C70R said:
TeamD said:
Vandenberg said:
I'm yet to find an Italian meal that doesn't taste like overpriced warmed up vomit. It's the ultimate in foodie cons.
I can only assume it's a desperate cry for attention.
Perhaps addicted to Big Macs?
Vandenberg said:
Mainly due to I find it to be true, I have tried with Italian cuisine and have tired a range of low end, middle market and high end Italian restaurants in New York, Milan, Sorrento, Lake Garda, Palermo, London, Glasgow and locally. Usually suggested by workmates or by friends, I would never choose Italian cuisine if there is an alternative.
I have been disappointed at both the bland food, which to me does resemble warmed up vomit with the flavour removed and the prices charged, simply its not a cuisine for me, and not a desperate cry for attention, yer tastebud lacking sad sack.
I do wish we could reinstate the cringe thread. I have been disappointed at both the bland food, which to me does resemble warmed up vomit with the flavour removed and the prices charged, simply its not a cuisine for me, and not a desperate cry for attention, yer tastebud lacking sad sack.
R Mutt said:
Good article from an anonymous ex Jamies' waitress basically saying the product went down hill.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/times2/i-worked...
No one goes to an Italian for small portions.
Its a bit light really for the Times. It doesn't really provide much insight.https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/times2/i-worked...
No one goes to an Italian for small portions.
snuffy said:
bristolracer said:
Bring back the Berni inn
Prawn cocktail
Steak and chips
Black forest gateaux for afters.
All washed down with a pint of McEwans bitter
Those were the days ! Prawn cocktail
Steak and chips
Black forest gateaux for afters.
All washed down with a pint of McEwans bitter
I used to have a fruit juice to start - when that was considered a starter.
And plaice and chips when I was really young.
Spanish Burgundy anyone?
craigjm said:
Roman Rhodes said:
What is interesting about that menu is the size of a glass of wine. Just shows how over the years they have got bigger and bigger where 3 glasses from a bottle is now the norm not 5 
So said:
BrabusMog said:
I didn't know Piccolino was a chain until recently, I go to the one near Virginia Water quite often - genuinely thought it was an individual place. Too many gyppos use the bar on a Friday night though.
Edit - didn't realise
s falls foul of the swear filter!
Nope, chain. But the two we go to, Tunbridge Wells Bar and Grill and Piccolino in Nottingham are both entirely different places. Both very good though.Edit - didn't realise
s falls foul of the swear filter!Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 24th May 09:21
Not a prawn ring to be seen though on the menu.
craigjm said:
Roman Rhodes said:
craigjm said:
Roman Rhodes said:
What is interesting about that menu is the size of a glass of wine. Just shows how over the years they have got bigger and bigger where 3 glasses from a bottle is now the norm not 5 C70R said:
If that's not sarcasm, you couldn't have better demonstrated a lack of knowledge about the category.
F&B have been in decline for a long time, exacerbated by current market pressure, and are offloading a third of their sites.
So, yeah, "sown up".
It was a joke but too many people wanting to argue and uptight on here nowadays, probably because they are always on here...F&B have been in decline for a long time, exacerbated by current market pressure, and are offloading a third of their sites.
So, yeah, "sown up".
Yes a spelling mistake have a virtual biscuit for pointing it out.
So said:
Brooking10 said:
So said:
BrabusMog said:
I didn't know Piccolino was a chain until recently, I go to the one near Virginia Water quite often - genuinely thought it was an individual place. Too many gyppos use the bar on a Friday night though.
Edit - didn't realises falls foul of the swear filter!
Nope, chain. But the two we go to, Tunbridge Wells Bar and Grill and Piccolino in Nottingham are both entirely different places. Both very good though.Edit - didn't realise
s falls foul of the swear filter!Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 24th May 09:21
Not a prawn ring to be seen though on the menu.
Financially robust outfit? Would not want them going bust, they are my go-to for reliability and chav-free dining.
alfaman said:
So said:
Brooking10 said:
alfaman said:
His overseas restaurants don’t seem that great ... reputation of ‘jamies’ in Singapore is an overpriced tourist restaurant serving mediocre to average food.
He doesn’t have to worry about them so much given they aren’t his.Andy Zarse said:
I went once to a Jamie's, it was frankly overpriced crap.
Have you asked yourself why there was "falling demand"? I mean, are people not eating out anymore? Are other chains not prospering on the High St?
Or did Jamie's customers have a less than satisfactory experience for a variety of reasons and simply decide to eat elsewhere in future, pausing only to give the brand a proper rinsing on Tripadvisor?
Jamie's failed for one very simple reason; the market decided not to patronise it. End of. ASk yourself why.
