It isn't often I put reviews of places on the internet. Really I should do it more - when they impress me rather than piss me off, but anyway, here's one, and it's a place to avoid. Here's why.

Went here for lunch today for their "Fusions" or Lunch special - 1 starter, 1 main dish and a bread or rice for £6, which sounded on paper like a good deal. It was even advertised in their window, the only small print being that it only applied between 12pm and 2:30pm, which wasn't a problem as we arrived very shortly after 12. We went because my friend had been the previous week, had the deal and thought it was quite nice and pretty good value.

We were seated reasonably quickly (no one else was there, so the service should have been this good or better), and given the menu. My friend and I had a couple of drinks each and picked out a starter each, a main each and a naan bread each, thus qualifying for the deal. The food was ok. Not brilliant, not nearly as good as my favourite curry house (and the one I usually visit). I was rather annoyed that my Korma came with almonds sprinkled over the top, despite it not saying in the menu that the dish contained nuts, as I have an intolerance to them that makes me sick if I eat them. I have to admit I took a guess in ordering the Korma - I can eat it most places and their menu was very unclear as to which dishes had nuts and which didn't.

We finished up and asked for the bill which came quickly. We were frankly shocked at the amount - in the region of £40. My companion was treating me, so he went to query the bill with one of the waiting staff, in another room next to (behind) the dining area. Such was the volume with which the conversation ended up occurring at that I heard every word that was said, and I was actually frightened by the speed with which the waiting staff member escalated from reasonable to aggressive (he became aggressive almost as soon as my friend queried the bill with him).

My friend mentioned that he expected the offer to have been applied, as it had been the previous week when he had been with someone else. No one had mentioned the offer but as they'd ordered the items mentioned in it, it had been automatically applied. The member of staff said that we had had main portions, not offer portions so he wouldn't apply it retrospectively. My friend said as it was lunchtime the offer should have been mentioned when we came in and set down, especially if a separate menu applied. The staff member continued to shout and say it wasn't his job to tell us about offers, just to write down the food we ordered. Then he started to shout about how long he'd lived in the UK and made out that we were trying to take advantage of him. My friend ended up just paying the bill so we could go.

As we left we could still hear the member of staff shouting about us to another member of staff.

To be quite frank I found the situation frightening. I would stress to other people reading this not to go. There are nicer, cheaper and friendlier curry houses in Canterbury (I particularly recommend the Ancient Raj [reviewed on trusted places here] ).

To sum up:
* Despite the restaurant being empty apart from my companion and I the service was not amazing.
* The menu was unclear what ingredients that people may not be able to eat was in their food.
* The food was not amazing (and for the prices they charged it should have been).
* The bill was astronomical, the offer not applied, and when the bill was queried the member of staff questioned got very aggressive very quickly and was still shouting about us to another member of staff when we left.
* The same member of staff said it was not his job to mention offers and the onus was on us to mention it in order to get it (despite this not being the case the previous week when friend went for the lunch offer - noone mentioned it and it was just applied to the bill as a matter of course)

Cross posted to Trusted Places and canterbunnies.

Well I saw BNL[1] last night1[2] and I would just like to say, for the record...

DOOOOOOOOD!

It was really fantastic.

We saw them at the Shepherds Bush Empire playing on their Barenaked for the Holidays tour. It was my very first concert and Oh My God...it rocked.[3]

The opening act (whose name I have now forgotten...)[Edit]March 2007: His name was Boothby Graffoe apparently was very funny and Jim and Kevin came and played with him for a bit and that was so very cool. Then, after a half hour break BNL came on and opened with a couple of holiday songs (which made me a little nervouse as to the tone of the concert - their Holiday album isn't nearly as good as any of the others...) Anyway, I needn't have worried. They played a whole load of classics and very few of he Holiday ones so I was happy.

They are *amazing* in concert and so versatile. I was surprised at just how many instruments they could all play at least a little bit. I also kept thinking that Jim must have amazing calloses on his fingers from all the plucking at the base. Made the tips of my fingers ache just thinking about it[4] ;) I came out of the whole thing on an amazing high, and I don't think it was wholly the effects of the weed people all over the venue were smoking[5] ;)

My only gripe would have to be that, even with encores the thing didn't last long enough. More dammit!

I think I'll have to go see them again when they're next in the UK ;)

Thank you to all the lovely people who were there yesterday with me, especially my lovely fiance who brought my ticket and shared it all with me, and informed me that the funny smell in the venue was pot (I'd never smelled it before - I can certainly identify it now) and dmc who drove us back from Coulsdon where we caught the train and didn't get back till 3:20. His son then woke him up at 6:15. The lift was appreciated more than I can say ;)

Now I am awake after ooh - 4.5 hours of sleep, so no doubt I shall crash at some point during the day. At least when I do, I have that fantastic experience to think of :D

[1]Barenaked Ladies
[2]My birthday present from Ben
[3]My opinions could, or course, be distorted by the second hand weed I inhaled throughout the concert ;)
[4]As a violin player my experience of what plucking a bass lots can do to you is limited, but the effects must be at least a little similar... [edit] Just asked adam, and apparently double bass players do have amazing calloses on their fingers :)
[5]I want to make it clear that I didn't even try any :P I'd probably be sick if I did ;)

[edit] Thank you to all who voted on my last entry. I shall effect the MSN icon changes as soon as I get home :)