Quadrato - Tower Hamlets

After ordering a tea and preparing to order a meal, racist manager Jay Rayapativenkata said police would be called if I did not leave. I was isolated for being black. Jay should be harshly reprimanded for maltreatment of patrons. Christy MC

This was by far the worst dining experience I have ever had. I decided to book a table at this restaurant after seeing it listed as an Italian restaurant located in the Four Seasons Hotel while searching for dining options in and around Canary Wharf. Having dined at Four Seasons restaurants before, I had high expectations. However, upon arriving at the restaurant at 7 pm, we found it completely empty, with only three staff members present - one chef in the kitchen and two servers, Mr. A and Mr. B. Mr. A seemed unfamiliar with the menu and repeatedly asked for our orders. When I requested to see the wine list, I was surprised to find a bottle of Brunello di Montalcino listed for 100 pounds without the producer or vintage specified. The chef got into a heated argument with the staff, throwing food around in the kitchen. Feeling uneasy, I expressed my concerns to Mr. A and he reassured us that the chef was not upset with us. However, the food we were served was extremely disappointing. My guest's burrata was dry, my rigatoni carbonara was bland and unseasoned, and my daughter's salmon was served on an unnecessary bed of lemon cream cheese. The mains were no better, with overcooked rib eye steaks and dry Iberico pork. The entire meal was lacklustre and tasteless, and the bill came to over 250 pounds. As we left, the restaurant remained empty, with only the chef and Mr. A B still on duty. I am relieved that no one else had to endure the same disappointing experience.

The restaurant staff provided terrible service during my recent visit. I have lived in the area for 5 years and frequently used the hotel restaurant terrace, as it is usually quiet. However, on this occasion, despite the tables being mostly empty, the staff claimed they were overbooked and asked us to leave. Only one of the 7 or 8 tables was occupied, and the waiter seemed uninterested in helping us. He mentioned that they were expecting more guests, but they never arrived.

Prior to the COVID-19 lockdown, I had a sophisticated and enjoyable lunch in a somewhat impersonal atmosphere. The staff and food both deserved five stars. While the prices were a bit high, dining alone in such a large restaurant was a bit unsettling.

A group of eight of us had an evening meal there during a two-day conference held at the nearby O2 arena. We were almost the only diners which I found unusual but it was a Wednesday evening, perhaps not peak time. Service As you might expect, given that there was almost nobody else in the restaurant, service was brilliant. The maitre d’ was very attentive and he obviously cared for the reputation of the restaurant as he rejected two bottles of wine having opened them and before we tasted them. Food quality I was disappointed with the quality given the star rating of the hotel in which this is based. This is not to say that the food was bad. My bruschetta had three styles, not simply the tomatoes and garlic on toast, and tasted very nice. My seafood risotto tasted fine and had quite a variety of ‘frutti di mare’ but the squid within it was, however, rubbery. Others who had the calamari starter also complained of rubbery texture. I know that this can be tricky but the star rating would ordinarily indicate that they could cook it correctly. Others complained of bits of shell in their food. Food quantity Being a northerner, I was quite pleasantly surprised by the quantity. I was expecting to have to use a telescope and tweezers but my knife and fork were quite suited to the task. Wine The maitre d’ had an extensive knowledge of the restaurant’s wine cellar and was able to make quite excellent recommendations having ascertained our preferences. The quality was good, as you would expect. Overall When you go to a restaurant and you encounter lots of locals, this is usually a good sign. We did indeed encounter one local who clearly enjoyed coming here, but this was of the four-legged murine variety. Given the proximity to the river, I’m pleased it wasn’t a rat. I might have said something had ‘Roland’ wandered past, but we left the mouse alone. Would I recommend it? Probably not. The conference was at the nearby Intercontinental and the food we had there was better, notwithstanding that they were catering for 1500+ people. I have no frame of reference to compare Quadrato with other nearby restaurants but I would almost certainly choose to eat elsewhere.