The casual dining market is on its arse.Have you asked yourself why there was "falling demand"? I mean, are people not eating out anymore? Are other chains not prospering on the High St?
Or did Jamie's customers have a less than satisfactory experience for a variety of reasons and simply decide to eat elsewhere in future, pausing only to give the brand a proper rinsing on Tripadvisor?
Jamie's failed for one very simple reason; the market decided not to patronise it. End of. ASk yourself why.
Hundred of unit closures over the past 18 months and more to come including at some very well known businesses.
JO’s collapse wasn’t by any stretch unique and in the broad scheme of things was smallish beer with the business’ total closure amounting to less jobs and units than some others’ rationalisations. It just attracts more headlines given the personality and a good bit of old fashioned tall poppy pruning.
Andy Zarse said:
On the contrary, this is classical market economics in action. Casual dining (and I am assuming you're including Jamie's in this description?) has never been more popular. More and more people eating out more often. A generation ago eating out was a treat. Now it's mainstream. The market recognised this and a plethora of chains popped up to fill demand. And they literally popped up everywhere. Some of them were even pretty good, to start with at least. But what the managements didn't factor in were changes in people's tastes. Italian food has become mundane. There's more exiting and new cuisines to try. In essence i contend that the market for italian food stayed static at best; the options to eat it expanded hugely. Consequently there's only so much trade to go around and this is why restaurant chains are failing.
I still have to queue to get a lunch table at my local Wagamama or even Wahaca but you can stroll straight into the Pizza Express/Zizzi/Prezzo/Ask/you name your identikit pseudo-Italian eatery and you tell them which table you'd like to sit at. The problems in the casual dining market, such as they are, are the out-dated business models they still rely upon.The fact of the matter is there are way too many Italian restaurants compared to the number punters, combined with high overheads, a mediocre product at an uncompetitive price. Result; misery.
Little of this is the customers' fault, nor is it the fault of the government, Brexit or any other blame deflection mechanism. Creative destruction in action.
I agree that the business models are at the heart of the problem I still have to queue to get a lunch table at my local Wagamama or even Wahaca but you can stroll straight into the Pizza Express/Zizzi/Prezzo/Ask/you name your identikit pseudo-Italian eatery and you tell them which table you'd like to sit at. The problems in the casual dining market, such as they are, are the out-dated business models they still rely upon.The fact of the matter is there are way too many Italian restaurants compared to the number punters, combined with high overheads, a mediocre product at an uncompetitive price. Result; misery.
Little of this is the customers' fault, nor is it the fault of the government, Brexit or any other blame deflection mechanism. Creative destruction in action.
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 19th August 13:26
The market as a whole though is definitely a double headed beast.
Overall spend plus input costs and therefore profits are very much challenged irrespective of cuisine.
Totally agree that the more defined the offering the better the customer responds and yes the anglicised Italian sub sector is one we fell out of love with
There’s significant distress in the sector as a whole and a lot of caution in terms of expansion.
Wahahca is great but it’s very London centric with a few high end metropolitan sites outwith the capital. Where it goes next strategically is a big decision.
Wags is a brilliant business (and IMO great food) but under its new ownership )who bought it largely to distract from the underlying issues in their core business) it has several challenges ahead.
BrabusMog said:
R.Sole said:
oyster said:
jakesmith said:
Zigster said:
Exactly. The high street is on its arse for shopping and mid-range eating is in exactly the same place.
The top-end restaurants are doing well; the chicken shacks and MacDonalds are doing well; the competitors of JO are all really struggling. We ate at Pizza Express a couple of weeks ago, for the first time in ages, because I had some Nectar vouchers about to expire. It was £100 for the four of us, including one child still on the “piccolo” menu, no starters, and just a soft drink each. Without the vouchers, it would have felt a bit too expensive for mediocre food and I’m not sure when we’ll next visit.
So 3 pizzas for say £13-50 each, piccolo menu for £8 what did the other £50 go on!? The top-end restaurants are doing well; the chicken shacks and MacDonalds are doing well; the competitors of JO are all really struggling. We ate at Pizza Express a couple of weeks ago, for the first time in ages, because I had some Nectar vouchers about to expire. It was £100 for the four of us, including one child still on the “piccolo” menu, no starters, and just a soft drink each. Without the vouchers, it would have felt a bit too expensive for mediocre food and I’m not sure when we’ll next visit.
1 x kids @ £8.00
1x bottle wine @ £25.0
1x coke @ £2.85
3 x coffee @ £2.75 = £8.25
2 x desert @ £6 = £12
Total. = £99.60.
Not very difficult to rack up £100.
The underlying point made by the OP as regards P Ex was valid given that Identified that without vouchering what look and feel like relatively low cost meals are in fact relatively expensive.
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