Harringay online

Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

I've been encouraged by more alternatives to fast food and Turkish opening around here but, unfortunately, was disappointed by The Prince (Bounds Green Road) - noisy, only one age group and v limited pop up menu - and Passione and Traditzione (West Green Road). We thought our pasta dishes were very good, albeit small portions, but the waiter (the only one on the floor, it seemed) was surly, service was slow and whoever heard of a restaurant not serving bread? Only garlic bread at £3.99 was on the menu and if you only want a small amount of plain bread you'd have thought a place making pizza would be able to conjure that up, but no. He was adamant they couldn't do it. Will probably go again at some point but very put off in the first 10 minutes by the lack of flexibility on bread and the waiter's unwelcoming manner. What experiences have others had there?

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"Disappointing restaurant experiences"

Is it just me or is this an incredibly negative forum discussion for a website designed to celebrate our little part of London?

Which other restaurants should we give a kicking to/ reduce trade to next?

This has actually reminded me that I need to go back. There is no such thing as bad publicity.

Bravo!!  Check out the wonderful deli opposite if you get the chance too!

oh there is such a thing as bad publicity ! See some recent negative politically bad publicity - and the reactions  and results. On restaurants it can bring them down.. No doubt on that .  Re Passione   Tradizione - I've always had bread there when requested  Been 4 times . How odd. Perhaps they should  just say " sorry we are out of bread" and come clean . Portions are very fine by me - and I like my mains!  Service can be a bit patchy but they will always respond .   I like the cooking but then then others  may not . So we'll just have to persuade a greater range into the  area if that's whats needed .

It is on the face of it a very negative discussion and I agree with gbee that there is such a thing as negative publicity, especially for restaurants. However, it's also the case that posts such as this can end up generating a good deal of positive comment. 

Whatever the case, I try and ensure a balance between heavy handed moderation and allowing thoughtful criticism. Negative comments aren't always bad and should be part of the whole view we have of ourselves as a neighbourhood. However, I do try and guard against careless damage to local businesses which is why we have a section in our terms and conditions on what is allowed and what is not permitted. You can see it here at Section 2q. Indeed this policy was used to moderate one comment in this thread just yesterday.

I'm very happy to take on board any thoughts about how we might manage this side of things differently.

Thank you, Hugh. I was beginning to feel resentful at suggestions that some posts could 'bring places down' when I'd understood this forum to be one for an exchange of views, otherwise it would just be propaganda and unhelpful and my initial comments were a mix of positive and negative. I also wonder about the concern some have to report their experience (almost leading to group think) - if you recall the discussion about a certain tradesman (who, incidentally, I had a good experience of) the first person who posted a negative experience got some flak about it possibly damaging that person's business but then others emerged and spoke about similar experiences but almost hadn't dared to previously. It's not realistic if we feel we have to be 100% positive. It seems to me your moderation policy steers well the path between free expression and that which could be damaging.

"Disappointing restaurant experiences" doesn't sound too positive to me. I just personally wanted to comment on this article because we quite often bemoan the lack of restaurants / range of cuisine on these pages. It opens and an article such as this is written about something as trivial as not providing bread. It's just a shame in my opinion to knock a new restaurant in the area that relies on word of mouth.

Some have chosen to focus on the bread issue (which does count for me) but ignored the surly waiter one - I think it was this factor which I found the most dispiriting when I'd been looking forward to it. I will go back at some point, though.

Seems like you're the only person to have a problem with the waiters and bread.  I think one other person has mentioned slow service.  As far as I can see all the other reviews have been positive.  Personally I think we're lucky to have this type of cuisine in the area, if this was in Muswell Hill or Crouch End people would be raving about it, and travelling there to eat.  Yes it's pricier than most places around here but the food is completely different and prepared by skilled chefs who run an even more expensive restaurant in Kentish Town, which is highly praised .  They could have opened up anywhere else based on the reputation of Anime et Cuore.  I'm glad they've chosen our little patch of North London to expand and I'm sure small teething problems will be ironed out over the first year in business.  

If you see my review from last December, you'll see why they chose West Green.

I did see that Hugh, and here's my post from last September 

http://www.harringayonline.com/forum/topics/buonissimo-to-reopen-as...

"Lady Diana Spencer" seems to be her one with the finger on the pulse of what's up on WG Rd. It was her post last September that led me to contact Mustapaha back then. That's not you under a different guise is it!?

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