Tag Archives: disappointing

Presto Cucina-Abbotsford, BC

Having lived in Abbotsford for about 16 years, we grew very fond of this restaurant.  Presto_Cucina The owners were always on top of things and the food quality was terrific. I have waited a week before writing my take on this restaurant.  Read on and you will see why.

 

This last visit (mid April) was something of a shock.  We waited a full 10 minutes and kept calling out for someone…anyone who would take our order.  There was another couple sitting in a booth and one of the ladies came over and also tried to call out.

 

I went behind the counter….checked the kitchen….called out at the freezers and no one was here.  FINALLY, the chef and the young waitress came into the restaurant from being outside having a smoke.  Well, we did inform them that this is not the way to have a business operating.  If  you only have 2 employees, then only 1 should take a break.  This was approximately 11:15 – 11:30 a.m. Not exactly rush hour.

 

We placed our order (each getting an individual pizza ) and a cold drink.  Now a few more customers enter the dining room. The ‘chef” did come over with an appetizer, saying he was sorry we had to wait.  Okay, that was a good thing to do.

 

Now, I want to go to the washroom.  This room had not been checked or cleaned for a number of days.  I would not be exaggerating if I said the paper towels were a good 2 1/2  feet over the top of the garbage container.  I mentioned it to the ‘chef’ and he said he would get on it and clean it.

 

What about the girl? Who now owns this restaurant?  This was a terrific local establishment and now I wonder.

 

We wanted to take the remaining pizza with us, but the waitress never came near our table during the whole time we were there, except to bring us the bill. Then we asked her if we could take it with us. She really needs training to  understand that the service given to the customers will reflect on whether or not she keeps getting a paycheck.  Truly disappointed this time around.

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Drums of the Pacific-Hyatt Hotel, Maui, HI

We thought that this visit, we would take in another luau. If nothing else, for a different slant.

http://maui.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/activities/onsite/details.jsp?onsiteActId=413

Knowing  that this is one of the elite hotels, you have high expectations, but alas, they really could and should improve this. You are given (after checking in twice) a watered down mai tai and/or NA punch. Depending on the price paid for your ticket, you are presented with a green reed lei (braided with a couple of ends loose for a “feathered” look and the lesser priced seats are given a 59 cent shell lei (ABC store price). There is an open bar, but no mixed drinks. Mai tais, NA punch, ( these are all pre-made and watered down), coke, juices, rum, rye, etc. In other words, only highballs.  If you are lucky, you just might know there was something in them. The emu (underground oven) is a modern cement wall with a hole in it, on a cement floor and plastic patio chairs are your seating for the evening. It is not a ocean view evening. The ocean is out there but hidden behind a high cement wall.

Okay, now it gets interesting. The band is terrific. They have a fashion show, both men and women, showing the different ways to tie on the long wide ‘scarves’ they all wear. Then the emcee explains each culture being represented. Spectacular dancing, truly, and the fire dance at the end is a bit frightful at times.

The server we had, a woman, forgot her smiley face and you felt like it was an inposition to order anything. It was definitely go and fetch for yourselves.

Is it worth it? The show? A resounding yes.  The rest?  There were no real crafts being shown here, only pre-made “tacky” souvenir type stuff. All little things and not what you would expect. Barettes, shell ‘hula’ people, etc.

Price: $$$

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