Gaylord
79-81 Mortimer Street, London, W1W 7SJ Map
Tel: 020 7580 3615
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Ripped off.
We went to Gaylord for an evening meal. I'll get the only good point out the way first: the food was fairly good.
When you arrive you are automatically given a popadum each. Great, I thought, a free popadum like you get at many restaurants on the curry mile in Manchester. However, read the small print at the back of the menu (that's right, a menu with small print!) and you'll find you are charged £1.20 each for something which you are not even asked if you would like.
Then you pay £10 per curry. OK, fair enough the price is on the menu. However, if you want rice with your curry the price of that isn't even listed on the menu so you've no idea how much they're adding on for that.
Finally, after you've paid over the odds for your meal, they stick a compulsary 15% serivce charge on the top (again this is in the small print at the back of the menu), and to top it all off, when you sign for the bill, they include another box to try and get you to put an additional tip in.
I don't mind paying more for a meal in the centre of London if it's clearly priced, but I don't like it when a restaurant uses every underhand trick in the book to try and rip you off.
A Disgrace.
Pete 24/05/04
I came across Gaylord just by accident while looking for a McDonalds on London streets. Being born and brught up in New Delhi and having been to Geylord in Connought Place in Ned Delhi on numerous occasions, I immediately identified the name. this was after abut 8 months after coming from India nad struggling in several "Bangla-Indian" restaurants to finish the meal or justify the bill.
I must say my heart swelled with joy at the prospect of eating "real Indian" food and was I dissapointed? No sir, not at all. The food was just marvellous-as authentic Indian food as you can find.
Have been there many times and consider the fact that it is almost always not crowded as a big plus point.
The service lacks in gloss. The staff willing to help and attend but somehow held-back.I know the food is not graded in terms of spicy-ness and can cause inconvenience to some one not accustomed to the vagaries of indian cuisine.For people like me who desperately seek a place for food as distant as possible from Bangladeshi modifications.. this is the place.
If you look for great ambience and enthusiastic service? Well....... I can only say you will miss the best food.
Vivek 19/05/04
Best food in London. Howard should realise that the restaurant doesn't like him coming over. Move aside!
Siddhart 22/04/04
Usually I’d only comment on the restaurant, not comment on other comments. But here, I’ll make an exception. I was one of those “clueless English people who have no taste or class” who commented last year. I’ll come back to this in a moment.
By coincidence, despite my misgivings, I went back to this restaurant for a business lunch on 18th February this year. It was very close to a business meeting I attended later. Otherwise I would have searched elsewhere. It was very cold outside and not much warmer inside. Diners who had their sleeves rolled up quickly rolled them down. People who’d taken off their jackets then ate with them on.
But, either by chance or design, the vegetarian biryani was superb, on par with the best I’ve eaten anywhere. Thoroughly recommended. The kebab starter was great, but tiny. The nan breads were superb. The service was slightly less surly than my previous visits.
Candidly, I find the comments of Niren (18/02/04) completely out of phase with what I’ve experienced in 5 visits now. The unnamed individual (dated 18/01/04) to me lacks credibility – and their comments are downright offensive too. It’s no good chucking your chapatti out of the pram if the facts of the matter are unpalatable.
But all in all, to me they’ve proved they can get the food right, when they want to. Meanwhile, it’s accurate to say the quality is inconsistent.
GOOD MARKS for not cramming the tables together and excellent menu choices too.
BAD MARK for adding service, then giving me a credit card slip that left space for me to add more service. This is not accidental. It’s happened 5 times now. Oh yes, and I’ve never seen it more than one third full.
howard 25/02/04
This restaurant is a well kept secret, good service, helpful staff, good menu choice
Niren 18/02/04
Best Indian in london. If you want high class indian food and not a regular dirty curry come here. Previous reviews were made by clueless english people who have no taste or class. All they can order is chicken tikka masala. If the food is that bad why is this the most successful indian in town.
18/01/04
Went with a group of friends just before Christmas. Not that busy for a Saturday night.....Very disappointed overall..The menu did not state if the dishes were mild, medium or hot...why not??? All of our meals apart from one dish were extremely HOT and difficult to eat! Had to wait over half and hour for one cup of tea!!? Service ok...not brilliant....the bill at the end was VERY EXPENSIVE and did not match the quality of food...they even added on the 15% service charge which we begrudged paying ....not impressed...will definitely not be going there again!
Karen 22/12/03
So-so food. Not cheap, but adequate. Nice decor, but a very odd atmosphere during the 2 lunches i have there in September 2003. almost as if the younger serving staff are terrified of the senior managers. Senior managers appear a bit sniffy, almost arrogant. Young waiters would not take our order until they had received 'permission' from the next rank above. Very odd. Bit like stepping back into the 1950s it seemed to me. Probably won't return. I value atmosphere as much as food quality. ah well.
HP 09/11/03
Went with a couple of work mates, starters were cold, had to send them back, popadums were too greasy, main course was average, and service was poor. You would expect better at this price!
Nlewis 05/11/03
Went 25/07/03 for birthday celebration at 9.30. Got a table about 10.30 after being jostled in reception. Food was quite good, but not outstanding. At about 11.30 we requested coffee but the "kitchen was closed" and we were encouraged to leave despite the restaurant being one third full!! We took a guest, so were particularly disappointed. Might have found it funny if just family.
Juanita 07/10/03
― ..., Wednesday, 28 July 2004 17:07 (twenty years ago)
three years pass...