Online food reviewers get a lot of angry replies when they say a dish was not great. The hosts of Food Review Club UK say they usually hear that this is just how customers like it. This time, they say, something happened that had never happened to them before: a restaurant owner reached out, said the fish and chips should not have tasted that way, and asked them to come back and try again.
The restaurant is Kalisto’s in Leicester, a Portuguese inspired South African chain that the owner says is very popular back home and has opened its first branch in the UK. The reviewers had visited it for a three restaurant Leicester episode and loved it, calling it a real hidden gem and a beautiful restaurant, even though the outside looks plain. The one weak spot was the fish and chips.
The host explains that he did not care for the style of batter at all. Unsure whether it was meant to be that way or whether the kitchen simply had an off day, he commented politely, respectfully and constructively. Then the owner got in touch.
An Owner Who Said He Was Disappointed
According to the hosts, the owner wrote that he was disappointed, because the fish was not supposed to be like that. He told them the kitchen had been dealing with difficulties and that the problems had been rectified, and he invited the team back to see for themselves. One host calls this refreshing and says it felt honest, because most places respond by arguing.
When they met him in person, the owner repeated the point. He said the comments about the fish were not what he expects from his kitchen, and that nobody is better placed to critique a dish like that than a reviewer. The server who looked after them the first time had told them the fish and chips had been spectacular for the past year and a half, so it may have been an off day. The owner agreed, adding that you are only as good as the last fish you send out.
Going Back to Basics
His plan was to return to basics: correct the formula, correct the batter, make sure the ratios match up, and make sure customers get the best of what they are paying for. He was also open about the brand’s growing pains. A franchise from abroad is harder than it looks, he said, because not every ingredient can be shipped over, and some items contain eggs or dairy that the kitchen has to source and perfect locally. Over the past year there were teething issues and dishes that did not come out the way they should.
He credited the South African franchisors with standing behind the UK team through the rough patches. They offered guidance over the phone, offered to fly chefs over if needed, and gave the UK operation some breathing space on royalties and financial pressures, telling them that if the UK branch prospers, they prosper too.
A New Fish From Africa
The reviewers got a surprise in the kitchen. Based on the feedback, the owner explained, he had been thinking about adding a second type of fish to the menu. His supplier had managed to import tilapia from Africa, a meaty fish with a dark scale that people enjoy whether it is fried or grilled. The hosts saw two whole fish, one at 550 grams and the other at 350 grams, already scaled and gutted.
He said this would not replace cod. It would be a separate line, and he described it as slightly better than cod while admitting it might not suit everybody. The hosts joked about the fish having traveled all the way from Malawi to Leicester, and asked whether it was legal. The owner laughed and said it was a proper fish from a proper supplier.
The Second Plate of Fish and Chips
Then came the test. The kitchen sent out a new plate of fish and chips with two sauces on the side, a Portuguese peri peri sauce and a lemon butter. The first thing the hosts noticed was the batter. It looked completely different from last time, when it was pale with almost no color. Now it had small pockets of air, a translucent edge and a nice golden color.
The verdict was glowing. One host called it a completely different product, feather light and crispy with no greasiness, and said the batter melted on the tongue. The fish was moist and the sauces, which the restaurant makes in house from recipes supplied by the South African team, went perfectly with it. The peri peri was described as creamy, fiery and citrusy, and the lemon butter was called insane.
He said he would score the fish at 9.4 out of 10, noting that this is a Portuguese inspired African restaurant, not a British chip shop, so the chips were seasoned restaurant chips and the sauces were not the usual British ones. He praised the whole experience and said he had never before been invited back to try a revised version of a dish he did not like.
What Diners Can Learn From It
The story is a nice example of how a complaint can work out well for everyone. A few takeaways fit just about any restaurant visit.
- Share concerns politely. A calm, specific comment is far more likely to get a response than an angry one.
- Give a place a second chance when the owner shows genuine interest in fixing the problem.
- Remember that one off night does not define a restaurant, especially a new one still working out its kitchen.
- Look for places where the owner listens. A business that admits mistakes and acts on them usually keeps customers.
For the hosts, the lesson was simple. Honest feedback, delivered with respect, led to a better plate of fish and chips, a new fish on the menu and a happy ending for both sides. As one of them put it, many people pretend everything is perfect all the time, and it is great to see a restaurant admit it has had troubles and fix them.
More Stories You May Like
- 6 Drink and Table Add Ons Like Bottled Water, Bread Baskets and Paid Refills That Quietly Inflate Your Bill and What to Decline Politely
- Why Romance Scammers Are So Hard to Spot and the Excuses Like Military Service Overseas or an Offshore Oil Rig That Should Raise a Red Flag
- The Overseas Card Terminal Question That Quietly Costs You Money and Why You Should Always Choose to Pay in the Local Currency Instead
