Babalou

Good food, service, atmosphere and value for money. The only downfall was the wine list.
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Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Monday, July 10, 2006

Don’t bother waste your time and money!!!

Went out for a girls night out to this restaurant (June 06), what a big disappointment. When we got to the restaurant, there was no one to greet us, we stood at the entrance for about 5 minutes. As we were waiting a tall rotund “European” looking guy, who by his arrogant ******* looked to be associated with the restaurant walked towards our direction. Instead of attending to us he began joking around with a young couple behind our group. It was only when he saw us all glaring at him did he proceed to attend to us. He showed us to a table right in the middle of the restaurant where the cold air from the doorway was blowing, so we asked if we could be moved to another table. Our request fell upon deaf ears and he informed us that we had the “best table in the house”!!!

We must have been at the table for another 5 minutes before a waiter came to take our drinks order, as the happy hour BOGOF offer was finishing in 10 minutes we asked if he could come back in 5 minutes so we could pick our drinks. We sat there for the next 10 minutes trying to get the waiter’s attention, to no avail. Eventually Mr *************from the entrance came to the table and we explained about our wait and that we had wanted to take advantage of the happy hour offer. He took our drinks order and then after 5 minutes returned stating that the “till” would not accept our order as the happy hour offer had finished. We expressed our dissatisfaction based on the fact that we had been seated in sufficient time to make the order but the waiter had not returned after 5 minutes as we had asked. Mr ******* that is the only way I can describe him and those of you who have had the bad experience of attending this restaurant will know exactly who I mean said that there was nothing he could do, we then asked to see the manager to see if he would allow us the happy hour prices in light of what had happen as a good gesture. Mr *********** was adamant the manager would not come out, but we insisted so off he went. He must have been gone for about 2 minutes and said the manager would not come out. We were astounded, I have never been to a restaurant or even a service providing establishment where a customer has requested to speak to the manager and the manager has refused to come out. My personal suspicion was that Mr ********* is indeed the manager or very closely related to the manager!!

This had just spoiled the mood, and right away we knew that this was a place to quickly eat and run, we had planned to make a big night with lots of drinks but that just went out the window (which is where the food they serve should go!!). The FOOD, bad bad bad, the soup and the king prawn and spring onion fritters were salty, the Cajun chicken salsa salad soggy with no taste at all. The main meals were not any better, the beef tangine was dry and chewy and as for the cous cous (dry and brittle) I think the chef needs to go back to cookery school!!. Needless to say we left the restaurant without paying the service charge! Hand on heart I have never written a restaurant review but I was so disgusted by the service, the food and Mr ****** attitude that I feel compelled to WARN others. If you want to find “London’s Worst restaurant Babalou’s is definitely a contender!!!
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Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 0
Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Excellent service from the start, the initial telephone service when we booked was even impressive. Friendly staff, great food, the baby squid was great, the chicken wih fennel and crushed new potatoes was as good a chicken dish as i've had in quite some time.

Great reasonably priced night out, especially with the 2 for 1 offer.
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Miles
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Thursday, June 15, 2006

Had a lovely meal at Babalou last week - the beef tagine and passionfruit creme caramel were particularly memorable. They have a really good 2-for-1 offer on at the moment which made it even better, although this just encouraged us to spend what we'd saved on more cocktails! Our waiter was lovely, very charming, and his drinks recommendations were spot on.

We'll definitely go again.
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Adrian
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, June 14, 2006

me and my friends enjoyed eating in the restaurant and the music was great, it was the bank holiday sunday with a bit of 80's style,had a lovely evening
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Rose
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
Monday, June 05, 2006

In a similar way to realising 5 years into a relationship that your engagement will never become a marriage, dining at Babalou’s incited a sense of disappointment, verging on bitterness. It all started so beautifully...

I walked into the restaurant and was immediately ushered over to my friends by a bouncer who, if I were a celebrity would have desperately tried not to be impressed. The waiter was intimate and engaging and apologised for being late to attend to us. His ungainly manner, ill-advised grecian hair and un-waiter-like manner enticed us to believe him a friend. Oh, how wrong we were.

His over-enthusiastic and over-gesticulated menu recommendations were at first charming but ultimately terrifying and left me in now doubt not to try any, and after waiting an age for the food to arrive, I was not disappointed with my choice. Having avoided all the recommendations I had (admittedly overpriced, but having waited so long for my food the alcohol had entirely dulled my economic sensibilities) a marvellous meal. So delicious that my companions seemed to eat more of mine than of theirs.

Yet it seemed this is where the real problems started; somehow during the meal we managed to irritate our Bacchalian waiter. Smiles and virtual genuflecting were replaced by frowns and a (dis)service that stretched out far beyond the boundaries of acceptability. One of my smaller companions, so disorientated by the length of time the bill came to arrive (estimated: 40mins), fell asleep at the table. Lulled by the irritatingly lit, dark torturous crypt atmosphere, painfully slow service and oppressively heavy mood of the evening (and the wine), it was hardly a surprise.

Scampering out into the cool night was the more energising than divorce after a dull marriage. Would I recommend it to anyone? Only the undead.
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dee dee
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 1
Monday, June 05, 2006

our experience of babalou was a let down on so many levels. we came to the door and were greated by front of house, a surly geezer wearing a bomber jacket and beanie hat. We asked if he had any tables, he sucked his teeth, asked if we'd booked and made a show of going into the resturant to ask, before he returned to lead us into the practically empty eating area. it's a lovely space, a really really beautiful vaulted crypt. sadly, as it is also a bar/ club it stank of stale beer and cigarettes (and this on a wednesday night). Service was slow, it was a good 20 minutes before i had any booze trickling down my throat, but i think this is to be excused to some extent as the waiter did say he was working alone.

the food was pretentiously desrcibed (at least three of the dished were "really exciting") but they have a failry interesting menu.

but... when he food came it was actually failry grim. i only eat asparagus when it's in season and look forward to it every year. their offer was really bland. i went on to eat a beef tangine (sic) . i think the carbohydrate section was described as tabouleh, but was made from cous cous which hadnt been cooked properly, so it was gritty and dry. i didnt dare risk a dessert. my companions had similalry bland badly cooked food (although the chicken was quite nice... but i dont go out to eat nice chicken... and if i did i'd go to nando's!).

to add insult to injury it was really over priced (£16 a main!!!) my god, our bill came to the same as we spent at salt yard a couple of months ago (where we ate amazing food and drank two bottle of cava!).

not a patch on upstairs on acre lane, or khan's curry house or atlantic 66 if you're looking for somewhere nice in brixton.

verdict: avoid like the plague
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tom
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 1
Thursday, May 18, 2006

Food was lovely,the atmosphere even better after the music started, good set of DJ's. I delinitely come back
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Tina
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 4
Thursday, March 23, 2006

Really lovely food but watch what time the restaurant closes as they don't tell you! Was enjoying a romantic meal with my boyfriend on Sunday evening when half way through the main meal, the waiter came up and poured out the rest of our wine and told us they were closing in ten mins! Ruined it slightly as it wasn't cheap and we wanted to enjoy it but that aside the food was very nice.
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Wednesday, November 16, 2005

We stumbled in a couple of weeks ago after not visiting for a few years (used to be Bah Humbug for all other longstanding Brixton residents).

Very quiet due to the broken credit card machine that I think was scaring away the customers. But a very pleasent evening - really great food, decent service and pleasent music: what more could you ask for.

We'll definitely be going again as it reminded me of what a pleasent place it is to escape away from the winter rain and wind.

Recommended.
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Tim Watsham
Tuesday, November 01, 2005