Restaurant 1565 in Park Regis, Birmingham
I go back for my third and decidedly final visit to Restaurant 1565 in Park Regis. I recommended the place for my best friend’s birthday as I thought it a great setting for 10 people, but it's the last recommendation I’ll make.
Despite booking it several days in advance, they didn’t seem to know we were coming. We are a large group – a glamorous one at that! – so difficult to ignore and yet in a quiet restaurant on a Saturday night, there was no one to greet us.
There isn’t a clear reception area but during the previous two visits I’ve encountered staff quite quickly. This time, at least a couple of staff went about their business ignoring the big gathering waiting. One even strode past us to answer the phone. A couple had arrived behind us by the time we were finally greeted a good few minutes after even my excitable friends had noted the delay.
Rather than being a particularly warm welcome, perhaps one that befitted a group of 10 in a largely empty restaurant, we got the distinct impression we getting in the way of their quite night.
The gentleman who I believe to be the manager is friendly and courteous and most often conscious of his staff’s shortcomings, but he wasn’t around much this evening.
Admittedly two of our party were incredibly late but 15 minutes after their arrival, we had to chase down someone to finally take our order. In the meantime, we were offered precisely one thin slice each of bread as we waited well over an hour for our first course. Thank heavens they had refrained from bringing the bread trollie to the table and slicing it painfully slowing in front of us this time.
I sensed no warmth in any dealings with staff whatsoever (with the exception of the manager type). Last time, I'd put the lapses in service to lack of experience rather than willingness. This time unfortunately, it is the latter and the restaurant was exceptionally inactive. I really don't know where all the wait staff disappeared to or what they had to do behind the scenes.
The food on the whole, was pretty good, perhaps even improved, but that’s not what mattered on this evening. With disappointment mounting, I only took the one snap.
One of the party saved her one alcoholic allowance to the Tia Maria in her coffee but could not taste it at all.
I’d only looked fleetingly at the desert menu as I thought I’d have to leave early and go without due to the lateness. My plans changed and I hastily mis-ordered my dessert by asking for the sweet cheesecake concoction. What came was something with fruit – which I don’t eat and the server insisted that it was the cheesecake. In actual fact, it was a mouse rather than any type of cheesecake. Of course mis-communications happen but good service usually means they get swapped out without question – especially when there are nine potentially new regular customers listening in. Eventually the fruit-free dessert came (pictured) and the spare was passed around and half eaten.
Sadly, as we are so lacking in good restaurants that serve all types of food rather than being meat heavy or specialist, I thought this would be my replacement for the much missed Loves. Safe to say that none of us ten are planning a return visit.
