Island Fusion

I recently dined at Island Fusion. I was impressed with the decor. It really makes you feel that you are actually in the Caribbean (except the weather outside was demonstrating something different). The staff were very friendly and the food was good. I had the curried goat which was good - although a little spicy for me. The cocktails are great, but served in very small glasses, so not worth their £5 or £6 price tag. Our waitress brought what should have been our starter with our main meal, but I think she was new so we excused her. There are so few nice caribbean restaurants around, so Island Fusion is well worth a visit.
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Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Tuesday, September 30, 2008

I recently went there to celebrate a relative's surprise birthday and, all I can say is Island Fusion in Crystal Palace is the worst experience I have EVER had in a restaurant.

To make things worse, the booking was made weeks before AND a deposit was paid in advance. It was agreed that the deposit was to come off the meal on the night.

We were given a set menu which was extremely limited and, once we all put in our orders, the food took ages to come. When my starter eventually came, it was completely tasteless and hardly worth the effort – a few bits of ackee on a withered salad with no flavouring or dressing. However, I was one of the lucky ones. Others got their starters at least an hour or more later.

The main course took almost another hour to come. The servings were small and nothing came to the table hot. It was quite frustrating watching the waitresses (who, by the way, need some basic training in hospitality, customer service as well as simple people skills) running aimlessly up and down the tiny aisle, almost colliding with one another, whilst they forgot half the contents of each dish. If the menu said the meal was served with rice and peas, they’d bring out the meal and forget the rice and peas. When my mother asked about her rice, the waitress ran off and returned with a cracked dish containing scrapings of rice which was cold and burnt. Likewise, with the fish dish, they totally forgot the sautéed potatoes that should have gone with it. and had the audacity to say that it was on the plate under the fish... maybe they thought we were blind! Side dishes, which were ordered to eat with the meal didn’t even make it to the table until we were finished and we were so fed up at this point, we sent them back.

When most of us decided to cancel the dessert which, considering the circumstances, was reasonable, the chef told us in a most abrupt manner that we were not able to because it was already ordered.

The bill couldn’t come soon enough, but it was not itemised and we were clearly overcharged and practically argued with the chef when we discovered that they did not intend use the deposit as part of the bill. Who do we report these people to, the Office of Fair Trading?

Yes, it gets worse. A birthday cake, which was delivered to the restaurant (hell hole… dive… whatever you want to call it!) prior to the evening so that we could sing to the birthday girl after the meal, was simply handed to her as she was leaving… squashed!

The entire evening was a complete shambles and we all left hungry and angry. Bad food, abysmal service, terrible attitudes from ALL members of staff… I won’t ever, EVER be going back.
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Melissa
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, September 09, 2008

I recently visited Island Fusion on a Sunday afternoon. Alarm bells should have been ringing when we discovered the place was empty whilst other restaurants along Westow Hill were practically heaving.

No matter, we decided to persevere. I arrived first only to be placed at the very back of an empty restaurant! When my friend arrived we took it upon ourselves to move but it was clear that the staff had no idea about how to make visitors feel welcome. And yes, things got worse from there.

To start we were given a couple of pieces of bread to whet our appetites. You guessed it, stale. When the food arrived it certainly wasn't worth the money. £11.95 for Fried Escovitch! Three tiny, dried up pieces of fish and a few onions does not make a satisfying meal in my book. Worst of all they forgot the most unusal ingredient on the menu. Bammy (a fried dough bread made out of cassava). After querying where it was it arrived 10 minutes later, after I had virtually finished my meal.

From 1 to 4.30pm we were the only customers. How bad would the service have been if they were rushed off their feet I wondered! Perhaps other Crystal Palace foodies knew something we didn't and were avoiding the place for good reason.
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Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Monday, September 01, 2008

We heard the reviews about Island Fusion and wanted to try the food. What a disappointment, the decor is really nice and the young lady who served us was very pleasant for the food was acceptable.

My partner had crab which came out very dry with no dressing. The jerk pork was more like stewed pork - there was no crisp and crunchiness to the jerk pork, and the sweet potatoe mash had lumps!!

We ordered coleslaw to go with our meal and asked the waitress if it would be enough for two, which she told us yes. The small pot of coleslaw that came out was a joke. I had chicken which was ok, but the rice and peas that was served with the meal was in a bowl that was only half full if that.

Everything was served in such a hurry, no time to chat between meals and the whole dining experience was over very quickly. Island Fusion is not a restaurant we will be going back to.
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Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 1
Friday, June 20, 2008

Fantastic atmosphere, great fresh food-sensational!

