Poor service
We booked a table at the Dome restaurant (Sirocco) on the 26th Feb 2005 (my girlfriend's birthday and Australia Day), re-confirmed on the same day. We even asked for a specific table for this important occasion.
Imagine our surprise when we turned up and were advised by the staff that 'we' had made a mistake and had booked for the following day.
We were 100% sure of our booking date as it was very important for 2 reasons.
We were then told to wait as the staff would 'try' and find a table for us. While we were waiting, we noted the booking list and saw our names on the list, on the same day as we booked at the time that we requested!!!!
What was going on?????
'Fortunately' after a lengthy wait, a table was found for us, but not in the position we requested and in addition, we were told that we would have to vacate the seat in 2 hrs as a booking had been made for that table. What a laugh!
I would dearly love an explanation for this appalling service but unfortunately we never received one.
I would also have taken the guest survey on The Dome website, but their staff did not supply me with user ID!!!!    [04 Mar 2005 22:15:15]

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     ­Expat   

Great Potential
We traveled through Asia in late February and looked forward to visiting Sirocco.

The weather and venue were superb.

Our meals were better than average but not nearly the level we expected considering the quality of venue and location. They were also outside of what I would consider reasonable pricing, even for a very expensive venue.

The staff, while friendly and well intentioned, were obviously poorly trained and had an amateur approach. It is simply normal to expect much better for a venue that claims so much.

In all the service was the biggest let-down. The quality of food was passable. I imagine that without the views and location this venue would not fare very well in the future. It is a pity, but Sirocco was a disappointment for our group.    [03 Apr 2005 22:20:55]

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     ­Anonymous   

Wow, er...
This has to has one of the best potentials to be the best restaurant in Bangkok. I really enjoyed the location and view but was a bit disappointed with the food which could have been better. Still, it would be hard to ever compare Sirocco with any number of great restaurants elsewhere in the world, they just never quite stack up in my opinion. I have been to many nice restaurants in Asia and this one suffers from the same small pitfalls as many others. They make everything grand, have lots of staff, charge at the top end of the range, but then fall short with inconsistent food quality and staff knowledge. I still enjoyed the visit but hope to return when they realise that when you make a restaurant it is important to get the food and staff right first, not later.    [10 Apr 2005 02:02:29]

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Recommended Dishes: Crispy soft shell crab and tiger prawns salad

     ­Amy C, Singapore   

Altitude makes for greedy management..
I agree with "Expat" I have booked a few out of town friends and their partners into Sirocco as they go for the view. On each occasion there has been something wrong - either a mistake in the booking (they have over booked) or they are told to be out within 2 hours.

I know a for a fact that they want people out within 1hour, and recently raised all the wines by 500 baht per bottle, this is greed plain and simple. When you go somewhere and have a fantastic dining experience you shouldn't feel like you are in a supermarket line being processed. I think the management have got it terribly wrong by saying the most exspensive bars and restaurants in Thailand - should they focus on being the best service, food, and overall experience first then look at calling themselves the best. Anyone can charge outrageous prices - not many can be the best.    [14 Apr 2005 00:46:11]

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Recommended Dishes: Crab caesar

     ­James. R   

I agree
People always say staff attitudes filter from the top down. I have heard stories about the general manager being rude to customers in Sirocco, perhaps he leads by example.
Sirocco could be spectacular but the parent company have been seriously led astray by a management team who are too arrogant and incapable of making it so. It's a simple lack of what makes a high end restaurant great, nothing more. the sooner they realise it the better.
Aside from that the actual venue itself is as grand as they come. As for asking customers to leave within an hour - what a joke, try that anywhere else in the world and see what happens.    [18 Apr 2005 03:18:02]

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     ­Cameron Bennett   

It was raining
It was a pity it rained when my wife and I visited Sirocco three weeks ago. We had just sat down and started eating out starters when it came. It was not bad at first but we all got up and moved indoors. We would have tried Sirocco again and planned to until the cashier tried to charge us for our uneaten starters. It took us a bit of discussion to convince her we shouldn't pay. I think a venue which is at the whim of the elements should have a better contingency plan in place. In all Sirocco has breath-taking views. It was only a pity about the staff attitude when it rained.    [20 Jun 2005 03:26:31]

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     ­Anonymous   

All too similar stories
I was told about this restaurant by friends and made sure I booked ahead when I visited Bangkok in early June. I agree completely with the above reviews and can only say I was in disbelief at the lack of training and staff who had ever worked in a high quality dining establishment. The service was patchy at best and, since other venues in Bangkok do so well comparatively, can only be attributed to lazy or incompetent management. I felt the staff were genuinely trying to be professional but lacked training and someone to give guidance. I really hope they can fix this because Sirocco aready has a bad name amongst local fine-diners who I met.    [23 Jun 2005 23:40:24]

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     ­Anonymous   

Hap hazard
Same story: HIGH prices - 8900 baht on a Buddhist Holiday - that's with no alcohol for 2 people. Average food, average service. But I must commend the staff, they try - obvious lack of management and training from above. I run several restaurants in the world and do 100% better; I am also very fair with criticism.    [13 Jul 2005 05:05:13]

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Recommended Dishes: none spring to mind

     ­Paul Soper   

I loved it
My boyfriend, who lives in Bangkok, invited me during my holidays to the Sirocco. It was wonderful! I loved the view, the service was nice and the food very good. We had a table for two in the center of the restaurant with a beautiful view and it was very romantic...    [26 Jul 2005 07:00:58]

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     ­Anonymous   

My second visit
I thought I would see what others thought of Sirocco and Distil as I had been there last year and was very impressed with the service and quality of food. I returned there a week ago and couldn't believe how grand the new upstairs restaurant was. It is simply amazing. The only downer for the night was, as well documented above, the quality was far lower than expectations. The food was fine but not special and the service was always well intentioned but amateurish. By Asian standards Sirocco is above average, but that is not good enough. I'm pretty disappointed.    [24 Aug 2005 03:46:47]

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Recommended Dishes: Heineken, at least it will be cold

     ­Peter Sterling