4 & a Half Mistake (oops Gourmand)

4 & a Half Gourmand (Score: 1 out of 5)

Before anything else, I just want everyone to know that at one point I told myself that I will not buy anymore "coupon" type of deals from restaurants due to really bad experiences. This my friends is the last time I will ever buy one (not unless it will be from a reputable establishment).

My experience today with 4 and a Half Gourmand is horrible. The only good thing about it is.... none. Bad service, bad food, (of course ambiance and value goes down the drain as well), bad, bad, bad. 

I made a reservation last week. When I got there, no one greeted us to help us sit down. One of the two waiters offered to sit us in a "hotel sofa" type of table and I passed. So we squeezed in between a family of 4 and a family of 3. They were definitely not expecting us. 

The restaurant has good tables to accomodate about 20 people. Plus 2 lounge tables. This is not the place to have 30 people for a "buffet" tapas + pasta + pizza. We were quite "lucky" because we were able to sit on time. I can't say the same thing to the 3 or 4 other groups that came after us. 

What doesn't help this place is that people were already complaining. The guest in front of us. The guest behind us. The guest waiting in the corner. 

To add insult to the injury. The voucher was SGD 17 and you are forced to buy 2 so I had to fork out SGD 34. Worse yet, they don't serve water. You have to buy it. I really really think that restaurants who don't serve water for free are $*it and this place had no excuse whatsoever. So I had to fork out another SGD 10 for drinks (3 softdrinks).

The "Menu"

Yes... this was the menu that we were using. If I can go back, I will actually ask that rude waiter why there was a print of "old" in our menu.

The "Main Dishes" can only order once:

From bottom left to top: (Breaded Mushroom Tempura, Quail Egg Wanton, Grilled mushrooms, Fried Garlic Shrimp, Kick-Ass Buffalo Wings). I'm sorry folks, if it looks like that we had some already before the picture was taken that is not the case. This is how it looked like when they served it to us. These are the main orders (except for the grilled mushroom) which means 1 table 1 couple 1 order. Fine nothing special I will never order it again.

Pasta Negra

If someone serves you pasta that have their ends lumped together, what does it mean? Yes, this pasta was served like that so I doubt that even this was freshly done. And raw onions? Who serves raw sliced onions with pasta nowadays... or ever...???

Vietnamese Chicken Wing

This was the only "good" thing that we had but we prepare our chicken wings at home a lot better than this. I think I only want to say its good so that the 40 bucks that I paid isn't so painful.

Pizza & Mushroom Soup

Sorry no pictures here but to explain it pizza = small boxed frozen pizza, soup = campbells (and we prepare ours at home better too)

Price and Value

All-in-all the bill amounted to SGD 44. I will stop here. The place sucked big time. The waiter sucked big time. The food sucked BIG time. Please please please do not even think of going to this place. Better go to the Bah kuh teh around the corner and be happy.

Rating:

Food - 1

Ambiance - 1

Value - 1

Service - 1

Overall 1 of 5

Repeat Factor (No!! No! Yes Yes! Yes!!): 

No!! Don't even think about it.

Restaurant details:

Official Website: none

Address: 20 Hong Kong Street, #01-03

Tel no: +65 9487 9686