the best restaurant in Armenia?
Phoenicia... gotta love them. Located in the lovely Cascade Park, this restaurant is one of the few upper scale (yes meaning expensive) restaurants here in Armenia. I've been there a few times and just recently decided to dine there with a friend one evening. It started out amazingly - the service, the atmostphere, the everything. As we looked over the menu we both made up our minds. I had opted for a salad and chicken dish while my friend decided on the Filet Mignon and wine.
I can't complain too much about my meal. It was good - though I can't say worth every penny. My friend's meal, however, was a total disaster. The filet mignon (ordered medium) they brought out was not the most tender piece of beef out there and it was way over cooked. (The potatoes were good though!). We sent back the dish and though he offered to make us a new one, we said no. The wine (costing 3250 dram/glass for a bottle that costs less than in it's entirety) was good. No complaints there... until we saw a FLY swimming around. So we sent that back.
At the end of the meal... no apologies, no nothing. I would have walked out okay without an apology. But when we saw that they had included both the wine and the meal on the bill... well let's just say I won't be visiting them again any time soon.
I can't complain too much about my meal. It was good - though I can't say worth every penny. My friend's meal, however, was a total disaster. The filet mignon (ordered medium) they brought out was not the most tender piece of beef out there and it was way over cooked. (The potatoes were good though!). We sent back the dish and though he offered to make us a new one, we said no. The wine (costing 3250 dram/glass for a bottle that costs less than in it's entirety) was good. No complaints there... until we saw a FLY swimming around. So we sent that back.
At the end of the meal... no apologies, no nothing. I would have walked out okay without an apology. But when we saw that they had included both the wine and the meal on the bill... well let's just say I won't be visiting them again any time soon.
posted by Arina at 11:07 AM
20 Comments:
Not exactly an up-market resataurant but I have a ridiculous situation to add to your account on Phoenicia but for me it was at Marco Polo on Abovian.
I met up with an English aid worker now based in Krygyzstan an his Krygyz fiancee this winter and there being three of us, we obviously ordered three main courses. Trouble was that the waitress brought four and try as we might, she refused to understand why we didn't want to accept her mistake.
Okay, so eventually she took the meal away and then came the bill. They charged us for the meal that we didn't order. Her excuse?
She brought it to us and so therefore, what could she do? You can take it off the bill, I said but then a couple of large thick-negged thugs were called in to the conversation and we were told to pay for it.
Besides, they had already wrapped the meal up in tin-foil for us to take away.
Great. Except we didn't order it and didn't want it. Still, we had to pay for it. Anyway, Marco Polo is renowed for its appaling service and I'm told this is a problem with many cafes and restaurants in Armenia.
When they have a prime location and can count on a steady flow of clients, they become arrogant. Not that they'll care, but I now boycott Marco Polo and suggest that others do the same. It isn't a money issue for me or the owners.
It's a matter of principle on my side and as the cafe is allegedly owned by an government-connected businessman, it's probably an exercise in hiding income for him.
Incidentally, the head of an international organization here tells me that if you look at the tax declarations for most cafes in Armenia, there is a roaring trade in non-alcoholic beer.
Well, apart from the fact that most cafes don't stock it and I've never seen anyone drink it.
Why the roaring trade? They can get away with paying less tax on beer that they say is non-alcoholic than the stuff they actually sell.
Dude - you guys complain about TOOOO much. back in the real world the food is out of the deep-freeze and it's nasty food processed.
A suggestion would be that should you all be trying to do some reforming in Armenia (hahah and dining with your salaries in such restaurants you shouldn't complain about the prices) you should avoid picking at the parts which aren't worth picking at and get a grip!!
I wouldn't necessarily call it a complaint so much as sharing a story. I've actually had very good experiences at the smaller cafes here in Armenia. I just found it odd that the one restaurant famed for it's service and quality could stoop down so low. Maybe you should move to Armenia if you're so unhappy with what's available in the "real world".
Back to reforming Armenia for me.
It's a three paragraph complaint which people don't need to read about when reading about Armenian life - it's not where the average person goes hence it's not about a average life in Armenia. Suggest you write about something more interesting.
Diasporans don't visit it when they come to Armenia? I'd think it's one of the first few restaurants they try out. You are right though, as Armenians living here we should highlight those experiences that are more positive. Thanks for the tip!
