Steve's Forum Posts

Hi Christopher,

Is what you are describing Umani, if so you can now get it in a tube called "Taste No 5″ I have yet to try it but your comments have just spurred me on to order some.

This is a quote.

Umami is the Japanese word for the fifth basic sense of taste, after bitter, salty, sour and sweet.

Despite being known in the East for more than 100 years, particularly Japan, it is a relatively new concept to the West where only the four primary tastes are recognised.

Umami means deliciousness in Japanese, but translates best as ‘savouriness’ and provides the ‘meaty’ flavour in meat.

It is formed from glutamates being detected by receptors on the tongue and is the reason why monosodium glutamate (MSG) is used as a flavour enhancer.

It is also found naturally in meats, cheeses and mushrooms.

Read more: dailymail.co.u­k/femail/food/article-1249571/Umami-Tubes-Taste-No-5-set-revolutionise-cooking-fifth-taste.html#ixzz0qMDUQ0YS More

I recently went to Strada (Leamington Spa) we had been a couple of times before and
both times left feeling like it was not quite right. I dined (walk in not reservation) with my Wife (Who's Birthday it was) & daughter and on arrival the Manager (Man
with thick Glasses) came over to us with no greeting he just looked at
us, we asked politely if he had a table for 2.5 and he picked up some
menu's and strutted off in the direction of a table in the middle of the
restaurant, we had no idea if we were supposed to follow him. When he
reached his destination he simply put the menu's on the table and looked
at us as though we should have known to follow him. The Assistant
Manager had a similar attitude through service also which is no shock if
that is how the Manager conducts himself (Maybe they had a had a tiff
before service). The Food was very nice indeed, we were not checked back on during or after the starters in fact even when they were cleared they
were just taken away. The mains arrived after we chased them, we were
not keeping track of the time but it had become uncomfortable enough for us to know that our main course was not forthcoming. We declined bread
and it was almost as though we were deemed cheap skates or at least that
was what I read from the I think Assistant Manageress’s facial
expression.

The more junior staff, two waitresses were working very nicely, they
smiled when passing but the Management team were less than welcoming,
almost as though they were managing Le Gaveroche or similar. It won't
surprise you to hear that I work in the industry which is the only reason
I took the time to bring this to their attention, if it were my
Management team I think I would be operating a Mystery Diner service or
similar to ensure that a simple meet & greet / welcome was stamping a great 1st impression on all of their guests on arrival.

I would describe the service as almost efficient with a lack of
personality bearing on almost on rude…
Other guests were kind of looking around uncomfortably also.

There were also several other families dining, but it felt like families were not welcome, or maybe it was everybody who was not welcome. I know
this was not just a bad day as I have seen it a couple of times before at this restaurant although not to the same degree…

The worst thing is, a very nice young lady bough the bill to the table and we tipped 10%.

What is that all about?

We wrote in to Head Office and received a fairly standard offer of a £20.00 voucher which I simply have not taken any further. Do you tip the staff when the Managers are terrible?

Do the staff get the tips… More