please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
disgusting burger and rude staff - won't be coming there again
|
I went to Ember last night, and having never reviewed a restaurant online before, felt so compelled to warn people off this place that I have overcome my aversion on online ranting. Here goes.
The 'meal' I ate in this bar last night was potentially the worst I have ever had the misfortune of paying for. And that includes service station breakfasts and supermarket packet sandwiches.
Firsly, the bar promotes the food as being speedy, specialising in take-aways - their USP is that they sell noodles in fancy takeaway boxes with little metal handles. I will admit, I was disproportionately excited about eating from a takeaway box and pretending to be in the West Wing. Perhaps that was why I foolishly decided to go in and order food, despite the irriating music and slightly depressing ambience.
Well, I was excited about the takeaway boxes for about ten minutes. Maybe fifteen. But after nearly 50 minutes of waiting for our 'speedy' food my excitement had well and truly died a death. That's 50 minutes in which only two other people in the bar were eating, and the two waitresses spent the majority of their time flirting with two men at the bar.
After very politely inquiring whether our food would be coming any time soon, the waitress trotted off to find it, and it eventually appeared. With no apology for the ridiculously long wait, or the fact that it looked a lot like vomit.
And not in a box, but by this time I was too hungry to care.
I ordered pad tai. Which, by my recollection, should be an orangey colour, or maybe browny-red, but certainly not grey. No food should ever be grey, unless you choose to eat elephant-skin jerky.
The dish actually looked as though it had been covered in crumbled cement, before being soaked in rainwater and left on a pavement to evapourate, microwaved and then served. The noodles were so soggy that it seems likely that they were being cooked for the full 50 minutes that we waited for our food. The chicken tasted as though it was made of balsa wood, and the prawns had a texture somewhere between rubber and polystyrene, and tasted only of stale air.
In fact, the only thing in the dish that tasted of anything other than disapointment were three lone peanuts. It turns out it's very hard to stop a peanut having a taste or at least some texture. Although I'm sure if we'd given them a little longer they would have managed it.
My boyfriend's food was similarly bad. It was actually quite impressive that they had managed to remove all trace of flavour whatsoever from the ingredients used. In fact, they should probably give Heston Blumenthal a call, I'm sure he would be interested to hear about the innovative and ground-breaking chemistry that must have been taking place in the kitchen.
I think the waitresses were aware that the food was not exactly delightful, they didn't ask if the food was ok, in fact I don't think they said a single word as they cleared our plates. It was like a moment's silence to mark the sad butchering of what would once have been passably edible ingredients. The waitress' speedy exit was probably a good thing, as I was trying to restrain myself from pushing over the table and eating the over-elabourate flowers on the bar to take away the taste of concrete.
Suffice to say, I won't be going back. I would rather sit outside in the street and eat the takeaway menu than go in there again. And judging by the obvious disgruntlement of another customer sitting near us who had to return her wine twice because it was so vile, I don't think it was just me.
|
I hate to burst your bubble davidb, but I am nothing to do with the owners of Ember. You should perhaps calm down a bit?
|
Owners of this place persistently add positive reviews (see below, ad infinitum).
Here's an impartial one - this place is completely shite, badly run, overpriced and packed full of (a) grey suits or (b) chavs with zero taste.
My suggestion? Walk a bit further from Farringdon Tube and find a GOOD bar!
Could the owners of this site please take action against Fau-shit Inn Pub Company", who clearly have no marketing budget if they're posting reviews to BiTE?
|
Just noticed the photos on here. They have obviously had a refurb!!
|
One of the best looking bars this side of the Thames. Ideal destination venue for a good night out. Everything about Ember reeks of quality & class. Music, food and drink selection including a great cocktail list are all done very well Even the artwork is impressive with a couple of Banksy prints. Well worth a visit if you enjoy the finer things in life.
|
Super slick bar with no pretentions of falling under the 'pub' category. This place is for executive boys and girls only and makes no excuses for its pricey policy.