Hey, anonymous:
get a grip and get off your high horse. you complain about the latest price hike at the movie theatre and the altest violent act on your block, we over here try to compensate for the lack of "real world" issues by complaining about restaurants. don't like it, don't read. it's part of our lives. deal with it.
As far as I recall, this is a non-anonymous blogg comment zone! Declare who you are or run the risk of being banished from this site forever. Read it, love it or leave it!
By the way, I know of a former hired helper at Marco Polo, who stated that, the cooks / chefs do NOT wash their produce. Avoid patronizing that establishment as much as you can or run the risk of getting seriously ill.
Marco Polo - has anyone had a good experience there? I once went asking to sit at a particular table. They said no, it's our busy period. Coincidentally there was NO ONE there.
They do have a super cool lounge area now though fully equipped with bean bags, swing chairs, and comfy chairs though.
Over the past few years I've been to Marco Polo a lot and the food and service are fine. Shoosh and I actually met the nicest waiter there.
We've also never been disappointed at Meghedi, The Club or Square One.
Whenever we do encounter rude wait staff, or taxi drivers who provide bad service or try to overcharge us we just find the humor in it. THIS IS ARMENIA!!! You'll enounter the same drama all over the world.
What standards you are holding Armenia's cafes and restaurants to? American? European? DON'T!! It's a whole other ball game in Armenia and if you don't like the food/service EAT AT HOME!!!
By the way.. Harout? I'm really short and ALWAYS have to have my pants hemmed and NEVER have I had a salesperson in America or Europe fold my pants for me... Is that a Canada thing?
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"Whenever we do encounter rude wait staff, or taxi drivers who provide bad service or try to overcharge us we just find the humor in it. THIS IS ARMENIA!!"
I just don’t like that reduced attitude. Actually, I feel it’s kind of a degrading comment-statement. Unfortunately, that statement sounds like a typical laid-back and unnecessary Armenian-Diaspora attitude. Armenia should not be a land of sub-standards. In a civilized and sophisticated society it is not OK for the service to be 3rd class, it is not OK or humorous for an Armenian service worker to overcharge or under service their clients. I'm not sure where you are use to dinning, commuting or lodging in Armenia but let me tell you from my own Armenia-travel experiences that bad service combined with rudeness and unhealthy/unsafe service environments should never be tolerated or facilitated.
Lori, it might be a Canada thing. I suppose Canadian retail store staff are a little more customer friendly than the rest of the world. :-)
By the way, a while back I mentioned how Noubar (the owner of Phoenicia) rips off customers. He'll suggest something, for example wine, and if he sees you're not interested he'll say "on the house", but will still include it on the bill.
His son is also another bozzo who manages SOHO on Abovian. But I won't bother getting into details.
Nothing like cooking at home. Especially when a country lacks so much customer service.
Hagop, we diasporans don't have a right to hold Armenia's customer service standards to what WE THINK they should be. How annoyed would you be if a tourist from another country came into your hood and bitched about how YOU SHOULD be doing things and what is and isn't acceptable?
You said "In a civilized and sophisticated society it is not OK for the service to be 3rd class" Well.. it seems to be working for places like Paris and Florence just fine where tourist are generally treated like crap yet they still keep going.
I don't agree with the charging for unordered items, PAYTS, sometimes I can understand the rudeness because most of the folks in service related positions used to be doctors and lawyers and now they've been reduced to "serving"
the diasporans who think they're better than or know better than the deghatsi and feel free to volunteer opinions about how they SHOULD BE doing things.
Imagine being in their shoes and having to serve us selfrighteous diasporans... I would be annoyed and rude too!
Ok...
First of all, I TOTALLY agree with Lori, in that who are WEEEEEE to expect certain things WE are used to from Armenians?!!
Just because we're used to the service in the States, doesn't mean everywhere else in the world has to be the same. WEEEEE are the ones going to a different country... we have to adapt too.
And also... I've eaten at all the places you guys have mentioned. In fact, I think I've pretty much been to all the touristy places. Once at Meghedi, the guy brought me a new sandwich 4 times, because I'm allergic to cheese and it still had cheese EACH time he brought it back. WE THOUGHT IT WAS HILARIOUS!
As for the service... I've never once had rude service... my technique is, "kill them with kindness and smiles". It works. :)
The point is... who died and made us customer service gods? If we could do it so much better, we should be the people with degrees working 12 hour shifts in annoying uniforms, and receiving $150/month.. and be expected to do it with a smile day in and day out.
