Call Sign February 2012
Page 20
Not Call Sign's usual restaurant reviewer, but in a guest spot Board member
Tom Whitbread goes to Nando's restaurant in the new Westfield at Stratford...
Eating out with Call Sign
On Wednesday 11 January, my wife and I decid-
had reheated my chicken, it could be the best
nowhere to place it, in the end I put it on the
ed to go and view the new Westfield Shopping
way of getting a dodgy stomach. But English
back of the chair only to find the seating was so
Centre at Stratford now that the crowds of
people have become used to such bad service
closely placed, it ended on the floor as people
and do very little to get it rectified.
passed by because after selecting your meal,
excited shoppers looking for sales bargains had
As we finished our meal, a young lady who
you have to go and queue at the counter to
diminished. So it was off to Dalston Kingsland
originated from Southern Ireland by the name
place an order! That must be a nightmare for a
Station for the 12 minute overland train jour-
of Tracy, enquired if our meal had been to the
father with 3 or 4 children trying to remember
ney on our wrinklies pass to Stratford. I was
standard I had expected. I related my disgust at
all the different selections of his family!
impressed at not having to go out into the open
I collected my cutlery and condiments and
the standard of the food and said it gave me the
cold weather to get to the shopping precinct
returned to our table; it was at this time I began
impression it had been left standing after being
with its 4 or 5 floors of shops and restaurants.
to hear grumbles and moans from other diners.
cooked before being delivered to our table.
As you'd expect having not long opened, you
I thought these were most probably unfounded
Tracy looked quite surprised and asked if we
still have the cleanliness, brightness and excit-
as none of these people were contacting a serv-
ing colourful frontages to the shops although it
would like a free tea or coffee. Tea was £1.75
er. I call the workers servers as they do not take
was disappointing to see undisciplined
and coffee £1.95, but I thought that insufficient
your order, so cannot be called waiters or wait-
teenagers lounging around with their dirty
as an apology for a sub-standard meal, so we
resses. I know the trade as for my sins I am also
shoes that had been walking in dirt, rubbish
just left.
a qualified silver service waiter.
and dog faeces, resting on the new leather arm-
This was my first visit to Nando's and will
After a long period of time and watching oth-
chairs where others would be sitting in their
probably be my last unless someone convinces
ers who ordered after us eating their meals, we
clean clothes.
me that their other locations serve a much
eventually received our food. I had ordered a
After spending the afternoon walking round
more acceptable meal. So I would suggest that
chicken burger with French fries and corn on
the shops, we started to get a little hungry. On
if you want to waste what may seem a small
the cob. Having waited so long, I picked up one
the third and fourth floors are a good range of
amount at £22.50 on a quick meal, try Nando's
of my own chips to kill my hunger, only to find
restaurants selling food from many countries
- although I would strongly suggest you look at
it less than lukewarm, so I looked around for a
ranging from sushi to burgers - which one was
the other options in this wonderful shopping
server and called him over to report my dis-
the question? Looking across the abyss that is
Mall.
gust. He asked me to wait while he went and
in the centre of the escalators, we saw a
You will have read many revues of great
got a plate, he then asked me to shovel the
Nando's restaurant that seemed to have quite a
restaurants in Call Sign, now you have one that
chips onto it and he returned it to the cooking
crowd inside.As neither of us had experienced
you may want to warn your passengers about!
area.
a meal in a Nando's we decided to try it out and
It could be that you've had a good experience
Some minutes later he returned and gave me
with it looking fairly full, we assumed that
in a Nando's that you could relate that might
the French fries, yes they were hot but it got
many people couldn't be wrong. But it only
make me change my mind and risk another
me wondering if they were fresh or my original
looked busy because the servers guide you to
meal.
ones warmed up in a microwave? It was then I
the small tables near the windows, leaving the
Tom Whitbread
tasted the burger and found the only thing
centre with its more spacious tables empty, giv-
about it to be hot was the sauce! I was about to
ing passing shoppers the impression that it's
DaC Board member
busy!
call the server back, but my wife said I should-
(and honorary food reviewer)!
I took off my coat only to find that there was
n't bother. It was a good point because if they
POTTER'S WHEEL
Former fireman Richard Potter and life behind the
A marriage of convenience?
trick. The same can be said for LTI with their VM engine. VM make industrial
With the 15 year rule for taxi age limit now in
engines for boats and I believe LTI brought them on a job lot as they were
place, it's leaving many drivers wondering what
surplus to requirements.
to do with their cabs. There are a number of
So imagine trying to make a purpose built taxi under Mcflurry rules (aren't
options available depending on your circum-
they made up of bits of surplus chocolate from the factory), which has to
stances. However, deciding whether to replace your taxi or keep it if you
deal with the hardest stop-start driving conditions in the world. Some chal-
have recently brought new, rent or buy has never been more difficult.
lenge! I am not trying to make excuses for the taxi trade manufacturers
One thing that has become obvious is how spoilt we were with the Nissan
because in some areas they are still severely lacking, however what would
Fairway engine. Indeed it will be a sad day for the trade when the last
happen to our trade should the Conditions of Fitness be lifted and thus
Fairway taxi disappears off the streets at the end of the year. Maybe it's a
allow any vehicle manufacturer to enter the market?
matter of contrast, but the previous FXs were a very poor taxi mechanically
Mercedes didn't come directly into the our trade but are beginning to
and when the Fairway came along, the engine even outlasted the body and
realise that money can be made from after sales servicing etc as more
just when we thought our engine problems were over for good, out came
Mercedes dealers welcome taxi drivers through their doors. Indeed the lack
the TX2 Ford Duratorq and things looked like they were going full circle.
of after sales on parts and engine rebuilds from the Nissan must have cost
But do we have a too high expectation about the taxis we drive and are
LTI dearly whilst benefiting we drivers.
we too critical? Well looking back over history, there was once a time when
I'm sure the authorities are watching carefully and if LTI went into admin-
every motor manufacturer wanted to be part of the London Taxi trade. It
istration and we were left with one or no sole supplier of vehicles, it would
must be one of highest accolades for any engine manufacturer to have their
have a detrimental effect on our standards and the ability of disabled users
engines in our taxis. But it's a limited market and with the Conditions of
to get around London. If you look at my local rank, there is a mismatch of all
Fitness it means that the vehicle has to be purpose built. This in itself means
different types of makers. We'd lose our iconic status and look like PH!
a vehicle which is more expensive to produce with a limited number of sales.
But all this does come at a cost, which the public have to pay via our
Bearing this in mind, taxi manufacturers have had to use leftover parts of
fares. Our taxis are expensive, but we are in some ways keeping these com-
production lines or job lots. If Rolls Royce made a purpose built taxi, it would
panies in business for our own benefit and therefore the benefit of the pub-
last more than 15 years but be too expensive for us to buy. Thus they
lic. You don't necessarily pay your TV licence to get top football coverage,
wouldn't sell any. If Mercedes made a taxi for London, the same would hap-
but you pay it to keep the adverts off. It's all a marriage of convenience...
pen, but converting a van is much cheaper to produce and has done the
Richard Potter (T51)
