ESPERANCA
"I was told over the phone that I could choose between a set course, ordering a la carte, or deciding on the day of the visit, so I made a reservation for a seat only and visited the restaurant. That evening, I was the first one at the counter. I ordered drinks, a mixed appetizer plate, two main dishes (shrimp and beef), and a cheese platter. I started with the appetizers while sipping on my drink. It was a combination of smoked salmon, duck, and pate - all three were well-seasoned and delicious. I was looking forward to the mains. Despite it being a weekday, a few groups of customers who had reserved the set course started arriving, making me even more excited for the mains. However, nothing came out. I waited... and waited... and waited... while the set course customers were served dish after dish. Even the cheese platter didn't show up. I couldn't understand why, even though there were four people in the kitchen. Finally, the first main dish arrived - the shrimp was average, and the sauce was lukewarm, but the taste was not bad. Then, after another long wait, I finally got the beef cutlet that I had been waiting for. However, the beef seemed to be of good quality, but the strong pepper seasoning made it taste like a snack with "black pepper flavor"! The sauce that came with it was not tasty either, so I gave up after one bite. It was a huge disappointment considering my high expectations. As I was leaving, a young (apprentice?) staff member apologized for the delay in serving the dishes, but it seemed like there was no awareness of keeping the customers waiting. Instead of the chef who had been in the kitchen the whole time, it was the inexperienced staff member who came to apologize, which raised some doubts about the service. Looking back, when the restaurant's curtain was hung the other way around that day, I couldn't help but wonder if we were not welcome customers... The simple dishes were somewhat tasty, so the ingredients may have been good, but I was very disappointed in the chef's skills and the service. The restaurant may prioritize regular customers, but after making a reservation and going to the trouble of skipping lunch, I felt that I never wanted to go back with this level of taste and service."