Beach House | Saanich | Cordova Bay Road

[peanutflower]

Re growing pains, yes, all establishments have them. But in this case the staff were hired a couple of months if not more before the place opened so in fact the time was there to get the infrastructure in place, like actually setting up payroll and all that, and training staff but to all accounts that was not done. It's a bit of a mystery as to why someone would spend so much money in rebuilding an iconic place and then not deal with the nuts and bolts of the business right? Perhaps it will get ironed out but the public is fickle and the bad reviews on urban spoon are outnumbering the good ones. That's never a good omen for a new place.

[Sparky]

I think I will move these CRA discussions to it's own thread. Hang on to your hat while I mess this up a little.

I have moved all of the tip related posts here. http://vibrantvictoria.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=5946

[OSJ]

Originally Posted by spanky123

I think the rule is that you can have a bar area if you have a certain number of restaurant seats. What is a little unusal about the Beach House is that the bar seating and the restaurant seating are right next to each other in an open floorplan.

With a food primary license you can endorse a certain percentage of your overall capacity for liquor primary under your food primary. so that works for a waiting lounge or a bar within your FP area.

[sillyia]

These are the latest reviews from urbanspoon from the past couple of days.

Latest reviews for Urbanspoon:









July 9, 2012
The Beach House Restaurant, Saanich


Disappointing
byCanadianFoodie(20 reviews)
The title about says it all. The wait staff just seemed very poorly trained. Very little knowledge of the menu and spotty table service. I hate to sound so negative after a place has just opened but I just got a bad overall vibe from the front of house staff. The lack of a liquor license is beyond anything that I can understand, someone really screwed something up for that to happen. As for the food, very very average. The menu in general was very pedestrian, nothing at all interesting. We all shared the fried oysters the start. Very bland and sloppily plated. I had the Phoenix pizza. The crust looked like it hadn't been rolled out properly and was much smaller and thicker than I think it should have been. The toppings were all bland and uninspiring.

The best part of the meal was the Key Lime pie I had for dessert, which was stunning. Hopefully they work out the kinks with front of house, which I think will happen at some point. Hopefully the Chef uses his imagination a bit more in the future. The menu felt like something that was written 10 years ago.


July 9, 2012
The Beach House Restaurant, Saanich
Demographica

No liquor licence....no need? The lunch traffic today at the made over Mc'Morran's was in the later stages of baby boomer heaven...but I digress...I love my parents who exemplify this generation but they at least like and require a cold beer or nice bottle of wine at lunch like any respectable retirees...lunch I am stressing....apres naps... not skiing...double digression I apologize. Back to lunch...why bother trying fine dining service by hiring children who are blank palettes ready to learn...to only be taught by a fraudulent team of 'restaurateurs' who are as we unsophisticated Canucks would call F%(**&^ clueless. I feel sorry for them because they have no idea how clueless they truly are and think they are working at a 'high end place'. Now the food...powdered gravy for the fried chicken which is cooked on their rotisserie and then no doubt then refrigerated, cut up , tossed in seasoned flour and deep fried..cooked again to only taste like reheated Hungry-Man dinner....cold fries..and the pizzas...MCain rising crust anyone?Only saving grace was the the Key Lime Pie>>>>>


July 9, 2012

The Beach House Restaurant, Saanich
Spend Money on a Good Kitchen

When i first entered the restaurant things looked promising, clean very well put together place with lots of focus for the eye. the location on the beach cant be beat, someone has an eye for design. There seems to be a disconnect from the menu to the servers uniform is this place a family casual environment or a high end establishment. the servers spent more time circling the restaurant like a swarm of fish. Too Bad the oysters i had were not so lucky as to be that motivated. The pizza i had was a grade above frozen pizza and that would receive an F in culinary school. T

The only redeeming skill from the kitchen was the key lime pie, glad someone has talent to showcase. Too bad with all the money spent they should of invested in a culinary team with passion and an ability to make the subtle sublime

[Nparker]

Clearly these 3 reviews are from the same dining party; perhaps even the same person.

[skeptic]

Originally Posted by Nparker

Clearly these 3 reviews are from the same dining party; perhaps even the same person.

Either that or the key lime pie really is the only decent item on the menu!

[spanky123]

I tend to discount reviews where the person only has 1-2 previous reviews. You either get the owner promoting themselves or a disgruntled staff member bashing the restaurant.

