Naked Turtle

I recently visited the Naked Turtle (Saturday 2 August) with my partner for supper. On arrival and being shown to the table we were given our menus and left to make our choice. The restaurant was not busy (a table of 8, a table of 6 and two tables of 2).

After sitting there for 15 minutes without being acknowledged by the waiting staff (and having to watch one waiter stand at the table for 5 minutes next to us and taste wine and generally entertain them) I got up to find the manager. On presenting himself as the manager I explained that we were about to leave the restaurant unless someone took a drinks order, at the least.

I was staggered by how RUDE the fellow was. He did not apologize, he was not courteous, he made no effort to smile or acknowledge our wait, no gesture of a complementary drink (not the reason for this complaint) - he simply took the order in a belligerent and ungrateful manner and walked off.

At this point, I decided that we would leave and find a restaurant who would want our custom and where the service was important! On telling the manager he simply shrugged his shoulders and walked away??? I am constantly amazed by the poor service culture in the UK and the Naked Turtle epitomizes what is on offer.

I for one will never darken the door of this restaurant again. Whilst the menu looks interesting, the general ambiance relaxed and appealing - the service is one the worst I have come across in SW London!! Rubbish and they should ashamed.
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Adam
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 1
Monday, August 04, 2008

I recently moved to the area, and was looking forward to trying this place as the menu looked great (if a little pricey), and it had a nice style about it. And, to be honest, on my first visit it ticked a lot of boxes: lively atmosphere, funky decor, friendly service. But the one box it didn't tick was the one that no restaurant can afford to miss: the food. Oh Christ, the food. The 'roast' I ordered was on a par with the worst type of motorway carvery fayre, my partner's food was no better, and both portions were tiny.

However, so desperate was I for this to be my new 'local' that I made their excuses for them, and returned a few weeks later. The experience was not improved. My starter of peri-peri chicken tasted like it came from a supermarket value jar, with a handful of chilli powder thrown in to raise the temperature to a million degrees or so (at least it obscured the taste a little), while the mussels I had for my main course were clearly off. When I complained, I was told that they had been delivered that morning. Oh, fine, I'll keep on eating them then shall I? My partner's steak was fatty, overcooked and undersized, and they had managed to defy the laws of physics to create chips/wedges that were both leathery on the outside, yet uncooked in the middle. Extraordinary.

Why this place continues to surive is a mystery to me when there are many better and cheaper places locally (try Sohpita or Ancora), I can only assume its patrons are more interested in the admittedly nice surroundings and young attractive waitresses than they are in decent food.
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abu892 - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 1
Wednesday, July 30, 2008

If you are thinking of eating at the Naked Turtle, think again! All that you may have heard about this restaurant applies to a restaurant that used to exist years ago and not the one you will be visiting. Not only is it dirty and unloved, the food is very poor and over priced. Our recent Father's Day experience involved being told on booking that the restaurant opened at 12 only to arrive to be told the kitchen did not open until 12.30. This was a somewhat crucial element as we had our 3 year old daughter with us. The waiter had no iea of what menu was available and given that it was Father's Day the whole thing seemed totally chaotic. Whilst the starters were reasonable, the main courses were a total disappointment. One asparagus risotto contained at least a dozen cloves of garlic, whilst the roast chicken was made up of a boney chicken leg with barely three mouhtfuls of meat. Trimmings comprised of 3 roast potatoes, one floret of brocolli and 2 slices of carrot! Added to this were some fairly horrible toilets without lights and a level of cleanliness that most student households would be ashamed of.

The decline of The Naked Turtle was summed up by the fact that they allowed a large group of drinkers outside to order pizza from across the road and eat on their terrace, leaving all their litter behind! Whether this was because only one waiter was manning the entire restaurant and bar single handedly is another question?

