Hare and Tortoise (Putney)

Am a little suprised by the reviews. We go to H&T a lot and every time we have come away having had a good meal, served efficiently with no cause to complain.

Now that I have read the reviews I shall pay more attension next time we go.

My only negative is the noodles can be a bit greasy.
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- View all reviews by this user
6 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 6
Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Yup - poor service from badly trained staff who don't really care. They spend a lot of time standing around carefully NOT looking at the direction of customers and their tables. Since the wait staff are surrounded by these, they've obviously had to work hard at finding ways to ignore customers.

We've also noticed that anyone who actually complains gets even worse service afterwards, with the staff carefully pretending to dumbly misunderstand or to be clutzy. Nasty, really.

But - and this is a big but - it is ALWAYS full at weekends and usually with a queue after 7pm. Why? Because it's almost as cheap as junk food but not nearly as unhealthy.

Some of the dishes are excellent, most are just about OK, some poor - but it IS good value. Everyone is noticing that the true rate of inflation (not the government BS rate) is about 20% this year (and much more for food and all fuels, don't you think?); this is one of the few restaurants nowadays where we can eat and drink moderately (1 starter, 2 mains and 2 soft drinks) and still pay less than £25 for 2 people including tip, lunchtime OR dinnertime.

Generally speaking, their deep fried dishes are excellent. We haven't yet worked through the whole menu but this is our list of the good stuff so far: Starter – deep fried soft-shell crab / Starter – chicken yakitori / Starter – kani (crab) & yasai (veg) tempura / Starter – ebi (prawn) tempura / Main - Malaysian Chicken Curry & Rice (but not the other rice dishes and the Gyudon is particularly poor)/ Nigiri (mostly good).

In order to avoid the worst of their service, we try to be pleasantly friendly whether or not we want to be and we always make sure to eat early. If this doesn't suit you, H&T is probably not going to suit you either.
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Exotissima
6 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 8
Monday, October 24, 2011

I keep getting tempted by their menu and going back. I am a sucker for punishment as our experience the last 3-4 times or so has ranged from bad to terrible! We keep going back hoping it will be a one-off, but sorry to say that the pattern is here to stay.

I went there on sunday evening to get a takeaway with my two yr old in his stroller. I was weighed down with heavy shopping bags from Sainsbury's across the road and despite the restaurant being empty was asked to sit on the high stools by the chefs counter which would make it difficult for me to interact with my son in his stroller. So I refused and took a seat at a table instead. I kept having to fend off waitresses who would come and try to move the stroller - annoying. If a customer needed the table I would make way - but they just seemed to want to place the mother and the buggy out of sight and contained. Not a great start.

I ordered my food, and asked them to include chilli oil. I was told that they charge 50p for the containers. I enquired further and asked them if they charge for the other takeaway containers in which my main meal would come? Apparently not. So I asked the waiter if he could add the chilli oil directly on to my rice. Nope.

If they were being honest about it and charged a reasonable and small amount for extras such as chilli oil, I would gladly pay. But to do so through subterfuge and an unnecessary and frustrating charge on the 'containers' is just plain wrong and disrespectful of your customer's intelligence.
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Siva Rowson
3 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 5
Tuesday, October 18, 2011

We ordered two stir-fry noodle dishes which were tasty but a bit too greasy. Nonetheless, the standard was better than Wagamama and much cheaper. Service was OK, but it was not a busy time.

Very good value for money but don't expect fireworks.
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Minxette - View all reviews by this user
8 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 9
Saturday, September 03, 2011

I went to this restaurant for lunch last Thursday with work colleagues. We had pre ordered the food so you would expect it to be served promptly. Not the case I'm afraid. There was an hour's difference between serving times for our main courses so whilst I was being served mine my colleagues had finished ages before!

Also, the waiter knocked over some fish soup stuff on my coat and on my colleague and failed to apologise and they even got my order wrong! All this and we had to pay 10% service. Never again. Not worth the money even if it is cheap.
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Marie Griffith
4 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 8
Monday, April 25, 2011

Despite bad reviews, we tried to try out the Hare and Tortoise in Putney anyway.

We were not disappointed - it was lovely.

Although the place could probably do with a jazzing up (plastic tables and chairs don't do the quality of the restaurant justice) the waiting staff were very efficient, always round to fill up my green tea, pleasant and friendly.

The food was really nice, came out very swiftly and the noodles were piping hot and the sushi was delicious.

We were even able to book a table beforehand to avoid queueing. Very good value and I would definitely go again.
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Kristy Robinson
8 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 10
Monday, March 21, 2011

TERRIBLE. WORST SERVICE, WAITRESS NOT INTERESTED IN ANYTHING APART FROM

GETTING BACK TO TALK TO CHEFS.

DUCK BURNT COULDNT EAT THE MAIN COURSE AND NO MANAGER AVAILABLE TO COMPLAIN TO.

NEVER GO THERE AGAIN.
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CHRISITNE EASTERBROOK
1 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 2
Thursday, March 10, 2011

Worst service ever! I've been to the H&T tonight and I left without my main course.

Me and my partner ordered at the same time yet his order arrived 15 min after ordering without mine. 15 min later we asked the waitress where my order was then she went to check and never came back to give me some explanaition.

Asked again to a different waitress and she said that sushi takes too long to prepare, so finally after waiting over 30 min I decided to cancel my order and never come back again to that place.

I really hope this review is useful as they don't deserve to have customers at all as they don't provide a good service.
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0 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Saturday, March 05, 2011

Over the last few visits spanning about 2 months we are truly disappointed! The quality of the sushi has deteriorated and can be made at home by budding novices better than they have lately. The worst part is they seem to be cutting the amount of rice (?) and cutting the fish really badly (cheap cuts?)... a really bad combination for sushi. When sushi is bad it's really bad! H&T sort it out! You used to be better than this... Hire more staff, increase your prices or get the usual chef back. Whatever it is, fix it!
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Disapointedbyhareandtortoiseputney
1 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 1
Monday, December 27, 2010

Awful service and miserly with a capital "M".

Keep away!
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Sam
0 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Friday, October 15, 2010