Tonight we unfortunately had a horrible dining experience at Bangkok Bangkok in Coral Gables. When we got there, I asked if they were open and they said yes even though someone was already vacuuming... slow night maybe? I told my partner how great this place was and it was her first time eating there. Well, the waiter came by immediately after we sat down, informed us that the kitchen would be closing in five minutes and asked us for our drink order. Once we told him, he stood there, as if waiting for the entire food order! Seeming how we had just sat down, we explained that we obviously needed a bit more time. He came back in another minute or so, with an ""I'm already annoyed"" look on his face. I don't get it; if they didn't want us to eat there, why did they welcome us in with open arms? They could've just said they were closed and we might've come back another day for a better experience.
Anyway, we ordered two coconut lemongrass soups to start and figured since they were pitching such a fit, we'd order our entree to go. While waiting for the soups, we asked our new server (who I'm sure the man sent over in his neurotic state) which of the two dishes were better. She explained that the volcano shrimp were extremely tasty and great if we like spicy, so we decided to order that. Once the soups came, (thirty seconds later) we realized quickly how little they cared about us or the quality of food they were serving. Since I am a cook and my partner in the restaurant industry, we realize that we may have a bit more of a scrutinizing eye for good food and quality service. Nevertheless, the soup was nothing but an extremely small bowl of raw white mushrooms, uncooked canned carrots, and some coconut milk. The volcano shrimp came and we just paid for our bill and got out of there before even looking at it. When we got home, we realized that they put the same ""screw you"" into our entree; the shrimp were rubbery and tasted like plastic. The ""special volcano sauce"" was nothing more than the sweet thai chili sauce you get in a bottle at Publix mixed with oil. It was nauseatingly sweet with no spice or any other dimensions of flavor.
Needless to say, we left unhappy and were further displeased with the meal we ate at home. Food and service got a big “FAIL” in my book. In this economy, I would think that restaurant owners are trying harder to please their patrons and keep them coming back. Not them. My advice: When you’re craving Thai food, go anywhere else but Bangkok Bangkok.
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