Sunday, September 27, 2009

future food critic?

Perhaps I am not the most qualified to criticise a restaurant - but I have to argue that as a consumer, I should know what I'm looking for in a good meal. If I do choose to eat out then I want good service and good food. Last night I went out for dinner at Atti, a newly opened Korean restaurant near McGill. I had heard reviews about the restaurant and paired with the decorations I walked in with somewhat high standards but was disappointed when the food did finally come out. I'm not saying that the food was terrible, at least I was able to eat it, but if I'm going to be sitting there waiting for food for 15-20 minutes I would expect it to be piping hot. While the decor of the restaurant was impeccable, service was lacking - for a small-sized restaurant you would think that 3 employees would be sufficient. However, the only way you could get an employees attention was by pushing a button set at the centre of the table - Cathy pointed out that this made her feel like she was on an airplane. While the food was filling, I was not getting my money's worth when I compared it to the food I could get at Bulgogi House, found near Atwater. The Bibimbap was a disappointment, lacking in heat (my rice was pretty much cold) and flavour - forgive me if I'm incorrect, but a Bibimbap is meant to be served in a stone pot that retains heat. I got mine in a porcelain bowl, even though it was pretty, I was not impressed. When I go into a Korean restaurant, I expect Korean food. Yet everything in the restaurant seemed to taste about the same - bland and a weak attempt at Korean. We ended up mixing everything we ate with chili sauce. While the walk to Bulgogi House may be long, the outcome is far more worth it than eating at Atti, even if its location is convenient for the McGill student.

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