Anyone who has read my additions to the "best chinese restaurant" threads may have noticed that I list the Vietnamese Noodle Bar on London Rd as one of my favourites - NOT ANY MORE.

Took my friend there tonight for tea - lovely chicken satay as usual - all way going well until our mains arrived. My friend had an actual insect, some sort of small beetle thing with legs and anntenae on the top of her food. Obviously we drew attention to this and a replacement was bought out in literally 3 minutes - which led me to query that it was in fact a different dish. We were ensured it was so she tentatively picked at it. My meal, which included some roast duck arrived as well - the meat (ha!) was all bone, fat and cartilidge which I also picked at - suddenly feeling a lack of appetite. I asked to see the manager and three people later explained I wasn't very happy and explained why calmly and politely. We were accused of complaining after we had eaten "most" of our food. Not true. She told us that the dish with insect had been replaced and her kitchens can cook very fast. I asked why there was an insect in the first place - which she didnt answer. She said she was prepared to knock 20% off my meal because "lots of people" complain the duck is too fatty. I said "well I'm not eating this and neither is my friend". She stomped off after arguing with me for 5 minutes about her position and we assumed she was going to fetch our bill. 15 minutes later we are still sat there twiddling our thumbs. So I loudly asked to see her again - I asked her where the bill was and told her I wasn't prepared to pay for the mains and that was final and that if she wanted me to take it further that there was an insect in my mates meal then I would. I also told her I ate there at least once a week and that I would not be eating there again and I would be telling my friends (thats you lot) not to eat there either. She argued a little while longer by which point I was getting quite angry. I told her finally in a very firm voice (half of the very busy restaurant now listening) I would only pay for the starters and the drinks and I was prepared to take it further if necessary. She then messily grabbed our plates and stomped off and bought us our bill - still £13.50!!!

I have never ever been an assertive person when it comes to complaining but I am absolutely ENRAGED she had the audacity to argue with me when there was a beetle in my friends food!

Ok - rant over. I might sleep tonight now.

i wouldnt be able to sleep if i were you, be dreaming of eatin beetles! :gag:

Not going there - EVER!!!!! :gag:

That must have been horrible.

I would have been tempted to utter those words 'environmental health'.....

I don't think I've ever encountered unwanted insects in my food - I'd be mortified if I did. The odd hair, the occasional stringy bit of meat and in a hotel in Edinburgh a mouldy Danish Pastry, but that takes the biscuit.

How big was the bug?

Joe

Well to be honest it was huge - not like a cockroach or anything BUT it was about the size a house fly and it was so beetle like. On its back legs akimbo sort of thing - such a proper looking insect.

I was on the verge of using enviromental health - if she hadn't have given up when she did that was my next line of attack. I said it loud enough for people around me to hear...

Even the blokes on the table next to us said there was no way they had time to cook up an entirely new dish - and said my friend should have eaten it for the protein!! It probably would have been as bony as the duck!!!

Its a wonder they didn't charge you extra for it

I am continually suprised by how busy that place is.
I don't know anyone that has had a good meal there. I went once, my meal was burnt all around the edge, cold in the middle, returned it and got it back with a large pile of spit on top of it.

A friend of mine, organised her 25th birthday there the other year. called them up, booked a table for 20. Told all her fiends that it was booked, turned up only to called a liar as they didn't take bookings. Reduced her to tears in front of her friends.

Quite how they're still in business is beyond me.

Sounds lovley :gag:

Give the Sheffield Star a ring. Cheeky gits !. I can't believe they had the nerve to charge you anything.And if it's as bad as that it's a health hazzard to everybody ( especially in this heat ).

People need to be warned about places like this, they should not be in buisness. Thanks for the warning, i will make sure my family steer well clear of the place.

Im suprised you paid the £13.50 mate to be honest!

Christ, that's not good. Not surprised you were livid, I would be too. I have only ever been once, a while ago now. The food I loved though the service wasn't great. It has put me off wanting to go again though. I'm not really into eating insects. :gag:

I still feel funny this morning... have told both of my classes that I've taught this morning! I'm sure there's some sort of religious moral in there somewhere!

I didn't want to pay for anything either - but there was nowt wrong with me tiger beer and the starters were lovely - I didn't want to get into any trouble, wasn't sure what the legal position was on it to be honest.

The service was never great - but i just never tipped, the food usually made up for it though cos it is so cheap. If I want smiles and someone to remember my name I'll go to candy town.

I need a new noodle bar now though... :(

Seems to be par for the course in the UK that if the customer complains they get a string of abuse and irrational argument rather than the calm and reasoned response you might expect if you had a legitimate greivance.

