The Restaurant that can't make up it's mind.

leenewham · Post by **leenewham** » 30 Mar 2011 11:21

I was told a curious tale recently from someone who ate at 3 Banditios.

They went in search of Mexican food. Sat in a restaurant called 3 Banditos, they listened to Turkish music and looked at a menu that showed only Italian food.

It's now closing and opening as an Italian restaurant. They took the Mexican bandit clothes off the sinister looking waxwork by the door and made him look like the godfather!

It's under new ownership again.

So recently it's been an Mexican, a Tapas place, back to a Mexican, then a Mediterranean restaurant (basically an Italian), then back to a Mexican and now an Italian restaurant.

The new owner has been seen studying Trattoria Raffaeles menu in detail.

If the owners are Turkish, why don't they open something we don't have and make it a GOOD Turkish restaurant rather than a copy of another restaurant a few doors away? Apparently there used to be a really good Turkish restaurant in Sydenham.

mummycat · Post by **mummycat** » 30 Mar 2011 12:24

toothfairy · Post by **toothfairy** » 30 Mar 2011 13:57

If the restaurant that can't make up it's mind is thinking of becoming Italian, I would suggest they spy on That's Amore rather than Trattoria as personally I think the food in there is dull, bland and sloppy.

scarpetta · Post by **scarpetta** » 30 Mar 2011 18:39

I totally disagree about the negative feedback about Trattoria Raffaele. I think they serve some great food / have some interesting daily specials and the owner is super hospitable. I truly enjoy eating at Raffaele´s.

With regards to the restaurant that can´t make up it´s mind...bit of a joke really. Hopefully one day we will get a restaurant which looks inviting and serves top food without changing its identity 24/7

G-Man · Post by **G-Man** » 31 Mar 2011 11:40

leenewham wrote:If the owners are Turkish, why don't they open something we don't have and make it a GOOD Turkish restaurant rather than a copy of another restaurant a few doors away? Apparently there used to be a really good Turkish restaurant in Sydenham.

I'm confused, completely - someone tell them to read this forum PLEASE! A good Turkish restaurant would be great.

G-man

shell1 · Post by **shell1** » 31 Mar 2011 16:57

I agree with the posts highlighting that you'd think it would make commercial (and financial)sense to open a restaurant serving food not currently available on the high street - indeed filling a "gap" in the local market. Thai, Greek, Turkish, Lebanese spring to mind, although there are countless other cuisines. I'm no expert ,but perhaps if the next restaurant in its imminent guise as an italian restaurant invests in a quality chef who knows what they are doing with superb serving staff, then it may possibly stand a chance this time? Difficult to say in these tough economic times.

As for the less favourable post on the beloved Trattoria - I heartily disagree! In my opinion, Trattoria is a godsend to our high street with lovely fresh pizzas, pasta and tasty fish dishes (I'm a fan of the mussels and sea bream - great value). The range of daily specials offer a good variety if your palate fancies something different off the menu. Over the years, the service at Trattoria has always been nothing but warm, friendly, and efficient. Trattoria really is an asset to the high street. I really don't think it need worry about competition from its neighbouring italian

shell1 · Post by **shell1** » 31 Mar 2011 17:03

Yes G-Man - at your request I might just pop into the new restaurant and gently suggest that following the very brief market research on this forum, we would love to have good turkish cuisine (not that I'm expecting them to take the slightest bit of notice). Will that do?

G-Man · Post by **G-Man** » 1 Apr 2011 07:44

I might do the same myself Shell. Maybe they need Gordon Ramsey to tell them "What do you remember eating when you were young? What do you eat at home? Now cook some FFS!" (apologies for the ending but it wouldn't be Ramsey without the F Word!

Lee, you should don the same as you're very articulate with these things.

Oh, and Raff's is a fantastic place, always had a great night there, great service and good food.

G-man

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

mrssnips · Post by **mrssnips** » 15 Apr 2011 13:11

I agree with the other posters about Raff's food always good and the service is fab. Contrast that with a recent visit to That's amore, when we asked for garlic bread, we got toasted cheap white sliced bread with garlic butter on it. I kid you not

maturin · Post by **maturin** » 15 Apr 2011 18:09

Simply cannot believe the earlier posters negative comment about Trattoria Rafael.

My wife and I love it. The pizza dough is spectacular, the calves liver is divine, and the tiramisu is blissful. The service is wonderful as well. The host is the perfect combination of friendly without being overfamiliar.

I do, however, agree with all the comments about the ‘other’ restaurant. If ever a restaurant was crying out to be Turkish, this is it.

Has it always been the same owners – throughout its various incarnations?

Tim Lund · Post by **Tim Lund** » 16 Apr 2011 16:42

Does anyone here remember Lokal's? I never actually went there, but people tell me it was a good Turkish restaurant. One of the Turks from my allotments told me the guy who owned it was a friend of his - apparently his friend also owns Café Gold - and I wondered about trying to find out why he gave up on it.

Willy · Post by **Willy** » 16 Apr 2011 21:13

I used to go there regularly, the food was always excellent and they would get a belly dancer in on a Saturday. It was a great loss when it closed but the owners were getting on a bit and I think they simply retired back to Turkey.

sophie · Post by **sophie** » 17 Apr 2011 08:38

Lokal was excellent and the bellydancer evenings were always great fun. It could be a bit pricey though and I think that when the ice cream parlour first became the Turkish place (I forget the name) they were priced out - the 2 places were open together for a while. I don't know for sure though but the Turkish place was very cheap when it first opened. It's a shame that they're both now gone as they were good for different things - Lokal had the atmosphere for sure and really great food while the other place had Turkish pizzas and cheaper prices. It's such a shame that we now have neither. I tried it once when it became a Mexican not long after it was first there and it wasn't a great experience I have to say so never went back.

Tim Lund · Post by **Tim Lund** » 23 Apr 2011 10:57

Well, Hasan from my allotment

says the place for good Turkish food round here is Turkuaz, so I've just left a message on their web site http://www.turkuaz-restaurant.co.uk/contactus.php saying how about coming to Sydenham?

And it looks as if they have belly dancers too!

newbrit · Post by **newbrit** » 5 May 2011 13:57

It was never Mexican food. What they had was Tex-Mex, which is most of the time food covered with melted cheese... I went there once and could not leave fast enough. One hopes that the Italian food will be better.

marymck · Post by **marymck** » 5 May 2011 14:17

I accompanied some young lads to see the Mary Poppins stage show a couple of years ago and afterwards took them to a Turkish restaurant in town. There was a very attractive young belly dancer. She gave the boys a special show at our table. Sadly, as she started her gyrating a huge cake stand full of the most delectable fruits and sweeties also arrived at our table.

The poor girl did her best, but she got barely a glance from the lads, who were much more excited by the sweeties.

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