Also... we should be thankful that the waitress doggy-bagged the extra dish, because Armenia isn't like the US, where they throw away perfectly fine food by the tons. In the US, that would just be written off on the computer and dumped (like how we dumped the pastries every night at Starbucks).
Wow - so many conversations all mixed up. Well first let me say in direct reply to the post, I totally agree. I will never go back to Phonecia after being robbed there for 3 $10 drinks when I only ordered one glass of "dry red wine". I admit, I did not ask the price, but when they "topped it off" without asking and charged another $10, and then brought dessert Campari to every single person on the table, without anyone asking for it, I think it was quite normal to assume this was a free dessert drink included in the price of the fixed meal we had. Wrong again, another $10. And it was the owner sitting there, raping us, not some other employee where you could claim there was a mix up. DO NOT GO TO PHONECIA!!!!!!!!!
To Onnik, I would say you should try to speak to a higher manager. I've never seen thick necks there, but when employees try to get you to pay for something you did not order, it is so they don't get in trouble... you just have to try to go above them.
To "anonymous" you once again prove that anonymous comments are usually made by jerks. Your statement about Arina's story that "it's not about a average life in Armenia" is quite correct, but your conclusion that therefore she should not log about it is completely wrong. Her logs are about HER LIFE, not about some mythical "average life". Nobody ever told you to expect otherwise on this site, so if you don't like what's written, don't read it. Simple, eh? I don't like Phonecia, and I won't go anymore. It works, you know...
I did ask to speak to the manager but that didn't get us anywhere. Can't remember, however, if we did see him or not.
Interesting, interesting...
I brought my best mate to Armenia with me in March, hes not Armenian , so I guess it was a double shock to him..
He was surprised at how much I made "excuses" for the way he was treated by Armenian waiters/waitresses...
I had spoken so much about the warmth of the Armenian people and his first experience was that of rude waiting staff in -- yes, Marco Polo... I guess if a complete stranger to Armenia feels this way, then no matter whether its their culture or not, its not healthy for the devlopment of tourism...
It took a while for the "warmth" to become apparent to him. It did, but in the strangest ways, , in Diamond pizza, for example, where the food is good, but the waitresses look like the hate doing what they do... the head waitress there remembered me from when I had been there once 3 years back, and she knew exactly what I ordered, without corn, and olives:) We also got talking to a waiter in Hin Erevan ( waht I feel is now the worst restaurant in armenia since it turned into a skyscraper style disgrace to armenian culture).. He explained the difficult situation waiting staff are in with regard to pay, sub standard conditions etc, and that is why, yes , they do feel some anger towards us "self righteous" diasporans...
I will be honest, I do try to see the humour in it, but then If i'm honest, its because I don't like admitting to myself that hey, Armenia, is NOT perfect...
Anyway,, little thing,, the Marriot, I feel, is perfect. It's just down to good training, and good management, and we know what sort of people manage Armenia's restaurants at the moment..It's just amatter of time thats all.
I have to agree with Raffi and anonymous that Arina’s story that "it's not about a average life in Armenia.” I also agree Raffi that it is completely wrong for anyone to censor her from writing her logs about HER LIFE in Armenia. Censorship is wrong and in this case hides the reality of life in Armenia. Bravo Raffi and Arina for not bending to what is right. Anyone who would try to censor any of the loggers is nothing but a dumb ass.
You want good service (I mean EXCELLENT) service, go to THE CLUB... not only the food is much better than most (if not all) restaurants in Armenia, but the staff is extremely helpfull... Imagine being served by 2-3 waiters at the same time, getting an apology if your meal is delayed by 5 minutes... + the food just wonderfull... I agree that the hype around PHOENICIA is just a hype... we tried it during our first visit to Armenia... but now that we've become "locals", it simply doesn't interest us. Also, don't believe that service in Europe is better than in Armenia (we were recently in Austria and we got an attitude from the waiter - does it ring a bell to all those in Armenia!!)... However, that does not mean that we shouldn't expect HIGHER CUSTOMER SERVICE in all levels of the hospitality sector, after all one of ARMENIA'S main industries is tourism and they better get really good at it, otherwise they won't get return customers!
Without setting high standards (up to par with the rest of the civilized world) for Armenia, we can not expect things to improve in that country. The mentality that "we should be OK and tolerate" anything bad in Armenia, is a dangerous one. Anyone who wishes to have lower standards for Armenia, in my opinion has no business being in that country. Get out of the way and let those who wish to improve the country to continue on with their efforts.
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