On a miserable Monday holiday we decided to head to Cuba Street in Wellington and finally visit Plum Cafe for a late lunch, using our Entertainment Book card which would give us one complimentary main meal.
Friendly waiting staff took our order of the Pan Fried Salmon on potatoes with spinach, anchovies & lemon & caper butter ($19.50) for the Kiwi and Sirloin Steak Sandwich with caramelised onion, beetroot relish, Blue Cheese and chunky fries ($18.50) for me, although I asked them to hold the blue cheese from my order.
We didn’t have to wait too long for our food and instantly the Kiwi had menu envy when he saw my Steak Sandwich, but I wasn’t a happy customer. Despite asking for no blue cheese there was blue cheese melted on my steak! It was taken away with an apology, the waiter who took our order came over to apologise and when my plate returned sans blue cheese I received another “sorry about that”…so although a bother, as the Kiwi was half way through is food by the time I got my second plate, at least the staff were sweet about it.
As for the food, the Kiwi’s salmon was nicely cooked and did what it said on the tin, my steak was cooked just the right amount of pink but was sadly stingy on the caramelised onion and there was no flavour from the beetroot relish of note but was a satisfying feed.
The truly sour note came when the Kiwi went to pay the bill and said we had the Entertainment Book card, which per the rules of use you only need to mention you have when you ask for the bill. A smart mouthed member of staff retorted “We are not taking that today”, when we asked why not the comment came back “the Manager said not to because we are not taking a surcharge today”.
I was furious. I asked where the notice was to inform customers of this change of rules? “There isn’t one, probably should have but anyway it’s not my fault I am just doing what the Manager said” and when I asked if the Manager was there to speak to to resolve the matter I was told “No, he’s not here”.
So, I have taken David’s card, the Manager, and he is about to get an email from me asking for my $18.50 back. The Kiwi has contacted the Entertainment Book, as on checking the rules, it seems Plum Cafe is not sticking to them – they can refuse to accept the card on certain stated Public Holidays but today is not one of them. Either you chose to market your business through the Entertainment Book or not – make up your mind David!
Plum Cafe, 103 Cuba Street, Wellington
Update – 8 June ’11: Got an email from Plum’s Managing Director about arranging a refund. When he replied to my second email he apologised for the confusion.
Wow – we only once had an issue using the entertainment card – and that was when there was a large group of us, and the staff got confused over multiple cards.
Good for you!