Everything is wrong with Lotus of Siam NYC

[Victor_Hong]

@Brad Kane

Speaking of pictures, here’s what we ate. …

…We were supposed to get two entrees and dessert after that, but left after the soup. For the above we were charged $72, which is why a lot of us are feeling ripped off…

Even I would still have been hungry afterwards. Nice pictures.
None of the smiling diners?

[Chris_Wilford]

Wow, certainly been enjoying reading about this dinner and I guess relieved that I wasn’t able to join you that night. Sorry you had such a dysfunctional experience. Hopefully this place finds a way to provide solid service to everyone as opposed to simply the people they know. Otherwise they will have a very hard time in this town. Sometimes what happens in Vegas really does stay in Vegas.

[Ray.Tuppa_sch]

Brad,

That may very well be true, but it really isn’t unusual for that to happen when diners are regulars or known by an establishment. I think the goal of any restaurant is to have all of their customers very satisfied with the food and service and have the “known” diners feel that way too and then some.
The reality is that you probably get treated better at some restaurants that I would, Wilfred probably gets treated better at EMP than me as well. So, as long as I leave EMP feeling good, then that’s all that matters to me. Obviously the problem for your experience is that your group didn’t. What time will tell is which of our experiences will be closer to the norm.

@Brad Kane

Ray-

You got a lot more food than we did and from the sounds of it and the extra apps that weren’t on the menu you guys received surely had something to do with the fact that you folks knew someone in the kitchen and on the floor, no?

[Steve_Manzi]

As a HUGE fan of LOS in Vegas, I was extremely interested when I opened this thread. After reading Brad’s review, and others at the table, it sure depressed my jonesing to trying LOS in NYC.

Great to hear that Ray and Lyle had a great experience a few nights later.

Now, both reviews are very helpful and appreciated. And the negative review was without a doubt, rightfully posted and fair as far as I could see. LOS obviously not only had a bad night (table?), but the way they were treated during the bad evening, which WAS the issue with the night for the most part, is unacceptable. And to me, is not really because they were needing time to get the kinks out. To me, what I heard, is that they were doing a poor job, and when complaints or requests were made, they were punished up and down the line, right up the the highest level. They failed at ever chance they had to try and make up for their mistakes, and again, I think it turned into a punishment by management and the staff. That’s how I see that review. So, unacceptable at every level. And for Lyle to post what he did was not only ridiculous, but stunningly weird.

For whatever reason, Ray and Lyle had a great experience, and clearly, there were enough reasons for theirs to be one that people there paid attention to them. Nothing at all wrong with that, and nothing to apologize for on any level. But again, for Lyle to berate anyone for posting what they experienced, shows that there is more to his coming here and posting what he did. IE: some sort of personal reasons. No way a true foodie would not understand how bad their experience was and that they had every right to post it. And on top of that, the way I read it, they were all actually a bit restrained. I think they could have been much harsher.

In the end, I am really glad that LOS got it together for their evening, no matter why or how they did. Hopefully they will continue to improve and treat everyone well in the future.

[Brad_Kane]

@Victor Hong

Even I would still have been hungry afterwards.

Now that’s saying something!

Seriously, what we got for our $72 was 2-3 forkfuls of tuna, two quarter or so sized “eh” fish cakes, maybe two tablespoonfuls of crispy rice, a piece of a piece of fried chicken and maybe 6 spoonfuls of soup.

Listen, I really, really, really wanted to like this place and was ecstatic when I heard the news that they were opening in NYC. I’ve heard nothing but fantastic reviews from so many people about the Las Vegas location. But, the experience we had, without some sort of apology from them, or a reach out to make amends, I really have no intention of giving them another try.

[Brad_Kane]

@Ray.Tuppatsch

Brad,

That may very well be true, but it really isn’t unusual for that to happen when diners are regulars or known by an establishment.

Of course. That goes without saying. But, it’s rather disingenuous to come out and attack someone for an honest assessment of one’s experience at a restaurant and not reveal that you’re friends with the establishment and that “your” great experience almost certainly has something to do with that fact. Not that I’m taking you to task, but feel Lyle’s post was out of line.

[Eric_LeVine]

@Ray.Tuppatsch

We received similar sized dishes of rice (maybe a little bigger) but they were per two people not four

It almost sounds like they let 8 sit and then served portions as if there were just 4.

