Disappointed (19 March 2009)

It was 10.30 on a Wednesday morning at the Cafe Bar in Cathedral Square, Exeter. We entered the cafe and stood around waiting to be seated. There are four other patrons at the time. The staff were in evidence at the time, one staring closely at an LCD screen on the cash point, one behind the counter and one in the background; I had to speak up a bit to my wife to wake up the staff. The waitress asked ‘Ah, yes! What would you like?’ It would have been nice to have been seated first. My wife replied ‘we'd like a seat please, anywhere?’ So we sat down and were duly presented with the menus from which we selected iced coffee, fruit cake, coffee and a doughnut. We sat reading the literature about how good ABode claims to be, harbouring thoughts about taking a table for our wedding anniversary in the restaurant. A few minutes in and waitress returns, ‘No doughnuts I'm afraid. Sorry about that, they're still being made and will take another fifteen minutes.’ Okay, skip the doughnut, but surely enough time has elapsed in the working day to have some ready. It doesn't say 'made to order with 15 minute wait' on the menu. Coffees and cake arrive; the coffees were fine but the cake was refrigerated; the butter with the cake was cold and solid. Is this the type of dining with which Michael Caines wishes to be associated?

Drink up, eat up, stand up, and loiter at pay point. There were still the same number of people in the place but two members of staff were having a discussion behind the counter. No one was watching the tables. So we wait again, this time to pay, coming to the conclusion that it doesn't really add to the exclusivity by ignoring your customers. We were noticed by the staff behind the counter. The bill totted up and then checked; then the 12% service charge is added. I asked the waitress ‘Does that include the service charge?’ ‘Yes; should I take it off?’ she volunteered. Ah, she knew it wasn't up to snuff but was still quick to include the charge. I asked for the service charge to be removed. Quite honestly, given the members of staff to customer ratio at the time, the service should have been little short of perfect and had it been I would happily have forked over but given the poor service it should never have appeared on the bill. Goodness knows what it's like when it's busy. My wife and I had returned for a nostalgic visit. ‘What a disappointment’, we thought as we walked out.

Daisy (5 September 2008)

Having been recommended this venue due to its location and ambience, which are both good, I was really disappointed by the food itself. I had a Panini, which was dry, and the French fries were really flaccid, greasy and overcooked and gave the impression they had been cooked and reheated. I found it very expensive for what it was and to top it off the gratuity is pre-included in the bill, which seemed presumptuous as I am happy to tip, but directly to the waiting staff. It was disappointing.