The Scullery has sampled much Thai food in its short history and sometimes I am amazed, sometimes disappointed and sometimes... well I dunno?
What is the real reason a restaurant opens for business? People have a passion for food and hospitality and want to create an experience that fills a niche.... There are many and varied reasons and can go onto the very tenuous but there is very little reason needed when the experience is quality and the food is superb. I believe there is an ebb and flow of clientele based on popularity that can make a restaurant and then break it. People work extremely hard to build the popularity of their restaurants and they enjoy the adrenalin of this in flow. But if that rythym is not maintained the experience will drop off and the clientele will only remember their last visit not the many before that one. So it all seems good with many clientele still coming through the door all based on their last visit - a good one perhaps? Management are not worried because the signs have not changed. The edge is near though and the flood of customers will stop as quickly as it started all based on a critical mass of punters now not so sure of their favourite little Tongue Thai'd restaurant.
I observed some very worrying signs at this favourite little Thai Restaurant, our party were booked in and early on what was always going to be a busy night. (Saturday 27th December - Chrissy leftovers all gone!) Our effeminate host allowed us the choice of moving tables which was very accommodating, and we slipped inside to a table right in the thoroughfare of the tiny, boldly coloured rooms. Some "San Pell", "Creatures" and "Singha" and we ordered promptly and succinctly. The menu is controlled down to price differences of each variation of a dish as is customary in a Thai restaurant, but the menu does not go further than the popular favourites. The 'specials' are used for the genuine Thai gems, like Duck Salad, Green Paw Paw 'Som Tom' spicy salad and others. We settle into our catch up conversation and I keep one eye on the front of house counter, it is what I like to do! Entre's arrive sluggishly which is a concern as they are merely deep fried spring rolls, tofu and Tom Kah Gai. The Tom Kah Gai soup was to sweet to really be thought of as a geniune article. Tongue Thai'd is full and the food is moving out of the kitchen to some big tables, and a banquet type room at the rear of the restaurant. The managers are working and the staff are coping, as soon as one of the large tables finishes up and leaves the manager sits down and the staff are still just coping. This manager is entitled to sit and enjoy the bustle of their busy restaurant, but all around him the wheels start to fall off. We wait a further hour for our mains. The first rush was over and being such a busy night the second wave of punters were now having to wait until 10 o clock for food ordered at eight! I ordered the Paw Paw salad, and was interested when after 40 minutes I am informed the salad was no longer available, this quietly wreaks of a lack of communication between the wait staff and the kitchen. My choices become limited as many of the specials suddenly are no longer available. Being a manager down the staff face tough questions about where's? and why's? this is of course the job of the manager - who is not around. The staff that were coping are now not, they are now heavy footed in an emptying restaurant confused by their own lack of communication. We moved table from 22 to 19, it was somehow the hurdle neither the staff nor the kitchen could quite get over. Just change the number on the order and remember both copies. So after these signs had passed we were pleased to see our meals, which were of a good size. The Red, Green and Penang Curries were all of a consistent standard but no finesse to speak of. The Penang usually the most subtle was over sweet without enough balance (lime acid) to carry the dish. The vegetable’s used were the same for each dish, a rough chop of bamboo shoot, red ‘caps’, 'broc' and onion. This may seem like common, time saving practise, but I’d say it is lazy at the toughest of times. To be honest the food was below standard and really could be criticised further but it would add to mounting case for the 'ebb' from this little Thai Restaurant. With so many loyal punters disappointed in one evening I do not really need to add to their frustration. They will of course think twice when returning, despite the times when the food was great and the staff in rhythm with their needs. A niche is often formed quicker than it is filled, so there is time on the side of the little Thai restaurant, but I will not burn a scented candle in hope for them.
Giles