Island Fusion-Thank you

I recently had my birthday in Island Fusion (in my ipion -South London's finest Carribean restaurant) and I had the best ever birthday nite with 25 of my freinds and family.

Reception:- Welcoming and freindly staff, Restaurant Manager greeted all of my freinds and family on their arrival and settled them in straight away to our desiganted tables-Jug of still cold water was out staright away whilst my freinds and family were mingling greeting each other.

FOOD & DRINK

I was fascinated with the concept of assigning our Island girls to our tables(waiters), who took our drink orders straight away, then took our starters order on the Party Menu which had a fantastic selection of fine Carribean food.

Imagine 25 people turning up to be fed at the same time? This wasn't a problem at all our drinks turned in no time -in style then starters then came the finest mind blowing food. all executed in style and on time !

Amazing service, good people and a fine restaurant.

Cocktails were probaly the best I have seen in central london, I eat a lot in London and having Island Fusion on my door step has changed my way of life.

Desert

Amazing coconut ice cream and couldn't fault this wonderful upmarket restaurant at all , infact I recomend you take your wife and family there for dinner. I impressed my family and those guys out there who want to impress new girlfreind -Listen take her out to Island Fusion, then you will score big time and you don't cook the food Island Fusion's Master chef will do that for you.

For what we consumed that wonderful evening our bill was far less than I anticiapted considering the quality of service. Thats what i call value for money!!! we were so impressed we tipped our Island girls £10.00 each for their hard work and great effort.

Well done Island and thank you for making my birthday a day to remember and more importantly thank you very much for taking good care of my freinds and family.

South London' needed you a long time ago and I am pleased you are now here-promise we will support you. we will be back!!!
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BERNARD MADYIRAPANZE
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, April 24, 2008

Great atmosphere , great food.

Island fusion is it !!! It is not your typical carribean restaurant or takeaway joint. I treated 2 of my friends to lunch at island fusion last weekend, It was a very lovely experience. The décor is very cosy and mesmerising, literarily transports you to a breach front on a carribean island. The water feature behind the bar make the whole place feel very refreshing and relaxing.

The food was great ,value for money and the presentation was of very high standard. For starter, we had the prawns and a platter which had king prawns, bbq jerk wings,salt fish fritters ,plaintain etc.

I had the curry mutton with the rice & peas and my friend had the jerk pork marinated in home made spices and my other friend trench town jerk chicken for main course.

We were spoilt for choice with the robust wine and cocktails list. For dessert we had the coconut ice cream.

Top class all round,I highly recommend this restaurant. Finally the waitress was very quite courteous and had good knowledge of the menu.

I will definitely be back.
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Femi
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Saturday, April 12, 2008

I recently (8th April) celebrated my birthday at Island Fusion restaurant and I must say I was really looking forward to it as it a nice, cosy and intimate venue. Prior to my celebrations I had put down a £100 deposit for a party of 10-15 people and was promised balloons and the sounds of Stevie Wonder "Happy Birthday to you" upon my arrival.

However, I was extremely disappointed on the night. We were given a separate "party menu" which was extremely limited and I was not told upon booking that we would have this menu. When it came to ordering the starter my party guests couldn't each have what they asked for because the restaurant had "run out". Also a group of my guests waited nearly an hour for their starters. Furthermore, we had to wait THREE hours for our main course. We arrived at 7.30 and did not eat our mains until roughly 10.20pm, please bear in mind that the restaurant closes at 11pm.

While we were waiting, our waitress didn't even update us on how long our food would take or, why it was taking so long. When asked, her attitude was uncalled for.

Although the owner of the restaurant did give us a bottle of wine free and a round of drinks to apologise, the waiting time was still unacceptable. Their reasoning for this was because I had a party of 19 instead of 15 (which is what they were originally told) I think this reason is not one at all, as far as I am concerned restaurants should be able to cater for however many seats there are in that restaurant....it's what they are supposed to and expected to do.

In regards to food quality, it is standard, not worth £20pp at all, and the portion sizes are quite small too. Also, all dishes are meant to be served with plantain and green salad, it clearly states this on the menus, but we didn't get either, when asked we were told it would cost extra!

In addition, there were so many discrepancies with the bill. In my opinion, the owner and manger cannot run a restaurant well at all and are obviously very inexperienced.

Considering we spent nearly £500 in Island Fusion it is a disgrace that the service was such a disgrace. The restaurant has only been open for 5 weeks, according to the owner, but it won't stay open for another 5 weeks if it carries on with that kind of service. I, or the rest of party, certainly won't be going back!
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Sophie - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 0
Thursday, April 10, 2008