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An Irish pub-restaurant in Cork hilariously responds to a customer who left a scathing review on TripAdvisor.
While taking the criticism on the chin, the award-winning Blairs Inn restaurant in Blarney responded to the review with the wry wit you’d expect from an establishment located so near the Blarney Stone.
The woman in question had ordered off the kids’ menu on her visit and was singularly unimpressed with what she was served. While this was acknowledged by the restaurant, it was also pointed out to herm that, well, ordering from the kids’ menu is for kids only.
The aggrieved reviewer wrote on TripAdvisor: “"We recently visited here with our family who live close by. It was late afternoon and we had just travelled two hours. I didn’t want a big meal so I asked could I get a double portion of the pasta that was on the children’s menu. I didn’t ask for any part of the menu to be changed. Just a double portion.
"The answer was 'No'. That was it. I said ok I’ll have the child portion so. A small portion of pasta (not fresh pasta) 3 tiny pieces of chicken topped with a spoonful of red sauce, completely cold.
"When my husband went to pay the manager he told him what happened. His reply was 'we don’t change our menu for customers'. He couldn’t have been any more rude. While I was standing there beside my husband he actually said he’s 'she’s a picky eater'.
"This restaurant has had awards in the past, I think they are well out of date by now. The food is in general is average and the pub is not exactly spotless and is out dated. Couldn’t recommend it."
After reading the review, Blair’s Inn agreed, that maybe the kids’ pasta, may not be the best, but then wrote a reply that would be hard to counter.
"The children’s menu is for children only,” they wrote. The pasta’s not fresh pasta as you stated but it’s there for children who don’t want anything else on offer. A stop gap if you will. Not our specialty in the least.
"We simply don’t have the time, nor the inclination. Everything else we do though is made from scratch. Let’s just say pasta’s not exactly coursing through our veins. Moreover we keep the salt content down to an absolute minimum for children so the dishes are not suited to an adult palate.
“Perhaps all this was lost in translation. I will most definitely be addressing the front of house team with this complaint. Though I’m having difficulty understanding why you insisted on eating a child’s pasta dinner when there’s such a range of choice on the main menu. There’s certainly no such thing as a flat 'No.' here.
"And nobody said, 'We don’t change our menus for our customers.' We simply do not possess the Gallic flair to pull that one off. Honestly I’d give it a go, but it be would just hilarious. Furthermore my brother Richie, to whom your husband was speaking, assures me that he did not refer to you as “a picky eater.” It was in fact your husband who said this.
"We will continue to bend over backwards for anybody with special requirements or needs, no matter how unusual. For instance one of our chefs is busy right now preparing a vegetarian pie with a side of sausages (all sausagetarians welcome by the way).
"Some vegans came in unannounced a few weeks ago in the middle of a crazy Saturday service and we were only too delighted to put a few dishes together for them. People often come in looking for half portions and we’re more than happy to oblige where possible. Honestly nothing is too much trouble. We certainly do our level best to please.
"There’s no harder working, more dedicated kitchen team out there. We’re never happy to stand still. We are only too aware that we’re only as good as our last meal served. Nobody’s resting on any laurels out here.
"And there’s certainly no screaming prima donnas. Believe you me my mother would clip them around the ear! We’ve got too many small mouths to feed. I’ve got three rapscallions myself. They love their food by the way.
“They’ve a particular fondness for shellfish. Costing me a fortune! Our kids menu doesn’t quite cut it for them. In fact the more adventurous children out there often stray on to the adults menu. Nothing more satisfying than seeing a child tuck into a bowl of our delicious mussels, or go for one of our goat cheese, smoked salmon & creamed leek tartlets (incidentally, my favourite in betweeny snack and dinner item).
"In short we’re striving every single day to build something that we want to hand down to our next generation (God, help them!). And please don’t be afraid to present us with any special requests or requirements. We will always endeavour to please. I just honestly wouldn’t go for the pasta."
What do you think? Is ordering from the kids’ menu as an adult acceptable?