[Ray.Tuppa_sch]

The next time I will dine alone while wearing glasses with a big nose and a mustache/beard.

@Brad Kane

@Ray.Tuppatsch

Brad,

That may very well be true, but it really isn’t unusual for that to happen when diners are regulars or known by an establishment.

Of course. That goes without saying. But, it’s rather disingenuous to come out and attack someone for an honest assessment of one’s experience at a restaurant and not reveal that you’re friends with the establishment and that “your” great experience almost certainly has something to do with that fact. Not that I’m taking you to task, but feel Lyle’s post was out of line.

[WvanGorp]

Forget the disguise; just can I join you next time?

[Ray.Tuppa_sch]

Sure - and I’ll bring another vertical of DP like last night too

@WvanGorp

Forget the disguise; just can I join you next time?

[Brad_Kane]

@WvanGorp

Forget the disguise; just can I join you next time?

Now that’s the right idea!

[WvanGorp]

@Ray.Tuppatsch

Sure - and I’ll bring another vertical of DP like last night too

@WvanGorp

Forget the disguise; just can I join you next time?

[Tyler_Rico]

@Lyle Fass

To all my loving fans here. Tonight’s meal was immaculate. The 90 Leroy CDLR was great but turned into '95 Rochioli after extended air.

Sorry y’all had such a bad experience. Different than mine.

tex. I love you so much it cannot be expressed in words. Only emoticons. Can I hang with you and Tyler? Our own private Berserkerfest?? Dan says hi Tex. And to you to Tyler . . . . .

lol, you are funny lyle.

tell dan and jacqui I said hi as well

[Paul_Jaouen]

@Mike Cohen

Having enjoyed more than 50 meals at the LV LOS, I would feel bad for people who are going to make their decision to avoid the NYC outpost based on one review. I encourage people to vote with their wallets, but I also encourage them to do so with as much information as possible.

LOS LV is such a unique experience. If LOS NY is not as good, no one will be more disappointed than me. I hope that Brad’s experience turns out to be an outlier.

Mike, that’s where I’m at! I decided to delay my first meal there by a couple of weeks. Let them work things out.

Brad, that Tuna Koi-Soy doesn’t look very appetizing. They do a Koi Soy (Steak Tartare) dish in Vegas that is awesome!

[WvanGorp]

I will go back in probably 1-2 months to check on it again…AFTER they get their regular menu (not the prix-fixe) up and running.

[Russell_Faulkner]

How formal is it, ok to take our boys (3 and 4)?

[Paul_Jaouen]

@WvanGorp

I will go back in probably 1-2 months to check on it again…AFTER they get their regular menu (not the prix-fixe) up and running.

They were supposed to have their a la carte menu next week. I don’t know if those plans have changed.

[Berry_Crawford]

Great thread!!

[Christine_Huang]

Wow. Our dinner seems to have caused quite a stir.

I LOVE LOS in Vegas. I was thrilled when I heard they were opening here in NY and absolutely enthusiastic when Wilfred suggested that we try out the new place. We were all prepared for some glitches and were very patient with the many mistakes. I was willing to sit through and try all of the dishes and try to flag down someone to order more wine.

However, the manager was completely out of line. He blamed our group for being a table of 8 (that’s a new one, I had never heard of this). He told us that they should have turned down a request for a party of eight, but since Wilfred spoke to someone there, he was willing to let it go. Well - someone had accepted the reservation. If they made a mistake on their part and accepted the table of 8 when they shouldn’t have, they should not have taken it out on us. That’s just poor form. Period.

They just did everything wrong. If the manager had just apologized for the mishaps and asked us to bear with them as they worked things out, it would have gone a long way. Instead, he became mean. That’s inexcusable and that’s when I wanted to leave.

I wanted LOS to succeed. Now I just have a bad taste in my mouth

[Dan_Hammer]

The result of this thread is that when you take a Thai restaurant from a strip shopping center in the middle of nowhere in Las Vegas, and transplant it to Manhattan… then throw in reviews from the OP, you have a recipe for disaster. I think we’re all to blame for expecting a Las Vegas experience in NY.

Please call or PM me when they get their act together. For now, I’m sticking to Queens for my next fix.

One last thing. This negative report is not from some hit and run poster that you see on internet bulletin boards. All the more reason it adds validity. I’ll take Lyles post with a grain of salt… under the circumstances reported upthread.