In business, there’s nothing like a great location. For a restaurant with a great location, there’s nothing like mediocre food.
Since Cafe Bordeaux re-opened under new management a few weeks ago, there have been a few rumblings about the operation. Now, a review has appeared on Anthony Finta’s Virgin-islands-On-Line Web site and it’s not good.
AdamK wrote, “Over all the view is breath-taking and the atmosphere is very nice, but to us the food was just average (about Applebee's quality) for $24-$32 a plate.” But beyond the food disappointment, there was the service. AdamK says his party of four got a bill for almost $400.
“While we were going over it I pointed out that we were double charged for almost every dish and there were things on the list we never even ordered,” he wrote. “They begrudgingly apologized by saying "Things happen." We payed them the correct amount and left on good terms.”
But, he added, “I overheard another group complain about the same thing before we left.”
On the other hand, there’s a rave review of Chateau Bordeaux on Yelp.com. Mindy S. rated the reopened eatery five stars. Her most recent visit was in December, 2009.
Anyone else have something to say about CB? Comment here.
- AdamK's review is at http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/sj/sjrestreviews/20100126105220.shtml
- The Yelp review is at http://www.yelp.com/biz/le-chateau-de-bordeaux-st-john#hrid:KbBxL8Y8RKykie7nXClyGw
You need to let new restaurants work out the kinks before you post bad reviews. Give people a chance!
I am very distrustful of “on line” reviews at most web sites. You never can know what the motive of the “reviewer” really is.
If there were a knowledgable “food critic” with culinary credntials and hospitality background, I would listen to that opinion or “review.”
Competition for scarce dining dollars makes for nasty dirty tricks to try and put someone out of business.
go to Chateau Bordeaux for your self, order and appetizer and a salad only. Then you get a feel for what is really going on….think for yourselves.
I say go to
For most people nowadays, when you’re on vacation EVERY dime counts. Things do happen occasionally within an eatery that are most often corrected as this was. (food bill)
With that said, I would not like to spend that much/amount of my hard-earned money for just “average” food & then at the end of the meal feel like I have to micro-check each item so I’m not overly overbilled….then go through the hassles of correction; just doesn’t end the meal on a “wonderful-memory” note. I do hope to try this restaurant in the future but not for a main or big meal probably.
Having climbed into the closed restaurant last summer just to check out the (wonderful)view, I will plan to go this summer – but probably follow Lem’s advice about appetizer and salad first.
Hi, We own a home on St John and used to LOVE to go to Chateau Bordeaux and didn’t even mind paying the high prices because we always thought the food was great and the view…. Well the view was spectacular. I’m sorry to here it’s become an Applebees. That’s so sad. I’m a chef and I think I know good food. Applebeeness is not for me. I’m sorry to hear this as we’ll be there next week and we were thinking about there for dinner one night.
Chef Chris
On the other hand….we have had some experience with online restaurant reviews actually being monitered by the restaurant owner. The result of which was a change in chefs and menu. The owner actually thanked the online participants. I hope Chateau Bordeaux manages to work out the kinks and succeeds.
I would love to hear from anyone who has eaten there in the last week or so. I’m hoping they have fixed any problems they may have had. The view is spectacular and I’m hopful things have improved. I would love to see them succeed. We will be there the next two weeks and would love to go for dinner.
We have eaten at Chateau Bordeaux when our son was executive chef; the food was as fine as the view. The place was, however,taken over by corporate interests, and the entire staff seems to have left. We have not visited it, though being on the island, for two or three years. We miss it.
All this discourse had been very interesting because it seems few folks have actually eaten at Bordeaux recently…whereas, my wife Kathy and I have been up there several times just in the last week. There’s no better place to escape the heat and sit back in an unhurried environment and have a drink and/or dine.
Lori Ali (hope I spelled that right) and her staff provide excellent, but unhurried service….did I mention that the food is also excellent!….sorry, I guess I should have started out with that. We can’t say what others have experienced with their bill but we’ve found the prices to be very fair and our bill has always been accurate. So what’s the problem here?…Great “island” place, great food, good treatment from the staff and beautiful (the best on the island) scenery….
My husband, friend and I just ate at the Bordeaux on 2/12. Two of us ordered two different kinds of salads (fresh and very good). My husband ordered the eggplant entree…(I think he took time to take a breath between bites – he loved it!). Our friend had the chicken dish which he said was “the best chicken he ever had”. It was so tender he could cut it with a fork. I had the steak – good, as well. We all got the homemade chocolate cheesecake which was to die for! I’m not sure if the chef was changed or anything else, but coming from people that dine out often (and not at Applebees), it was a perfect evening. We even had received a complementary cocktail. The view (go before the sun starts setting if that is what you want to see) was beautiful (a given), service was great, and the food excellent. We were surprised that only 3 other tables were full. The sweet hostess gave us a card to get a discount on our next visit. Give them a chance. I’d say GO, TRY, and ENJOY!!!!
We ate there Feb. 10th. The food was island-type recipes, nothing like Applebee’s! Everything was very good. Dessert, a fruit crepe was great. Service could only have improved by refilling our water glasses. Complimentary cocktail was delicious. Only one small complaint here, my daughter (who was not with us, but could have been) is a recovering alcoholic, and the restaurant could encounter problems just surprising everyone with an alcohol drink. Beautiful place!