The Naked Turtle is purely existing on the name of what it used to be, not what it currently is. This is a real shame, because in its heyday, it was a wonderful little restaurant, with good quality food and excellent service.
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Bonnie Lloyd
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 0
Sunday, June 15, 2008

My husband and I went for dinner at the Naked Turtle on Friday 25th January. Firstly, I will give you the background; we have heard many positive comments about the Naked Turtle from friends who have been and in the press. We have just moved round the corner and were looking forward to trying our new 'local'. We are now so glad that we came before bringing any friends and family with us because we were appalled by the standard of the food and rate it as one of the worst meals we have had in a restaurant. My husband had salmon fish cakes to start which were deep fried, dry and contained very little salmon. My husband sent them back saying they were inedible and left it at that. I had french onion soup to start which was fine, nothing extraordinary. But then our mains: my husband had the Gourmet burger with foie gras. The foie gras was bloody and had oozed all over the plate and the burger was very strange to taste. I had the smoked haddock which was truly awful. Rubbery fish that tasted old with new potatoes that were barely cooked and a thin watery sauce. We did not bother with dessert and left disappointed that the fish cakes were included on the bill. Do not go here, there are plenty of other nice restaurants in East Sheen.
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Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, February 12, 2008

We have just had Christmas lunch here, and I can honestly say it was the worst meal I have ever eaten.

It started quite promisingly with a good cream of carrot and parsnip soup, but from then on it just went downhill. The turkey was cardboard catering pack and had no taste. It was about half an inch thick, with a hole in the middle where stuffing was supposed to be. The accompanying vegetables consisted of three sticks of parsnip and swede and some very tired roast potatoes. The gravy was thin and cold. In fact the whole meal was cold. The following Christmas pudding was rubbery and the alternative sherry trifle was a sweet nothing. At least two tables walked out, refusing to pay, but with not having planned to eat at home, we were obliged to make the best, or worst, of it. In the end we did receive a 50% discount, but it did spoil the day completely.

A great shame because we have enjoyed many good meals at this restaurant in the past. I just can't imagine what went wrong on Christmas Day. Has it changed hands? Needless to say, we will not be returning.
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Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Thursday, December 27, 2007

Hello we went with a party of 8 after the rugby in Twickenham on a saturday night just 2 weeks ago..

We were sitting in a small throughfare and couldnt see the singing or the pianist etc.. was a little disappointing..

The service was very ordinary with drinks taking to long to start with..

The main course and entree were fine and quite tasty..

Our desserts... well we orded and 20 min later still wernt there and did ask waitress at the 10 minute mark where they were so we just asked for the bill gave up on them...

Deffineately wasnt worth the money ...... i hate to say but the food was good..
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Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 4
Thursday, December 13, 2007

AWFUL!.

Went for a Sunday Lunch a couple of weeks ago and had the worst experience. I enjoyed the singing / piano playing, but the service wasn't great (had to ask for cutlery) and the food was terrible. Didn't try any of the specials, ate from the main menu and everyone in my group agreed that it was possibly the worst meal to mind and VERY EXPENSIVE, to add insult to injury we had to pay a £20 service charge for the pleasure.
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H
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 0
Monday, December 10, 2007

The Naked Turtle is wonderful - succulent food, great service, intimate atmosphere, and a funky decor. This restaurant truly makes your night one to remember. The menu is innovative (check out the specials) and the deserts are divine. It is a bit pricier, but you pay for the quality and the atmosphere.

Let's be realistic guys - Mother's Day lunch is difficult wherever you go! It's a popular day, and if you arrive at 2pm, then you run the risk that the favourite meals will be already eaten.

I love this place and will be back for more.... I've eaten at a LOT of restaurants, and usually don't return, as I love different experiences, but this one just keeps tempting me back!
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Cassandra Haydock
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Thursday, April 12, 2007

Excelent
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Anupam Sen
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, March 20, 2007

We went for Mothers Day, what was supposed to be a treat turned out to be torture.

The four course mothers day menu on their website looked fantastic, we arrived on time for our 2.30pm booking and were seated promptly (after having to ask for another chair as one of the place settings didn’t have one).

We waited for just over half an hour for our (3 course) menu and not only was it not the same as the one on the website but we were also told that 3 of the 5 main courses were not available. They had substituted the lamb shank for a burger though!

One dessert was not available and when we enquired about the menu that we had seen on their own website we were told that we must be mistaken.

We left after half of our party had enjoyed their food (leaving the mothers trying to hide their disappointment) at 5.45pm.

The food was ok, the service was with good intent but of very poor service.

Overall a disappointment - Maybe they just took more bookings than that could cope with.
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Alex MacLeod
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 1
Sunday, March 18, 2007