I have been visiting this restaurant on a fairly frequent basis (every couple of months) as I live just a corner away from the restaurant. (normally the booking was under my partner's name not under mine therefore I might have “appeared” on the booking system as a new customer).

I have booked a table for 3 over the phone last week, for Sat night (18:30). When we got there it turned out that the booking was made for 8 person. Obviously I have NOT booked a table for 8 but for 3, and it's quite hard to believe that “three” can be misheard as “eight”.

The staff had maintained their claim that I have made the booking for the wrong number, and continued pulling faces. (Customer is always right isn't?)

Eventually we got seated, and were asked to leave the table by 20:30. We have agreed to this and took the table. Around 19:50 we were just browsing through the dessert menu when we were approached by the waitress and asked to leave the table at 20:00. We refused, as the other waitress who seated us clearly said 20:30.

The manager then approached us with the same request, strongly (and without any apology) demanded us to leave by 20:00 – probably at this point I should have offered to leave without paying, and avoid further embarrassment in front of my guests as the dinner started to turn into a rather bitter experience. We refused again to leave, and stayed until 20:30 – hence “allowed” to finish our meals.

Needless to say I have plenty of other restaurant options in the Kew/Richmond neighbourhood to spend my hard earned cash, and will not be frequenting this restaurant in the future.