Cucina Rustica Of Montrose

Doesn't Recommend

gilzers

Joined 2 years ago

Unfortunate Series Of Events. A rather unfortunate series of events tonight at Cucina Rustica on 05/03/11.

Had the waiter not accidently thrown one of the heavy wooden menus in the face of my female colleague then maybe the rating might be higher.

Had my female colleague's lip then not swollen up when she has a week of high level face-to-face sales duties at an upcoming conference at the LA Conference Center, then maybe the rating might be higher.

Had my female colleague been able to eat a full meal rather than being forced to choose a small starter due to the pain of attempting to eat the food. Then maybe the rating might be higher.

Had the deputy manager then not given my female colleague a "complimentary" dessert of tiramisu without asking if she would like it (which unfortunately she doesn't like deserts). Then the rating might be higher.

Had the deputy manager then not told us that the tiramisu is the standard gift given out to people, therefore patronizing the situation, then maybe the rating might be higher.

Had the deputy manager not completely reworded our complaint when talking to the waiter, the words used by the deputy manager were "This gentleman is saying that you threw the menu at her", this statement was never made and at no point did we say or insinuate that the event was intentional.

On a good note, the owner of the restaurant did agree to give us a discount on the bill, however on bringing over the bill the deputy manager followed up by saying "You could have walked out after the incident, but instead you chose to eat and drink a lot" insinuating that we had gorged ourselves with the aim of getting a discount. Our actual consumption was significantly below what would normally be consumed.

So what am I saying?

For the waiter, this was an extremely unfortunate incident, a mixture of carelessness and oversized menus are to blame. I sincerely hope that training is considered before someone looses a tooth or hurts an eye.

For the deputy manager, initially he handled the situation well by getting ice, but he chose to provoke a verbal fight, not particularly professional. I am quite sure a different outcome could have been achieved if he had asked, "How can I make this up to you?" and rung the owner for advice.

For myself, I was looking for potential restaurants to take clients to for dinners during the conference. I cannot afford to lose face to these international customers for whom respectful service is paramount to their expectations. I shall be taking my business elsewhere and would strongly recommend that any important meals (business, dates, birthdays, etc) also avoid Cucina Rustica in case a celebration is turned into a disaster like ours.

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afg815

Joined 3 years ago

Cucina Rustica Rocks!. I heard the rave about Cucina Rustica's sea bass so I just had to try it. Today my friends and I went to Cucina Rustica and I had the sea bass and was beautifully done...DELICIOUS!. My friend had shrimp risotto and it was devine! The chef was friendly and the service have been excellent. Cucina Rustica has a great atmosphere and a place to woo anyone. Overall, I would totally come back and recommend Cucina Rustica. to all my friends and co-worker:)

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Martha Burr

Joined 10 years ago

Citysearch Editorial Review. This casual downtown Italian restaurant on the corner of Figueroa and Wilshire offers a pleasant retreat from the bustle of the Financial District. It’s actually a sister spot of the popular Cucina Rustica in Montrose. Elegantly upholstered chairs and sleek blond wooden tables sit beneath a skylight that dominates the room, which is sunny up front and more darkly atmospheric in the back. The dining room is packed with suits at lunch, but more relaxed at dinner with an eclectic downtown crowd. A stylish wine cellar and bar downstairs is a perfect spot for after work drinks or to watch the game. The Italian menu features 12 gourmet pizzas, avocado al forno, calamari fritti, veal parmigiana, chicken Milanese, peppered filet mignon and a host of pastas including penne arrabbiata, crab fettucine and linguine di mare.