D'Agger wrote: » She's running it under here name, precisely for the reasons you've outlined, and yet there's a risk in doing that if it's below quality so it's still in her best interests to see it become a successful restaurant. TBH the name is a bit moot to me - Ronald MacDonald mightn't be flipping burgers in the kitchen but that doesn't mean I won't enjoy my big mac (I realise that's an oversimplification). All that said, I'll be trying out a number of other places before going to Rachels, firstly to allow the place to settle down a bit - sounds like the staff are a bit anxious and that's simply trickling down from management which pisses me off having worked in that . Secondly the pricing seems quite high for basic dishes so will keep an eye on the menu that, from earlier posts, will be tweaked, it seems.
D'Agger wrote: » If Ronald had a culinary school he could be charging €34 for them :pac:
Nonoperational wrote: » mmm. Big Macs.
sporina wrote: » yes but why call it "Rachel's" then.. its not like she has a chain of restaurants with that name.. marketing ploy if you ask me and a reason to hike the prices
Oafley Jones wrote: » I be frankly shocked if she was. I don't think anyone is really expecting her to be stationed at the pass watching what's going out.
Harika wrote: » 34 Washington St, Centre, Cork
sporina wrote: » i heard that she won't actually be working in the restaurant - is that correct? I gather she is there now but perhaps thats just at the start to have some presence?
pwurple wrote: » Reporting back on Rachel's. It's simple menu, food is very good, small bit on the pricey side maybe? Starters were from 9 to 12 euro. Tried calamari, procuttio almond salad, and oysters. All v good. Pizza was 20 euro, it was a roasted tomato base with goat cheese, beetroot, watercress. Very fluffy, tasty. I had dover sole, it was perfect... caper butter, fish was cooked exactly right. Can't fault it. Came with skinny chips, fondant potatoes, lovely herby salad and veg (broccoli roasted with nuts) for the table and those get topped up as you ask for them. Fish dish was 34. Wine list is decent. Didn't get dessert, there was a chocolate tart and a berry sorbet with meringue I think? went into the cocktail bar /piano bar instead and got a pina chocolata as recommended by the cocktail guy. Basically a chocolate cocktail. V nice dessert substitute. Yes, there was a person playing on the piano. Rachel was there, came over for quick chat. The place is beautiful. Tablecloths, lovely ware, nice lighting, we were sitting by the big open wood fire. Faults... Staff were a smidge nervy... our water was topped up about 8 times, but this is a new job for all of them, so that's to be expected. Also, no prices on cocktail menu, nor were we given the price for the fish when being told it. I don't like surprises, just tell me the price people, i swear won't keel over. All in all, I liked it, will be back, hope it does well. Ninja edit! there were two other flatbread options on the menu between starters and mains, around the 13 euro mark. One was with lamb and yoghurt i think, can't remember the other.
Candlewick wrote: » Where is Spitjack opening up?
Mumha wrote: » Looking forward to trying Spitjack but still looks a bit away from being finished, when I passed yesterday.
Colser wrote: » As a customer I feel anxious when it's obvious that the staff are under that kind of pressure and it's totally unnecessary imo.I hate to see that carry on and feel really sorry for the staff..it would put me off a restaurant completely.Most people allow for teething problems and happy staff enhance a restaurant ,their job is difficult enough without some manager adding to the pressure....customers definitely pick up on this.
Leonel Putrid Cheddar wrote: » On the nerviness note, I interviewed for a job at Rachel's a few weeks back, based on which I would say the staff are under constant threat of bollocking. Not a fan of that approach to the workplace myself and IME it's very counterproductive; e.g. you top up a customer's water every thirty seconds because you're afraid to stand still or some manager has gone on a rant about water not being filled up and you decide the best course of action is just to follow orders literally because using your initiative or best judgement is pointless. That said, the early days of a restaurant are massively stressful and keeping anything at a level better than "fairly controlled chaos" is good going, maybe I'm wrong and the staffing stuff will work out.
Harika wrote: » We arrived at 18:00, and we were not told before about the different menu, not even at the table. And unlike the manager told us, there was no hint on that on the homepage, facebook or twitter. Yeah it was similar to Ballymaloe, but why would you mix beef and lamb on one plate if at the order you specify that you hate lamb? I totally understand, that new staff needs time, but this doesn't justify to snap at us. Also Rachel is long enough in the game and for a hefty price tag of 45 Euros per person and 12 euros for a cocktail, I expect top service. It is not an artisan food outlet, where people from outside the business start their journey into the food business. The table next to us also complained about that the gap between the tables was not big enough, maybe it was because of our negativity :pac: but it can be assumed as it was to be expected to be busy, as much people as possible were pumped into the restaurant to milk the cow. What put the staff under additional pressure.
Harika wrote: » It is intended as upper market restaurant but for a fiver extra you get a five course meal at the ivory tower, with a braver menu.
pwurple wrote: » I don't think that's true or fair. She was there in person and working on Saturday when I was in. Harika, I can't tell from above, was that a lunch you were having? If it was, that's kinda the way Sunday lunch works in Ballymaloe as well. Everyone at the shares the meats/fish, and you ask for extra's as you want them. I really like that service style myself, because I'm a food floozy, I always want to try what everyone else is having! But yeah, my three year old throws a wobbler if her food is touching other foods, so it must annoy some people. They should have explained it. Sounds like the staff were flustered anyway, which I saw as well, our water kept randomly being topped up every 30 seconds. It's the first week in new jobs for all of them, so I cut them a bit of slack.
overmantle wrote: » rob316 wrote: » It's her name on the door but it's Paul Montgomery backing this. It's like lots of products, having little to do with the person whose name is fronting it.
rob316 wrote: » It's her name on the door but it's Paul Montgomery backing this.
overmantle wrote: » It's like lots of products, having little to do with the person whose name is fronting it.
overmantle wrote: » Trading on her name? Restaurants have to be good or the public will soon stop coming.
Harika wrote: » Ad Rachels, indeed we had a completely different experience today, as described above Got a call from them an hour earlier, but couldn't answer, so called back later but only answering machine. Went in, a little early, our table was not ready so went to the bar and ordered some mocktails. Both beautiful, no prices for them but normal cocktails are 12 Euros. So got picked up for the table and also beautiful place at the window. Wine menu was just offered several times, although we said we wouldn't drink alcohol. New staff, didn't worry. So the menu came and for Sunday it is a set menu with three courses, three four options as one was not on the menu. 45 Euros. So my wife who was fancying something from the menu on the homepage was a little bit annoyed already. So she ordered the only options she would like, a salad, I had the salmon. Both okayish but if you think each course is 15 Euros, highly overpriced. For main we ordered the beef and the leg of lamb. It took quite long to get to us, while we heard our neighbor table a sharing platter being offered, what we thought was a starter option. So the main arrived and basically two side options were served. To our surprise beef and lamb was served on one plate, and no one told us what was what. Even worse my wife hates lamb, so she was disgusted. Called the manager and went out. So Sunday is basically an expensive carvery, but this was not mentioned anywhere that there is a different menu. Rachel is also not new in the business what makes the experience even more disappointing. It is intended as upper market restaurant but for a fiver extra you get a five course meal at the ivory tower, with a braver menu.
