Roasters achieved fame due to its very retro yet sassy interior design and burgers which were simply too big to finish in one sitting. At that time it was something different and a new experience for the people of Islamabad. That was a long time ago and these things don’t matter anymore but unfortunately the management fails to realize this. Regarding my recent visit, I don’t know where to begin so let’s discuss all the problems in the order that they occurred.
Firstly, the wait. Roasters was known for its quick service but now you have to inquire about the food twice over a time span of 30 minutes. Secondly, I ordered their Chicken Explosion Burger and the Parmesan Chicken Pasta, but there was one major problem – both tasted the same. That’s right, the chicken in my burger and the breast chicken piece in the pasta both looked, felt and tasted exactly the same. What I fail to understand is how on Earth do you use the same marination for the chicken in an American dish and an Italian dish?
Another problem with the chicken was that it was crispy from the top but extremely soft and soggy from the bottom. Then, the cheese was another problem. The breast piece in the pasta was completely covered with excessive oily cheese – as if there wasn’t enough cheese in the pasta already. Simply put, their food lacks any sense of direction and focus, with every dish tasting somewhat similar to the other.
In addition to the debatable quality of the food, the staff’s attitude was also very ignorant as well. I told the waiter that the cold coffee needs some whipped cream and he looked at me and said: “Sir yeh to aise hee banti hai”. Forget the ‘the customer is always right’ policy, as these guys apparently believe in the ‘the customer is brainless’ policy. As if this level of disappointment was not enough, the cherry on top was the leather cheque-holder in which I got my bill, as it was filthy and greasy. Yes, the simplest part of a meal, paying the bill, was also an addition to my disappointment.
Roasters has already been closed down once due to PFA violations and if that didn’t wake them up from their slumber, I don’t think anything will. Overall, it is very clear that Roasters is living off its past legacy. It is surviving on positive reviews it received a few years ago when it opened but what its management needs to understand is that if took for granted, legacies eventually die.
Contributed by: Nausherwan Ali Fayyaz.
