.::. Antoinette .::.

We finally made it to Antoinette after hearing all the raves since forever.

It was a rainy Thursday night after work, when Orchard Road was notably quieter.

When I arrived at about 7pm, there was already a few couples waiting ahead of me. As I approached the counter and told them that I was a party of two, I was told to hang around to wait. I enquired if it was possible to leave my number, and the waitress politely told me that they did not offer such a service. I was somewhat perturbed as I was not given a queue number, the manager did not take down my name nor any details, and the people who were before we stood around in groups randomly. I was wondering, how do they remember who came before who and who should be let in first?

Chye arrived not long after and we started looking at their menu and the beautiful cakes on display. And while we were happily browsing, the manager asked if we were a party of two. I looked at her wide-eyed, and reminded her that I am in the queue! Seriously, my initial suspicion was proven right! That was the first hint that service here was not up-to-standard.

There were 3 couples ahead of us and one left after a short-while. We waited for about 45 minutes for a table, with 2 groups ahead of us.

The restaurant seemed to be short-handed and it took awhile before our orders were taken. The wait was acceptable, or perhaps we didn't really notice as we girls were yakking away.

I ordered the salmon thick pancakes while Chye ordered the roast beef crepe. Both were about $15 and pretty good value for money. When the manager approached my table with our food, we saw her trying to shoo flick/shoo away something on my think pancake plate. And after she placed our food on the table, I spotted this small insect (fly?) on my salmon, jumping its way to my salad and getting lost in the lettuce. Obviously, I immediately got the manager to change my food, pointing out that there's an insect in my salad (which she has spotted obviously). She apologised and look mildly surprised while promising to change it. After about a few minutes, she came back with my food, placing it in-front of me with a sorry and walking off immediately. Guess what? That insect was STILL there, jumping around, lost in my salad. I was feeling pretty pissed off then. The waitress came when I waved this time round and promised to change it again. The manager then came back to me and told me that they will 'make a new one for me'. But barely 5 minutes later, my food was placed in-front of me again. Obviously, they did not make a new one for me although the salad was changed. Being famished and wanting to avoid a scene, I simply let it go although the insect was jumping on my salmon and perhaps pancakes too.

The thick pancakes were so delicious that I forgot about the earlier episode in no time. I like my pancakes with maple syrup and butter. I asked for maple syrup to be served together since the menu only says that it's served with butter. But I had to ask for butter separately - perhaps they forgot or replace the butter with maple syrup. The salad was fresh and the salmon was delicious too. I had a mouthful of Chye's roast beef crepe but I didn't like the taste of the beef much, perhaps I'm not a crepe person.

All was good, till we ordered desserts. We ordered a cake and a French toast with salty caramel to go with tea. They didn't allow 'sharing of a pot of tea' so we shared the tea from the same cup! Then, the French toast came but the cake did not ever make it to our table. They simply, forgot. Then again, the French toast was so heavenly that we didn't realized that the cake was missing - till we were too full for anything else. I loved the fragrant vanilla used in the cream on the French toast. Black seeds of real vanilla was visible. We did not like the earl grey tea we bought, which had an overpowering flora taste. The tea bag was left in the pot and the tea turned siap-siap after some time. It made me miss my TWG tea very much. I guess not many places brew and serve you a perfect pot of tea.

When it was time for the bill, we asked the waitress for the bill (the same waitress who took our order for the desserts). But after quite some time, the bill did not come and she went around continuing with her work, oblivious she had a bill to deliver. We asked for the bill again from the manager, and she finally brought it over. We were charged for the cake which never come. Obviously it was waived, and the manager went to check if the cake was still available and whispered to the waitress who forgot our cake.

Although the food was heavenly, the service leaves much to be desired although they were smiling the whole time. They don't seem sincere in serving their customers and I even heard them complaining about a table of customers who 'refused to leave although they have finished their food' when I was waiting outside. This is unacceptable for a place which charges a premium for its food and dessert. Ain't such places for you to chill and chat with your friends over a pot of tea and desserts? Do they seriously expect their customers to leave right after they finish their food? Really?

Comparing my experience at Antoinette to Wild Honey, which is only upstairs and serve food which is as good, the service here really pales in comparison. Despite long waits at Wild Honey, they take down your number and you do not need to wait outside. Although the ordering is at the counter, at least my orders are served correctly (sans insects).

I can't say that I'm not disappointed. The food did not disappoint, but I can't decide if I would want to go back to such treatment and still pay a premium for such service.

Let's see if my craving for delicious pancakes will bring me back again.