No hyperbole- this was the worst restaurant experience of my entire life. So bad, I was sure I was…read morebeing filmed for a prank show. I arrived 4 minutes before my booking time, and was instructed to go stand outside, as they weren't ready. No offer to take a seat somewhere while they did the last of their prep, just 'get out'.
I came back inside after waiting 12 minutes just to be safe, and was shown to my booked table. The waiter had a weird vibe. We'd never met before, and I was polite and friendly, but he treated me like I was made of hair from the shower drain. The music was definitely not to my taste, but it's their restaurant, so if they want to blast Gayle's 'abcdefu' at full volume, then ok I guess.
My friend ordered a hot pot, and I ordered a bean hot pot. The rice bowls for the hot pots, and other condiments were brought out with our drinks. The waiter came back a few minutes later and told me my hotpot wasn't available tonight. No problem, these things happen. He then picked up the rice bowl for my hot pot off the table, and told me I'd be charged for it, as he started to take it away. I asked him to explain why I'd pay for something that I didn't have, especially when the only reason I'm not having it, is because it comes with a dish the restaurant says I can't have? I never said he had to bring it out before the hot pots, that was his decision. He said it comes with the hot pot, and because I can't have the hot pot (through no fault of mine), he has to charge me for the rice, as it's wasted.
Without losing my temper or being rude, and I have to confess that took a lot, I told him that very much sounds like his problem, and to kindly work out how customer service works. Then he picked up my friends rice too. I asked what he was doing, and he said my hot pot wasn't available, so he had to take the rice. I asked if my friends hot pot wasn't available as well, and he said it was available. So I repeated, "Why are you taking her rice then?" He stood there buffering for a minute, then slowly put it down and backed away from the table with my rice.
We couldn't believe what was happening. Just to be clear, it's not like paying for an extra rice was going to break the bank, but I was honestly offended at the treatment I was receiving. Then he returned again.
He asked me what I would like instead. The thing about G2 is there are quite a lot of rules. Page 1 of the menu isn't available on Fridays or Saturdays. The BBQ meats have to be ordered for 2 mains. The rest of the menu wasn't an option for me due to seafood allergies. Bear with me. Because my friend ordered a hot pot, that meant we couldn't get a BBQ meat order, as that is 2 mains (and I can't eat two mains). He was absolutely inflexible regarding what I could and could not order from the menu. I would have studied the menu before I went in, but it isn't available on their website. Eventually, something in him broke, and he suggested I order from Page 1 (which isn't available on Fridays or Saturdays, and we were there on a Friday). He said it will be fine, so I ordered a beef bulgogi. Thank god, we finally did it.
The food came, it was fine, but nothing more than that. There is an amazing Korean place two doors down (Oriental Spoon) that I have gone to maybe 10 times this year that is way better, it just has a different vibe to its decor. They always welcome me there with big smiles, and fantastic food.
Before we had finished our food, the bill was dropped on the table in front of me. To be fair, we wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible, but it's always nice to be given the opportunity to order dessert if we had wanted to. So it was clear our time at G2 had come to an end. Unwelcome from the moment I walked in, rushed, would have been ripped off if I hadn't spoken up, then given the boot.
Obviously we will never return. That restaurant looks great, does ok food, and was the most unfriendly and rude experience of my culinary lifetime.