No ales but there was a very nice Grolsch Blonde on tap which just about got me through the night. Other than that, not much to report home about. The food was okay, but at �5 for a small 'tapas' size portion, it was hardly value for money. The toilets were squeezed into an area the size of a phone box and were acceptable only if you enjoy rubbing buttocks with your fellow punters on a regular basis.
All in all a great disappointment, and were it not for the decent lager on tap, there would be very little positive news to pass on.
|
Contrary to The Swan, I really enjoyed the food here and couldn't fault the place. Definatley recommended.
|
Disgusting food. RAW chips. High prices; low standards. Devoid of redeeming features.
|
Check out the reviews by "RobBlake & "JessSlade" reviews below then read the reviews they have done for other bars...
Whats the coincidence? All the bars they review are owned by the same dreary company - Faucet Inn Pub Co.
Get a clue guys and concentrate on running your bars well enough for you to get some real reviews instead of these fake ones!
|
We had a fantastic time here on Friday night. Good party atmosphere and amazing cocktail list. It's very clean and well kept. Will definatley be going back
|
Came here on Saturday. Seemed a friendly enough place but was fairly quiet. Drinks prices were reasonable and it does serve platters of food but we didn't have any. Background music quite laid back / nu cool. Smoking area looked nice.
|
Great to have Ember open again. Doesn't look much different but thats not a bad thing. Impressed with the service and I love the outside patio at the back.
|
Ember has been closed down for some re-construction work and we hope to be re-opening with a fresh new look on Friday 4th April. For any enquiries, please email [email protected].
|
Closed down? Interior ripped out.
Oh, and a quiet word to licensees who add positive reviews of their own premises under the name "Tatjana" - please, don't bother.
|
Bar looks good, but is always empty while the bars surrounding it enjoy a roaring trade...
Probably something to do with the pompous manager who insists on making free cocktails for all the women, while the rest of us wait 10mins to get a pint.
Avoid, unless your female and like being perved on!
|
I went there, and took a pic of the new refurbed Ember. it looks amazing, especially downstairs. and Danny is not only a laugh, but makes the most mindblowing cocktails ever!!
Definitely my new sunday to saturday night haunt. And the new menu is just fab as well, and so affordable!
|
Just had a re-fit and is very modern and funky. The lit bar top is especially attractive. Is now also non-smoking which is a plus for me. But does have an outside area available for it. Is open late at weekends and serves some fab cocktails. Danny on the bar is a good laugh. Nice Bar!
|
Passed through a few weeks ago on the way to Fabric. Was going to stay for one but didn�t leave till the end, lucky thing we had tickets. The boss has booked the room downstairs for the Christmas party and after that night I�m sure it will be a great one.
anonymous - 12 Dec 2006 22:45 |
A standard DJ bar, exactly what you'd expect. Low leather seating - don't need to say anymore. Standard beers. OK I guess, no objections, though I'd rather go to the Castle a few doors up.
|
if you are comfortable in the company of work-hard, play-hard types this is a good place to come. once you've gone through some of the spectacular creations on their customised cocktail menu check out the downstairs club - resident DJs play very danceable house tunes and there's just enough low seating to do all the things you shouldn't...
their evening menu successfully follows the not-so-recent trend of british tapas and the general vibe is less self consciously cool than welcoming to anyone out to have fun.
|
Not sure I agree with Jet. It is far from the coolest place to go in EC1. Fairly inoffensive and not overly expensive.
anonymous - 23 Jan 2006 19:48 |
Not that bad if you want a loud late bar. Obviously rubbish for beers, but what would you expect?
anonymous - 17 Jan 2006 14:46 |
There's a downstairs? Oh well, live and learn. Never had an atmosphere when I went, but then I tended to go on weekdays. Moderate prices, usual bar drinks, no ale. Not bad.
|
in an area with stiff competition Ember remains the coolest place to go in EC1. their downstairs club 'SubEmber' holds about 80 people, is open late thu, fri & sat, has a high quality sound system and employs resident DJ's. staff are knowledgeable and very patient with a demanding pre-club crowd.
|
