Seriously BAD Experience - Restaurant La Parada - Waterfall - Johannesburg - ALSO a possible WINE World First

We reserved tables at La Parada, Waterfall Corner, Woodmead Johannesburg for 26 out of town guests - for 7.30 Saturday 17 November - went over 3 times to ensure table setting etc to ensure great occasion

- I was assured "I will make sure U have a special experience" Fine I will leave it to you to wow me Arrived at 8.00 long traffic snarl-up - individual WITH HANDS ON HIPS in presence of my guests ' you are 1 hour late - you lucky I have not given your table away - who are U sir - we certainly don't want to start a happy occasion dinner on a bitter note - should we go someplace else (26 of us including children) I am the General manager of this restaurant and I have a business to run - I have other customers to worry about

Sir, please take your hands off your hips when you talk to me - I am your customer - we were booked for 7.30 it's 8.00 and I had no dealings with you - please consult Thabile or Duncan - I am the General Manager - I don't need to consult anybody (I phoned you and you did not take my call (checked phone he did , I did not hear) - I was driving to restaurant

There were NO table settings as was agreed to with Managers Thabile/Duncan

In cutting this to the chase WE WAITED 45 MINUTES FOR OUR DRINKS which was wrong on three times of correction (the waiter looked under the weather) The 'new' bottle of wine was HALF - waiter then returned with 'new' bottle two thirds full - waiter finally returned with a sealed bottle - how's this for a world first

There were many empty tables all over - there certainly were no snaking queues outside

The service was so poor that we ordered the next round of drinks immediately the first round was finally served

The food was extremely over-priced but very ordinary

- as we left our very bad Special Occasion experience I decided we have a drink outside to smooth things over- this experience sucked equally - when we finally got the wrong order corrected and served - two of our guests STILL DID NOT GET THEIR DRINKS - I was obviously both embarrassed and agitated by this time -

I went inside to find 8 waiters chatting including the one that served us

- I did raise my voice in sheer irritation - the manager was walking past - walked me to our table outside and was more concerned about my raised tone towards staff (correctly so - customers can't possibly be right) - what was of extreme concern to us was that the bouncer arrived to stand next to the manager who was dealing with a customer complaint - what a nice customer pleasing gesture

As a matter of interest the previous restaurant in these premises CLOSED DOWN it also suffered the same cancer - service arrogance - watch this space

- we'll never be going back and God forbid the prospective customers that we will relate our bad experience to - especially the half/two thirds/finally full bottle of wine

Our country suffers from a dearth/terminal cancer of service excellence - but these same providers of services expect very BIG tips - seriously sad

Vincent Samuel i