I think that the whole Urbanspoon thing is beyond juvenille. They have 1/3 as many rating now in 3 weeks as restaurants in the same area that have been around 10 or more years.

[VicHockeyFan]

Ya, I don't know anyone who goes to Urbanspoon anymore.

I'm starting to wonder if the lack of a liquor license has something to do with lots of sub-19 workers there...?

As you all know, you have to be 19+ to handle liquor. So really the only sub-19ers can be the host/ess and bussers and kitchen staff. Everyone keeps mentioning how young everyone is, maybe they are mostly under 19.

[mik]

"In establishments that carry a Food Primary licence, servers over the age of 16 (under 19) may transport liquor, but they are not permitted to pour, mix or open any alcoholic products."

Quote from...http://www.restaurantregulations.ca/...nce-conditions

[VicHockeyFan]

Originally Posted by mik

"In establishments that carry a Food Primary licence, servers over the age of 16 (under 19) may transport liquor, but they are not permitted to pour, mix or open any alcoholic products."

Quote from...http://www.restaurantregulations.ca/...nce-conditions

I did not know this!

Of course, I've never been a waiter, bartender, or held any other position in any bar or restaurant.

I'm sure all servers used to have to be 19+ though. You know, in the olden days.

[sillyia]

Originally Posted by spanky123

I tend to discount reviews where the person only has 1-2 previous reviews. You either get the owner promoting themselves or a disgruntled staff member bashing the restaurant.

I think that the whole Urbanspoon thing is beyond juvenille. They have 1/3 as many rating now in 3 weeks as restaurants in the same area that have been around 10 or more years.

Spanky,

This person has 250 reviews and provides photos of the food. I The Beach House is receiving more reviews due to the coverage it has gotten in the Times Colonist and on the news on TV. There was alot of anticipation for this restaurant to re-open in the area. Unfortunately, people are disappointed and do not like wasting their time and money on a poor meal.



It's like the Gong Show... But with less talent

byiRate Dining(250 reviews)

Really? Is this a hidden camera show? Am I being punked?
I finished my appetizer and twice I was asked "Is there anything else I can get you?" Uh YA! How about my main course!
When the food did FINALLY arrive it was very tasteless and uninspiring.
I hate to write bad reviews for new restaurants, however, these people are clearly clueless. This is counter service staff trying to run a restaurant. The poor servers have no direction and instead of having assigned sections they are bounced all over the place.
This place is a hot mess. On the plus side it can only get better, because it can't get any worse.
Memo to ownership: Shutting down a regular business day on a Saturday so you can service only your friends is also a faux pas.

[Bob Fugger]

There are clearly some people who are not disappointed with it being disappointing. Like they are rooting for it to fail. That's just awful.

[dirtydeeds]

Originally Posted by Bob Fugger

There are clearly some people who are not disappointed with it being disappointing. Like they are rooting for it to fail. That's just awful.

I totally agree with you Bob, The owner has at great expense tried to invest in that community and reopen a landmark building and this is the thanks she is recieving? I will try to get there this weekend with open eyes

[peanutflower]

Originally Posted by dirtydeeds

I totally agree with you Bob, The owner has at great expense tried to invest in that community and reopen a landmark building and this is the thanks she is recieving? I will try to get there this weekend with open eyes

Sure, you do that. And when you go ask your little inexperienced server if they've been paid yet for over three weeks work. Or received any tips yet. The answer will be no, unless they got some money last night. Sure Kate spent a boatload of money to rebuild an old restaurant. She has buckets and buckets of money. Buckets. Ocean liners full of money. She's never run a real restaurant. Sam's Deli is a cafeteria. She handed over the reins of the place to someone who by all accounts has never run a restaurant either and can't speak English very well. They did not train staff for three months after hiring them and instead opened with completely new untrained workers who for many this is their first job. The manager takes all tips and mumbles something about giving them out at some point but no one knows when, and no one has received a pay cheque yet. So while you may have some indignation about the alleged poor treatment Kate Phoenix is receiving many others are righteously indignant over the poor treatment staff have been receiving. Maybe she doesn't know about this. Maybe she's just having fun owing a fancy new restaurant. But these are the facts. So ask your server when you go in if they've received any money.

[Mike K.]

Peanutflower, could it be that the first pay period just hasn't come around yet for all staff? Maybe some have been paid and others are not quite at the two week mark?

[MarkCB]

^Good point. When I started at my most recent job I didn't get a paycheque for a month because the way pay periods are delayed. Pretty standard, but definitely annoying.

