Review of the Piazza restaurant at ROH

[Fonty]

Oh dear.  I used to love this restaurant as well.  The menu wasn't the most exciting I have ever seen, but the price was relatively reasonable and the atmosphere was great.  Why oh why did they remove the photos of various artists who had performed at the ROH?  I haven't seen the new decor, is this a reasonable assessment? 

 

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/echoes-of-john-lewis-piazza-at-royal-opera-house-reviewed

[Sim]

6 hours ago, Fonty said:

Oh dear.  I used to love this restaurant as well.  The menu wasn't the most exciting I have ever seen, but the price was relatively reasonable and the atmosphere was great.  Why oh why did they remove the photos of various artists who had performed at the ROH?  I haven't seen the new decor, is this a reasonable assessment? 

 

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/echoes-of-john-lewis-piazza-at-royal-opera-house-reviewed

Wow.  Is it really £200 for two courses?  An exaggeration methinks.  And anyone who refers to the toilets as 'bogs' doesn't get taken seriously by me, I'm afraid!!  

[bangorballetboy]

38 minutes ago, Sim said:

Is it really £200 for two courses?  

Nowhere near that. Even if you have the cote de boeuf (between two) it’s about a quarter of that.

[capybara]

I'll never forget the couple who stood by the revolving door (pre-Covid) looking at the placard for this restaurant and asked one another whether they wanted a pizza. Having concluded that they didn't, they went on their way 😂

[Fonty]

I suppose if you add in a costly wine and pick the most expensive things on the menu it might come to £200.  I do agree with her on one thing though.  Last time I saw it, the restaurant did look very bland indeed.  No sense of being in an opera house at all.

[Emeralds]

On 22/10/2022 at 12:56, Fonty said:

Oh dear.  I used to love this restaurant as well.  The menu wasn't the most exciting I have ever seen, but the price was relatively reasonable and the atmosphere was great.  Why oh why did they remove the photos of various artists who had performed at the ROH?  I haven't seen the new decor, is this a reasonable assessment? 

 

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/echoes-of-john-lewis-piazza-at-royal-opera-house-reviewed

The photo seems to show the semi open air terrace bar/cafe but the restaurant Fonty is thinking of is what used to be the Amphitheatre Restaurant. I haven’t eaten at the new version of the Amphitheatre Restaurant but the staff at the open air terrace were great at getting us seated, served and bill paid in plenty of time when we popped in once. I agree the old photos of the RB dancers were beautiful and atmospheric, gave the restaurant glamour and sophistication, and they should have been kept. 

[Fonty]

I actually visited the building yesterday.  I was out on an expedition of London with some out of towners, and they wanted a cup of tea and perhaps a slice of cake.  I thought we could combine that with a quick look around the Opera House, which I haven't been to for several months.  They rejected the ground floor on the grounds that it was just a cafe, and said they wanted to see the view.  So up we went.  This was at about 4pm.  They loved the view, but were slightly perplexed that while downstairs there were masses of cakes, there was nothing at all in the bar upstairs apart from the rather expensive savoury snacks.  When I asked about the Opera House cookie or the cake, which was on the menu, I was told that wouldn't be available until 5.30pm.  Strange, especially as they are continually sending me emails telling me to come along and enjoy the food and the view in the afternoons.  Perhaps they mean the view of the cakes in the ground floor cafe?

 

We couldn't be bothered to go all the way back down again, so resigned ourselves to drinks only.  We were all appalled when we ordered pots of tea, and were each given a tea bag in a saucer, and a tea pot full of warmish water.  Come on,  they don't know how to make tea?  Or is there some sort of health and safety reason why boiling water cannot be poured onto a bag in a pot by staff?

[Diandri]

4 hours ago, Fonty said:

We were all appalled when we ordered pots of tea, and were each given a tea bag in a saucer, and a tea pot full of warmish water.  Come on,  they don't know how to make tea?  Or is there some sort of health and safety reason why boiling water cannot be poured onto a bag in a pot by staff?

 

Yes, that's how they serve the tea. On the occasion I made the mistake of ordering it the first cup came with the previous customer's lipstick still visible. 

[Fonty]

32 minutes ago, Diandri said:

 

Yes, that's how they serve the tea. On the occasion I made the mistake of ordering it the first cup came with the previous customer's lipstick still visible. 

 

Words fail me.  It does not bode well for any place serving something as simple as a pot of tea if they can't make it properly and provide a clean cup.  That is shocking. 

[zxDaveM]

4 hours ago, Diandri said:

 

Yes, that's how they serve the tea. On the occasion I made the mistake of ordering it the first cup came with the previous customer's lipstick still visible. 

 

that warrants a stern complaint. If they don't get complaints about something as bad as this (and that they are incapable of making tea - in Britain!!), then they will never improve

[Fonty]

I complained by email, and got this reply:
 

If I may introduce myself, I work for the catering department at the Royal Opera House and manage the team here.
Thank you for your feedback which we thrive off.

We are currently reviewing how we handle products, such as tea bags, since coming out of Covid and quite rightly this may need to be reviewed.

We do have equal comment for those who want a lighter tea and also don’t want us to handle items.

 

However this is no excuse and I will review with the team – if future do let us know at the counter how you’d like it made and I’m confident my team will happily adhere.

 

For the luke warm water I have know excuse but have personally check our boiling taps since.

As a gesture next time you plan to come do let me know and I’ll organise a pot of tea, compliments of the house.

 

Once again, my apologies we didn’t meet expectation for that time.
In future do not hesitate to contact me direct.

Kind regards,

Thomas

 

Thomas Bunting Head of Bars & Cafés

[Sim]

Well, from what I can understand it's a nice apologetic reply and he has done the right thing by offering you a pot of tea, compliments of the House!!  It would be even better if he were to throw in a cake or biscuit too!! 

 

[LinMM]

I think that’s a nice reply! 
What I don’t get is the tea bag and Covid thingy! 
They will handle the teabag whether they put it in the teapot or on a saucer!! 
No excuse for lukewarm water though! 
The Opera House are not the only ones who do this. 
The cafe at the M&S in Brighton does it as well!! 
I just thought it was some fancy and  “nouveau” thinking on how to serve tea lol!! 
I think I’m going to have a word with them now too as I hate it!! The water has always cooled by the time you’ve paid and got to table etc when at least it’s had time to brew a bit if the hot water is run straight onto the tea bag in the teapot!!! 
 

[Mary]

Well, it's continental isn't it, to serve the teabag on the side.   I never mind when I'm in Italy...because- well being in Italy makes up for it.

But it isn't at all the thing in this country.

 

I think the point about hygiene is just made up...I mean- er- on that basis we wouldn't want the sandwich unless we were presented with a wrapped loaf and a packet of cheese!

 

Nice reply anyway.

 

[Fonty]

38 minutes ago, LinMM said:

I think that’s a nice reply! 
What I don’t get is the tea bag and Covid thingy! 
They will handle the teabag whether they put it in the teapot or on a saucer!! 

 

 

Not just me who was confused, then!  

 

 

[Peony]

Downstairs in the cafe the tea bag was in the paper cup, unfortunately no pots or proper cups though!