the Macdonalds of Italian restaurants (Est Est Est)

Member Name: spacemonkee77

Product:	Est Est Est
Date:	25/07/02 (323 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: None what so-ever

Disadvantages: over-priced, terrible service, tiny portions

Avoid this restaurant! The worst meal I have ever had was in the Newcastle branch of this dire corporate exercise in bland, over-priced, under-sized mock-Italian rubbish.

I had booked a table for two for 8pm on a mid-week evening. Arriving at 7:50 we were shooed to the bar. Nothing wrong with that except we had to stay there for the next 40 flipping minutes whilst we could see at least two tables empty and clean sitting empty for the duration.

The manager clearly did not have a clue how to handle more than 2 parties of people, as he was running round like a headless chicken trying to wait tables, clear tables, bring drinks etc. This is despite the fact that WAITERS and WAITRESSES should be doing it. No sign of either of these rare species all evening other than an occaisional glimpse of a blonde bimbo floating round the place with an empty wine glass in her hand, looking decorative.

After finally being seated we had to wait for 15 minutes before someone came and gave us a menu. This is 55 minutes after having arrived at the time I had booked the table for. we were strving by now, and eagerly ordered our starters and drinks. It is fortunate that we were not thirsty as the drinks did not arrive till the main meal, and then they were wrong. I had the antipasto, which turned out to be four slices of salami and a scrap of parma ham, your for £5.95. A pathetic insult. (if you want an Italian in Newcastle, seek out Panni's and order their anti-pasto, a feast for 2 for the same price, the best Italian in newcastle)
Then we endured another 40 minute wait for the underiszed bland piece of nonsense that they pass off as pasts. My girlfriend ordered the ravioli, and the portion would have fitted in the palm of your hand. Pasta is supposed to be a hearty meal, not a dainty treat.
I asked for the bill, and after another 20 minute wait it hadnt come, so I bawled at the poor girl behind the desk at the door, when it should hav
e been the manager.
This place reeks of lazy coporatism. It is a macdonalds that serves Italian food, except without the quick service, cheap price and indeed portion size.
I have been to loads of cheap Italians in my time, and they all had something good about them, whther it was fantastic food, friendly attentive service or just that it offered you tasty quick food to fill a gap after work. this place had none of these. It relies on the fact that it looks good from the outside and is placed in a prime site on the quayside. Other family run Italian restaurants have to make do with simply running an excellant business and building up a name for themselves. It is now my avowed aim to put these shysters out of business by telling everyone I know NOT TO GO THERE EVER!! Please avoid! There are many, many good restaurants in Newcastle that deserve your money, this sad excuse certainly does not.

Summary: