Amaranto

There is something just not right about restaurants in hotels. Goodness knows why. Now here is a case in point.

An early lunch at Amaranto, the backdrop is a gloomy, wet and overcast day. What could go wrong, did go wrong, though met with a smile.

Met by pleasant and plentiful staff; then again this was a midday kick-off. We move swiftly to the main agenda of the day: the first sip. Prosecco times two. Simple. Bisol Crede. First time and yes, its very good. We are pleasantly put at ease. All for a few seconds!

The rush to take away our wine glasses is met by our stern looks and a "dont touch we aint stopping at Prosecco". Ah; Madam, Sir. you will have wine after all, then we must tell you about our great wine concept! The "great wine concept". They actually train the staff to say "our great wine concept". Three attempts later we think we understand this novel approach to selling wine. Order two glasses of wine and try anything (yes, anything) on the wine menu. Let's repeat that for posterity and sanity: order two glasses of wine and try anything (yes, anything) on the menu.

Well, then of course we'll experiment a bit. We set about reading the menu with that in mind and at a speed commensurate with our busy Friday schedules. We opt for Donnafugata: young, fresh, with a crisp attack on the first few sips, mellowed considerably (over 30 minutes) though retained its freshness.

We grabbed a few minutes chat. Then the next waiter appears. Starters arrive. Usually those two questions "Pepper, Cheese" are swift and not intrusive. Beware! We nod, yes please.

Let's ask for the Sommelier to start the process of selecting our "anything on the menu third wine".

The waiters arrive, keep-up, the pepper and cheese waiters! Wow, with a pepper mill. Not an ordinary pepper mill. Think 1970's " big flairs and loons". One metre-long pepper mill. Silver tip, ring and top. In retrospect, seems in character and highly suitable for this restaurant. Cheese sprinkling is uneventful. The pepper mill memorable for all the wrong reasons.

Waiter please fetch the Sommelier, we'd like to experiment with our third wine. Having exhausted our choices we opted to rest with whatever recommendation was proffered by the Sommelier.

Phew! Now starters placed, glasses in hand, yes perhaps we can have a chat now!.

Ding Dong!. No. Yes; the most unexpected happens. Ding Dong! Attention. Attention. (Time check: 12:45).

A deep booming English woman explodes through the Bose system and speakers overhead, next to the sprinklers: "The fire alarm will sound in fifteen minutes. It is a test do not vacate the building". In case we did not hear it the first time. Ding Dong, a deep booming English woman echoes the reassuring message! Our conversation is diverted and attention turns to timings of fire drills and timings of tests and whether its typical for an English woman to have a deep, booming voice. Surely she is American!

Our diversion deepends! Why in hades would anyone run a fire alarm test in the middle of a restaurant service. We could neither contain this conversation nor leave it to a simple rhetorical question, afterall it had interrupted our conversation. One of many interruptions. Though to be interrupted by a message to tell us that we are going to get another message in fifteen minutes, one which we should ignore and do nothing about, is most irritating.

Our waiter arrives to apologise. Apologise about the fire alarm test, not the interruptions. We offer a less than subtle observation, one he can share with his Lords & Masters: fire alarm tests at 1pm Friday afternoon is just utterly silly.

Our waiter leaves. Leaves with our starters (empty plates). The restaurant manager arrives. Apologies afoot. Ok, enough with the apologies. Leave us in peace, please. (Time check: 1pm). Ding Dong! This is a fire alarm, vacate the building. Ding Dong! This is a fire alarm, vacate the building.

Oddly, although we had been forewarned about the test, we all look surprised. Different tone of message. Different woman's voice. Was she indeed English, less booming voice than the previous. Plus, she did not say the words, we were trained to hear only fifteen minutes prior, "this is a test". And she told us to vacate the building. Thats not right!

We notice the staff remain in the restaurant, we stay seated. Sommelier arrives. A discussion. We opt for red. Something light and interesting, bit of spice and kick to go with our fish mains.

Our plates arrive. Two pollock. Too much broth. Wines come. Broth taken away. (Timecheck: 1:30)

Few more minutes chat helped to get in a clear run at a full sentence, no interruption. No, wait, dessert menus are coming our way. Let's try again, the staff spare us a few minutes and we manage to get a little conversation in about the description of our Hofstaetter 2008 (Pinot Noir), Alto Adige: red fruits (cherries), balanced and a nice acidity, a good wine, though nothing suggestive of the region in any particular stand out way.

Desserts chosen. Waiter arrives. Madam would like the warm coconut cake; and Madam has chosen well. Chosen well enough to receive praise and respect from the waiter, this is his favourite. He reminds us again, Madam has chosen well. Sir orders the Amalfi tart, silence. Our first during the course of almost two hours. Fortunately we had decided to share desserts. (Timecheck: 1:40). Plus coffees.

Bill arrives. (Time check: 1:50) Our eyes are drawn to the wine items. Ah, so we did not understand the "great wine concept afterall", as it did not exist. Quick look at the wine menu and it says nothing which ties in with anything the waiters discussed with us, pre and post ordering the wines.

Time check 2pm. We have no time, we must leave. No time to challenge to question to understand what in hades just took place over the last two hours!!

P.S. One can only infer the comment " minimum two glasses" underneath "by the Glass" column next to "Bottle" refers to must order two glasses. So "order two glasses and have anything on the menu" one should never have assumed the third is free!! Where in the restaurant world can you only order minimum two glasses by the glass!!

Confusing and confused.
Comment on this reader review

Maureen Kerr
5 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 4
Tuesday, March 22, 2011

I was looking with pleasure at eating at Amaranto as I heard that the new stylish restaurant of 4 seasons + an extensive wine list by the glass where top features to complement a nice cuisine.

first impression when coming in was a lot of marble and red sofas, but at the end of the day a fairly cold atmosphere.

staff is numerous but they don't seem to know well their job yet, as we had plenty of people coming in to tell us the same thing or asking the same question.

food was surprisingly well priced for a palace type of restaurant with a menu at 25 pounds but the wine list was a disaster, choices in whites were limited, great in red but with a pricing which is a Rip Off, 15 pounds for a glass of an italian wine that cost 15 pounds for a bottle, 140 pounds if you want 1 glass of Dom Perignon (clearly not ordered, it means 100 pounds of margin on 1 glass what policy is that from the 4 seasons ? they want only Russian oligarchs or they think that customers are unable to think in London ? ), 35 pounds for 1 glass of Italian pinot noir which I have seen in Italy for 12 pounds a bottle....

when the bill came it was so out of proportion with the experience 120 pounds each for lunch with 3 glasses of basic wines, that I already know will only be my choice when I am on a water diet.
Comment on this reader review

Elli Quinn - View all reviews by this user
3 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 0
Saturday, March 19, 2011