The customer is always right; until they disagree with the staff or ask to speak to the manager.

Oh my god! I was due to go on a hen party there last month but at the last minute couldn't make it. The hen party still went! I won't tell them if you don't!
Needless to say, I won't ever consider eating there in the future and would never continue to eat somewhere if I had complained about the food (shudder!) :gag:

Originally posted by absynthfairy
I need a new noodle bar now though... :(


There's a new one opened by the Spar at Hunters Bar, it's called Noodle King. I got given a flyer for it last week, although I've no idea what it's like as it only opened last weekend.

I went to Jumbo today - it was nice but no crispy duck... :(

Right, that's my custom out of the window, and I shan't reccommend them anymore!






(dont tell them I never ate there anyway though!)
:thumbsup:

http://www.sheffieldrestaurant.co.uk/reviews.php May be interested in your 'review' AF ;)

Was it this place (http://www.sheffieldrestaurant.co.uk/restaurants/viewrestaurants.php?id=229)?

Yeah Strix - thats the one. It has a new funky sign now though... Just looked at that site - dare I submit a review...?

will they sue me?

Just state the facts :thumbsup:

I've always really liked this place, but to be honest I think it's starting to look a bit grotty these days. We pass it every morning on our way into work - and I've noticed that they don't clear up at night before they close, and there's often dirty plates and glasses still at the tables - the place just looks a bit of a mess at times.

I might think again before going again now - I think we'll stick to Jabu, at least you know what you're eating there, 'cause you cook it yourself!

Ive never had a problem with the place. Havent been there for months. Its cheap and its a place where you wanna just get a quick bite. I always prefer to go to the restaurant a few doors down, which is my favourite place to eat for lunch or dinner...

I highly recommend Noodle Inn. You get value for money with the big portions you get! The customer service is brillaint and the air con is just right. If you decide to get the big plate or big soup bowl dishes, share between two people unless you are REALLY hungry or a big eater. Wear something loose when you go there but maybe its just me cos my other half and I always come out of there stuffed and still got leftover food to take home!

:D

At the risk of being thought pedantic, I have to ask why you classify this as a "Chinese Restaurant " when its name suggests that it is not?. Sorry that your meal was so disgusting, certainly there is no way I would have paid them a brass farthing. Whilst on this subject , is the Water Margin near Abbey Lane still there?
And for takeaways Chans on Abbeydale Road, near Broadfield Road? How time flies, nearly ten years since I last enjoyed such cullinary delights.
O.P.:thumbsup:

I went to Jumbo today - it was nice but no crispy duck...



I think Jumbo vary their menu depending on which day you go. Have you noticed that the price changes if you go in the evening or at the weekend? I think that's got something to do with it.

If you go to the grand buffet (or something like that) which I think is in the evenings, you'll get crispy duck.

Oldpomona - lol. Yeah, why do we insist on doing that...? It's like saying 'going for an Indian' when you're clearly going to a Bangladeshi or Pakistani run restaurant... Maybe it's the Empire mentality, ie. "that country more than likely belongs to us anyway so we can call it what we want"!

Originally posted by Tartempion
I think Jumbo vary their menu depending on which day you go. Have you noticed that the price changes if you go in the evening or at the weekend? I think that's got something to do with it.

Yeah - Number 1 do the same...go on a Sunday and it's cheaper, but instead of crispy duck, you get the traditional oriental dishes of sausages and curley fries :suspect:

So let me get this right - your friend found a beetle in their food which they then replaced and you compained about the duck which they offered you a discount on - seems fair to me.

I'll still eat there as I've never had a problem - heard beetles are good for you as well :)

Seriously though - I used to live near the place and I've ordered a set meal over the phone and had it delivered in 10 minutes from the call so they probably have a lot of the food continuously cooking.

Originally posted by fnkysknky
So let me get this right - your friend found a beetle in their food which they then replaced and you compained about the duck which they offered you a discount on - seems fair to me.



But, as I said to the woman arguing with me... WHY WAS THE BEETLE THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!!! :rant:

Went to Noodle Inn last night - it was fantabulous. I am now happy :)

As I understand it, all the prices on a menu carry no more weight than a recommended price, and you are under no actual obligation to pay the listed price for the food, especially if it was substandard.

A flying insect (such as a beetle) could easily land in your food beween kitchen and table, and may be unable to escape. I've found all sorts in my food, in all sorts of places. Insects I can cope with, metal swarf, glass and fibreglass make me worry more.

If it was me, I would have just picked it off I think, no worse than a summer picnic.


[punter]"Waiter! There is a fly in my soup"
[waiter - Spike Milligan] "Don't panic sir, I'll save him!" [Spike dives into a bowl of soup].