Hello,

I don't know if I can give the name or not, so I'll wait...

I don't want to complain, I just want to protect you to get the same nice treatment....

I went to that Turkish restaurant on Brausebad with my husband and my friend who came to visit us. We knew that restaurant, we went there once before. I can tell you, the food is great.

But we didn't expect the way they will charge for what we ate.

We went there to have an Ice cream. But a little plate of mix mezze (starters) was just a little thing extra we were craving for. So, I did ask to the waiter to have this plate (I spoke to him in Turkish, and I did show him the plate on the menu) It was 10 CHF and it came with a basket of bread (always come with the turkish mezze)

We received the plate and I did share with my friend. It was a nice plate, nice food, etc. After, we did ask for Ice cream. We asked what was on the menu, without asking for any extra. The size was smaller in real, but, we thought it could be normal since it's the same Ice cream menu we can find in many different place. And I asked for a glass of tap water.

When we received the bill, my mezze plate was 20 CHF and they charged us 3.80 CHF for tap water and bread. And the Ice creams were 2 CHF more expensive each then the price on the menu.

We did, of course, ask why??

For the plate, the waiter brang us a bigger plate because he said it was too small for 2.... without explaining that to us first!

And he took the decision without asking or even proposing it to me (I'm the one who did order the plate).

When I told him it was not double of everything in the plate (one mezze, one other mezze, but not twice each) he said it was like that...

ok....

For the Ice cream, they charge extra for the cream on top of it.

But on the picture, the cream is there and the price is there as well.

Yes, he said, but the cream is an extra. True you have an extra section in the back of the menu with extra cream.

BUT I didn't ask for ANY extra, I did ask for this Ice cream, that's it!

And he still repeating, the cream comes in extra.....

How we should know the cream was not included??? It is not writing on the menu....

And why he didn't tell us:

This is the picture of the Ice cream, for this price, it comes in a smaller size AND we will put some cream on it and charge you extra... and we will not tell you that!

We were mad. Honestly, we didn't expect that from them! And I told that to the owner. He told me I don't have to go back there if I'm not happy.... Thanks to give me THAT choice!!!

It is quite obvious then we are not going there again.

I'll have to learn more receipes from my mother in law.

I have my list of turkish place I love to go, and I share with everybody around, because they are all great, but this one...... shame!!!

So if he can do that to turkish people, or relative to turks, etc... I guess he might do that to everyone else. Since the bill is not with any details, but just on a piece of paper, it is maybe easy to get away with it, if you don't pay attention...

So be aware of it and if it is ok, I'll give the name of the restaurant,

I'm gonna find an other Turkish restaurant. Turtish cuisine is just sooo delicious!!! I'll let you know!

Nil

i must say, that was some really appalling service. which is a pity, considering, from what i've seen, there aren't that many turkish restaurants, or turks for that matter, in CH. but i'm definitely biased, since i have lived in berlin. if you have any recommendations for zürich, do pm me, i'd be glad to try some proper turkish food here...

It's rare but very annoying when restaurants squeeze customers for cash so unashamedly! You were right to protest, and I think I wouldn't have paid the entire bill. The price for the mezze is not justified and the whipped cream excuse ridiculous.

I have eaten in a restaurant in Zurich lately that had an incomplete menu card and they charged us 12 Fr. each for some small deserts. They also generously filled our glass with liquor when we ordered a 2cl portion, only to bill us for a double one! I was about to complain but my colleagues preferred to not leave a tip and leave it at that. The service was inattentive and stingy with the side dishes in our à discretion meal, a bad experience and I won't come back, that's certain.

Can you recommend any really good Turkish restaurants here in Basel Nil? I've been to a few and to be honest none of them even come close to the ones we have back in London.

I know the restaurant you're talking about. I thought for the most part they're pretty good. And for service in a restaurant in Basel, they're usually decent. You've describe the restaurant well enough that most folks in Basel will know which one it is, if they've been there before.

That said, I don't think the waiter should have brought a larger mezza plate without asking you if that is exactly what you wanted. That seems a bit dodgy.

Hi,

We've never had a problem at Marmaris - they have always been friendly and helpful. We often get free drinks from the management and they always make a fuss of our baby boy.

Compared to other restaurants in Basel the prices are not bad.

Cheers,
Nick

You are right,

I'm not saying they are not friendly or helpful, or even the price are bad.... As long as you don't pay attention on what they charge, you are fine!

I think they were wrong, and should not do that kind of things. But they did it and we told them, they didn't satisfied us with their explaination and thats it. We are not going back there.

I tell you this to prevent you, in the futur, to get extra charge without knowing it.

It's sad, they have very great food, but I'm not ready to be taken for an idiot anymore.

Nil

Not yet.... For a good Döner, I like the ones at Sam's. They are much better then in Istanbul.

For the Turkish cuisine, I heard about an other one, don't know the name, don't know the place, but I'll find out for sure and let you know.

We will look around on the German side, Weil Am Rein might have some., who knows? They have very nice little groceries where you can find all turkish products.

A lot of Turks here have restaurants, but most of them do Döner, Kebab or Italian food. Turkish cuisine is very rare.

Nil

To be honest the quality of the doner in most places is not great, I think they just buy the whole thing frozen from Germany.

Being a Turk from Istanbul, I'd say the best Turkish Restaurant in Basel is Restaurant Pinar.

http://www.restaurant-pinar.ch/

They have very good meat,veggi and pastry dishses. Run by a family, you also get a friendly service. But the place is a bit small and very popular. Therefore you might need a reservation

If you,re looking for a good döner kebab, try Sofra at Gerbergasse (between Barfi & Marktplatz) or Bahnhof Imbiss (by the main post office at Bahnhof SBB)

Bad service, and actually, with consumers having the power of the Internet behind them these days, it's rather naiive and appalling that they pulled this type of thing. I'd say you should go on a rather strong campaign to ruin their business altogether, as what they did was completely unprofessional.

That being said - it is common in Switzerland to charge for "extras" that are taken for granted in other countries. Bread = extra, Ketchup = extra, glass of water = extra, etc...

I certainly would not have paid the entire bill, and I would likely have made quite a scene.

But, I have no shame.

We went to the Antalya restaurant, it is nice.

We definitely gonna try the Pinar's restaurant.

Nil