Those who follow my blog know my mother-in-law has recently battled breast cancer. Well last Friday she was given the all-clear by docs saying she was now Cancer free - cue celebration - weeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!
Wanting to do something nice for her I tried booking into the Crown Perth's Modo Mio, (a restaurant she has been wanting to dine at for ages but has not had the chance to get to) but unfortunately they were booked out.
My husband then suggested we look at Perugino in West Perth, so we did and a booking for five people was made. I've been to Perugino a few times and the food is always good, hey you don't get mentioned as one of WA's top restaurants for nothing - their nosh is top quality. I'm not denying that. Their service however leaves a lot to be desired and this is what lets them down - badly!
We arrived at Perugino and were greeted by a lovely young guy at the front counter who led us to our table.
We were then introduced to Rosalba (the owner) who took control of our table and it's here that it all went sour.
While we were looking at the menu I could hear the table next to us stating they weren't going to argue with her and what she said was fine and we wondered what the commotion was. We figured it out once she took our orders.
Taking our orders in a drill-sargeant like manner, she was to the point, no mucking around and that's fine. Then as she turned to leave my husband asked it we could have the air-conditioning turned on and she looked at him in disgust and said - we are trying to save money. We couldn't tell if this lady was serious and took it as a joke, turns out we were right, she was joking then turned it on and returned to us saying she was "just a joke". I reiterate I can take a joke - I get it!!
What happen next is what really annoyed us. Our mains arrived, I ordered the rib-eye cooked medium rare, more to the medium side, my mother-in-law and husband ordered the lamb special. The waiter placed my meal in front of me and then placed the same meal in front of my MIL and the lamb in front of my husband. My MIL looked at me confused. I turned to the waiter and said she ordered the lamb. Then from out of no-where bolted Rosalba who started to tell the waiter to be quiet, let her speak and she would handle it. Nice as pie she turned to my MIL and said we have no lamb left so thought you'd like the rib-eye too. Again we were confused. Why would you give somebody a dish that you hadn't ordered and not tell the paying customer that the dish they had ordered was no longer available - strange.
My husband offered his mum the lamb and then they asked him if he would like to choose something else off the menu. He chose the baby goat. A minute later as I tucked into my very rare steak Rosalba returned with MIL's rib-eye cut into pieces offering it out to the rest of the table. I turned to my husband and with blood dripping all over my plate said I can't eat this. Again like a bolt of lightening she said - I heard that put your sunglasses on and don't look at what you are eating, look out the window , it tastes better than it looks. Again I said I can't eat it and the other waiter took my plate.
From here I received another steak which was not much better but she was quick to let me know, that had it been cooked anymore it would have tasted like leather, like the sole of my shoe, to be precise. I said nothing.
After our mains we were chatting about her rudeness towards her staff and towards us (she had also made a remark about why we brought the Australian along, my brother-in-law who asked to leave the window ajar- another joke apparently) when I noticed the table who had arrived after us and ordered after us receive the lamb special. I told the others to turn around and lo and behold there was the lamb that had supposedly run out sitting on the table next to us - funny that, now onto dessert.
At Perugino they are famous for their dessert and cheese trolley. You pay $16 and get to order what you like. The table next to us piled up, my husband asked for a slice of a pie and a little piece of the Tiramisu what he got was a slice of the pie and crumbs of cake that looked like they had been eaten and (apologies but this is gross) spat back out onto the plate and that was it for me or apparently not.
We asked for the bill and why would we expect anything else after a debacle of a night but to be over-charged! Nice work guys.
Perugino has been around a long time with Giuseppe Pagliaricci and his wife Rosalba at the helm and while the food may be good - sometimes that just aint enough. It wasn't on this occassion and I won't be going back again.
Since the experience I have spoken to several people and all have a story to tell about the service from Rosalba - none of it good. Seriously pull your socks up, Perth is too small for bad word-of-mouth to not get around. RANT OVER! xox
Pictures below are of the lamb pancake starter and sage and butter ravioli - both were lovely.
