Nº 763 in 803 in Southend-on-Sea
Nº 11 of 11 Mediterranean in Southend-on-Sea
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560 Opinions
arrived for a pre-booked table on Monday, only to discover the doors locked, tables removed and 2 people in the back emptying the kitchens, called the same number I booked on to see if they were perhaps renovating and we should have been upstairs and found the phone wasn't connected. rather disappointing as the place had been recommended so we had booked as part of our trip to the area.
850 Opinions
With Southend having limited options for halal dining, this is a good choice. The experience the first time I visited was a nice. The food is decent, and the staff on shift were very friendly and welcoming, leaving me wanting to come back. However, my second visit was less impressive. I went with a group of 15 to celebrate my brother's birthday, and the server seemed visibly irritated, both in his facial expressions and tone of voice. Despite this, I wouldn't discourage others from visiting, as the server might have just had a bad day. Overall, I think it's worth trying for a casual meal.
104 Opinions
Just reading these reviews. I did not write a review at the time as I hoped it was an isolated incidence, and nobody enjoys leaving a negative review in this climate. I see nobody has mentioned the smell inside the restaurant. As I walked in I wrinkled my nose at a smell that wafted over, I assumed it was a man placed near the front door. I was in a party of 4 adults/couples. We ordered drinks and the meze arrived ! it was a bowl of green dip and tiny triangles of cold hard pitta bread. Nobody said a word as this was a fun night. We ordered main course, I ordered the prawns !! in a sauce which read very appetising. Everybody was served and as an adult I said please start. People did slightly. Then came over again the terrible stench, I looked at the other female and we both mouthed " wind"....the males said no, its the drains. It was awful. I would say I waited a further 15 minutes for the prawn dish, the sauce was a dead ringer for a jar of Lloyd Grossman...by then we all started to speak about the food etc. The other lady got up to go to the toilet, was in there an age. I jumped up and went to the toilet as walking home. I can only say the contents of my stomach left my body, although not quite as as soon as I went to wash my hands, where I had flushed the toilet bowl was rising. I can laugh about it now. Then I had to sit again and my god I was in a state. Flushed again, and again it rose up. I did not say a word to friends until Christmas eve. As my husband and I started our walk I confided my story with " I need to go again" he said you cannot. I said I need to and I scoured alleys , bushes,,,,it was torture, He said, I will rush on, give me your bag, and off he shot. He flung he front door open and I made it. Hopefully the drains are fixed and the prawns are defrosted properly now. It seems so with all the great reviews. I do remember all the staff were attentive, and asked a few times how my meal was. And being typically British I said " fine". The truth as eating the food we all found it underwhelming.