dear guests
recently i posted that we changed our menu...now we re-changed it...now i was wondering(for the people who were there recently)what do you think of it and do you have maybe some suggestions for us to make it better?
Sunny greets Ard slot, restaurant marandi
ard please send me the menu link and i will post it.
i do not want you to get bagged for "self promotion"Originally Posted by Quepasa
Is this menu http://www.marandi-aruba.com/images/main_courses from the website up to date?
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yes lisa the site is up to date!thank you so much!sincerely ard slot
Hello Ard,
I emailed you my thoughts on the menu prior to our visit to Marandi's in March. I haven't had time to actually do a trip report (which I will do soon) and I did want to include my thoughts on your new menu. Some of which I will say, I have already shared with you.
Our return visit to Marandi's after an absence of 1.5 years was good but not outstanding. We had excellent service and the setting is beautiful but I am just going to give my opinion on the menu/food.
As I already shared with you, I feel underwhelmed with your meat choices. The prices for your steak and lamb entrees are right in line with other restaurants on the island but the cut/quality of what you are offering is not the best. I understand that this is done for cost but you can't charge the same money as others with lesser quality of meat. For example, Windows has lamb for comparable price but it is 16oz of RACK of lamb (which I shared with my DH) and you are serving some rack, shank and meatballs (?). The steak is also disappointing as it is shoulder fillet and your other choice is paired with stew. If I am going to pay top dollar for steak, then I would like a true fillet or a rib steak.
We had fish luguna, one with wahoo and the other with mahi mahi. We liked it but found the sauce "too much" and would have preferred to see a choice of a more simple type of grilled fish. Again, comparing it to other restaurants, options for some fish with sauces that are heavier, or with a lighter sauce option or just nicely grilled. This would appeal to a greater number of people as not all like so much "stuff" on their food. As I also suggested, the menu needs some more simple options as you have tried to do more exotic types of recipes and that has a more limited appeal. You have toned down your menu from what it was before but I think you could still alter it a little more in that direction.
What we found most disappointing was the dessert menu. Very limited and nothing special. We did have a shared dessert but didn't enjoy it. Not anything of its former glory. We have been regular Marandi's customers since it was located where the current Barefoot restaurant is.
Your Potatoe soup was OUTSTANDING. LOVED IT. Tomatoe soup was good. All in all, I give you so much credit for asking for opinions and taking them to heart. You are trying hard to make this restaurant excellent (again) and I really applaud you for it. You have an amazing location, fantastic staff but you need to step it up a notch with your food. "Cheaping out" with quality/cuts of meat may in the short term save you money but in the long run will only end up hurting you.
oah randi, come on now..really??is that what you think of us??i am really sad to read this, the only reason we put these choices of meat because we wanted to offer the customers something different and special, something else than the ordinary tenderloin or striploin, you know? we really put it on the menu because of the taste of the meat, not the price!!i am a bit dissapointed you think of us that way..but if thats your opinion, i respect that. but that a difference of opion than.
and about the lamb, again we chose this, so we could offer 3 different preparations of the lamb, thats just the way we like to cook!but if you only want the rack, thats always possible!!just ask the waiter, or me, and ill make whatever you want, same with the fish, you like it just plain grilled...thats always possible, we have a grill, we have plain fish...there's no problem at all...just ask for it!we can make anything you like!!
with the desserts i dont really understand why you dont like it, everything on it is homemade!we took the cocktaillist, found some nice ones, ripped them apart and made a dessert with the same ingredients as in the normal cocktail!!but what would you like to eat, applepie?kletskoppen?3 scoops of vanilla icecream?thats all the old stuff...we dont serve that anymore, but again, if you want, we can make it for you!just make a reservation a day or so in advance and ask for me, you can tell me what you want and than i will make sure that everything you wish for will be made!
hopefully we will see you once again at the restaurant
sunny greets ard slot
I was not meaning to be cruel but my honest opinion. Here is the situation as I see it. You have a gorgeous venue with top notch staff-so much going for you. The issue that has been presented from many customers is the menu. Some have told you and some have just discussed amongst themselves. I am a regular to Aruba and was trying to share with you comments that are not just my own.
While you can prepare fish, meat, desserts upon request (which is wonderful), you are missing the point. People look over menus before making reservations and that dictates whether or not they will come to your restaurant.
With regards to meat, people need to feel the value for the price. I gave the example of lamb. Our family loves lamb but if they looked at your entree and the price for the combination vs another restaurant for the same price but all rack of lamb (which is of higher quality than shank never mind the meatballs), this would weigh in on our decision. Again, not meaning to be cruel just pointing out my opinion.
Desserts... You must be aware of what was really popular before? Keep those on the menu plus add a few others that you want to try. Why take away the items that people loved and were regularly ordered. Again, when one looks at the menu as a decision maker they are not thinking, I can call ahead to order it.
Anyway, I am not here to debate this. I just was presenting my thoughts to you. We love your restaurant and have always enjoyed coming to Mirandi's.
Randi-
You are 100% correct in the way you presented your thoughts. We used to go to Marandi but have switched to Barefoot, which is also a nice venue but has a much more appealing (to us) menu. These restaurants are too expensive to chance that they will make things to order for you and the menu is their best representation of what they are and whether we decide to go there.
Randi A+ for your thoughts
St. Lucia @ Pitons
Next trips: Bermuda July, Aruba November
I hope Ard accepts the thought, ideas, criticism in the manner that it is delivered. After all he asked right? I think folks DO look at menus before hand. I (personally) prefer basic. Grilled, roasted, sautéed, steamed. Heavy sauces on the side as an option. Over "fancifying" is a turn off for my husband and me. He is the kinda guy that puts ketchup on steak, fish and taters ....."so would you butter or sour cream with your baked potato"........the answer every time is ketchup.
A few gourmets and a few comfort foods with some entrees in between.
Ex: IMO keep it simple.....rack of lamb with a nice gravy or mint jelly.
Just my opinion
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