[Bob Fugger]

Originally Posted by peanutflower

Sure, you do that. And when you go ask your little inexperienced server if they've been paid yet for over three weeks work. Or received any tips yet. The answer will be no, unless they got some money last night. Sure Kate spent a boatload of money to rebuild an old restaurant. She has buckets and buckets of money. Buckets. Ocean liners full of money. She's never run a real restaurant. Sam's Deli is a cafeteria. She handed over the reins of the place to someone who by all accounts has never run a restaurant either and can't speak English very well. They did not train staff for three months after hiring them and instead opened with completely new untrained workers who for many this is their first job. The manager takes all tips and mumbles something about giving them out at some point but no one knows when, and no one has received a pay cheque yet. So while you may have some indignation about the alleged poor treatment Kate Phoenix is receiving many others are righteously indignant over the poor treatment staff have been receiving. Maybe she doesn't know about this. Maybe she's just having fun owing a fancy new restaurant. But these are the facts. So ask your server when you go in if they've received any money.

What the hell is your damage, man?

[G-Man]

As a former restaurant worker in this same neighbourhood I will attest to the very fickle nature of the clientele. It does not take long word to go round to not go to a place and people will not even try it if certain elements of the community have put it on the black list.

[spanky123]

I think that the appropriate forum for staff or others to complain about non-payment of wages or tips is through employment standards. They act quickly and have the power to enforce payment.

[VicHockeyFan]

^ Thanks, spanky.

Originally Posted by peanutflower

Sure, you do that. And when you go ask your little inexperienced server if they've been paid yet for over three weeks work. Or received any tips yet. The answer will be no, unless they got some money last night. Sure Kate spent a boatload of money to rebuild an old restaurant. She has buckets and buckets of money. Buckets. Ocean liners full of money. She's never run a real restaurant. Sam's Deli is a cafeteria. She handed over the reins of the place to someone who by all accounts has never run a restaurant either and can't speak English very well. They did not train staff for three months after hiring them and instead opened with completely new untrained workers who for many this is their first job. The manager takes all tips and mumbles something about giving them out at some point but no one knows when, and no one has received a pay cheque yet. So while you may have some indignation about the alleged poor treatment Kate Phoenix is receiving many others are righteously indignant over the poor treatment staff have been receiving. Maybe she doesn't know about this. Maybe she's just having fun owing a fancy new restaurant. But these are the facts. So ask your server when you go in if they've received any money.

peanutflower, if these are the facts, you need not worry it'll last much longer. A restaurant in its last death throes might not pay employees, but honestly, do you think that this new one, even if it was true they are behind on wages, is going to just continue to not pay? They would very soon find an order against them to pay, and they'd have to.

If the place is so lousy to work, people will leave. And they will get their full pay when they do.

But to keep going on and on and on, against any evidence elsewhere that there is a staff pay problem, is for us, a bit tiring.

A few online reviews say the place seems a bit mixed up and experiencing more than just the usual start-up kinks.

But you are going on and on about some perceived problem that no one else has backed up. And you don't work there, and seem to have no connection to the place.

Let's leave it for now, maybe an an employee wants to come on here and then we can hear from an insider, and not you anymore, peanutflower. We've heard your rant now. Several times.

[aastra]

Ocean liners full of money.

How much money would that be exactly? $500 million?

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by VicHockeyFan

peanutflower, if these are the facts, you need not worry it'll last much longer. But to keep going on and on and on, against any evidence elsewhere that there is a staff pay problem, is for us, a bit tiring.

Yeah, enough besmirching!

[Bob Fugger]

Originally Posted by aastra

How much money would that be exactly? $500 million?

Hmmm, that amount to me sounds more like a sloop full of money? Maybe even a schooner full? I think an ocean liner is more like 10-100x that much.

[sillyia]

Well in U.S. Dollars this is 14 billion.








This is one billion


1 Billion Dollars illustrated here on 12 pallets of $100 bills (ten MILLION of them)


That really is not the issue here. There is the old woman who said "Where's the beef?" in advertisements well where are the tips ? I feel peanutflower must have an idea of what she says in regards to the issue of no tips have been paid out to servers.

I want this restaurant to be successful. It just happens that the owner has been going about it the wrong way. I know what I hear in the CBR area. Also, if the children from the area is who is being hired the parents will not be pleased or desire to dine there.

[mik]

Beach House is now licensed.