Ladurée

We wanted to have a nice afternoon break with my wife, but we were first met with an arrogant waiter and then forgotten in our table upstairs. After waiting for quite some time for somebody to take our order we finally walked out.

Also end of love affair with Laduree... on a sunny Sunday we wanted to treat ourselves with a nice lunch on the 1st floor terrace of Covent Garden... the experience was a complete disaster. We ordered champagne to start (a treat, we never order champagne!). The menu annouces it comes with petits fours... and then my partner ordered a menu (starter and main), and I chose the afternoon tea. We waited for quite a while and then suddenly the starter came before we even get to sip the champagne and petits fours. The waitress knew it is not right to get the starter before the aperitif but still came with the plate. We complained, the champagne then came, but without petits fours. The waiter said the petits fours were on their way... and instead of them came the afternoon tea tray! we sent the tray back... then came the petits fours. They must have run out of them because with two glasses of champagne came only 2 petits fours, one each!! Ridiculous. We asked the waiter to bring the afternoon tea tray with the main of my partner... of course the main came... and not the afternoon tea. so he had his main and I then enjoyed the sandwiches and cakes. There is no dedicated waiter per table, we counted 5 waiters just for our table! the staff is not trained and the 1st waiter we saw could barely understand English. While we shared the cakes, a waiter offered to bring a 2nd plate but left and forgot to bring it. So from start to end the service was a complete disaster. and the food was nothing special and overpriced. I love their macaroons but was disappointed with the cakes and croissants which were dry, not very fresh. The salmon was no better than at Bristro restaurant nearby which serves the same for £10 the menu. I do not recommend this place at all, absolutely not value for money, bad service and average food. Laduree is all about looking good but not about quality. and it looks like the policy of the group is to save on quality staff and food and only play on the decor to maximise profits... luckily we were spared the cost of the afternoon tea and the service charge, as a compensation. Still it came to £52.

I went with my family to the Covent garden branch- in all there were about 11 of us. The service was impeccable and charming. Everything was wonderfully presented and the ambience was quietly elegant . I had coffee and the macaroons, which are a delight and unlike any similar looking macaroons.

It is pricey but worth the occasional treat and I certainly can't wait to return.

I love the La Duree brand, the food and the experience. It/s a little taste of luxury and quality. Sure the recently opened Covent Garden store has some teething problems at launch but if the target quality is that of the Harrods flagship restaurant or the Burlington Arcade place, then I for one say GO for it. I am taking a party for lunch there in a couple of weeks and will report back then.

Love affair with Laduree ends... I have always loved the gorgeous Laduree , until
I had the misfortune to dine in Covent Garden yesterday. Slow, rude and frankly rubbish service. My friend and I ate a very average omelette and downed a tiny, tiny cappuccino which set us back a completely unjustifiably expensive £45. It's the wrong place for Laduree, and yesterday it was clearly the wrong place for me. My advice get a Starbucks and if you want a gorgeous Macaroon go to Paul's on Bedford St.