Are we the only ones that don’t gush over Pantai Seafood restaurant after a visit? Everyone else seems to love the place so much. However, i’m not so keen after yesterday’s visit. The service was awfully bad.
In conjunction of the coming Father’s Day, we decided to have an early celebration. Knowing how packed Pantai Seafood restaurant is especially during weekends, i made reservation a week in advance. The first time we were there, we didn’t get a table because the restaurant was full. This time we were determined to check out the very popular seafood restaurant.
We punctually arrived at 7.30pm but the restaurant was already very crowded with noisy diners and many people at the reception counter obviously checking their own reservation. Finally getting the attention of the super busy reception staff, we were asked to wait for someone to bring us to the table. So we waited. And waited. And waited.
After almost 15 minutes of waiting and extremely frustrated, we firmly asked the reception for our table again. This time we were led into the air-conditioned room to our table just to find out that our table had not been set yet. It’s still dirty with used plates and left-over food strewn everywhere. We had to wait another 10 minutes to get someone to clean it up.
Clams with Superior Soup
I tell you, the restaurant is seriously short of staff! You would have thought that the restaurant being so packed all the time would have employed more staff but it is so difficult to get served at this place. I could see there were only about 3 staff who were supposed to clean tables, deliver dishes, prepare tea and etc while only 2 others in charge of taking customer’s orders in the whole air-con room. I suspect that these staffs are also placing orders on the 2nd floor because they keep disappearing.
The Chinese woman that came over gave us the menu but didn’t give us time to go through the menu. She stood there looking obviously annoyed because we hadn’t made up our minds. Then when i told her that we’ll have a look at the menu first, she just made a very rude comment and walk off! Just when we decided on our order, it took us another 10 minutes to get another staff’s attention. We practically had to stand on the chair performing the Mexican wave.
Beggars Chicken
I had no idea that we had to reserve crabs and other seafood before coming. They should have told me when i called up to make a table reservation. We were there so early but almost everything were sold out. The crab? Out of stock! The mantis prawn? Out of stock! The Pantai special chicken? Out of stock! I have a faint idea that they have limited seafood that is affordable so customer had no choice but to order the super expensive live seafood from the aquarium up in the front.
Red Snapper
What’s more infuriating is, they gave us the wrong type of tea and when we told the lady, she were pretty angry denying her wrong. Then she checked and found out that the foreign staff had made a mistake. She lost her cool. For just a minute there i thought she was going to strangle that guy because she was screaming and throwing things around.
Needless to say, our food came really late. We finished the peanut and waited for 30 minutes at the least before i had to summon the lady to rush it. It was almost near 9pm and we were starving. Dad was extremely tired by then 
.
Vinegar Pork Ribs
To be fair bad service aside, the food wasn’t bad although not especially special. I simply love the 2 way Kai Lan. Especially the fried and shredded Kai Lan leaves. Very crunchy. The vinegar Pork Ribs were equally good too. the skin is fried to golden perfection and very aromatic.
2 way Kai Lan
Besides that the rather delicious Braised Beancurd, and Red Snapper, other dishes like the Clam in Superior Stock and Beggars Chicken was just average. Sis said the clam was not really fresh although i like the stock base. The Beggars Chicken on the other hand is not as good as the one i had in Segambut. The chicken wasn’t as soft and smooth, i think it’s not cooked long enough.
Braised Beancurd wit Pumpkin
Our disappointing Father’s Day meal cost us arounf RM254.00 which is resonable. If only the service was better…
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Pantai Seafood Restaurant
Lot 13575, Jalan Chempaka PJU 6A,
Kg. Sg. Kayu Ara, 47400 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor
Tel: +603-7725 5099
