User Review
5th Element
by
Rene
Worst meal in Jacksonville.
I can not begin to tell you how horrible this restaurant is. One of the worst dinners I've had in Jax and that's saying something. The food alone is enough to make me not want to come back. My garlic Naan was burnt and tasteless. The drinks were awful. And my main dish, "Murgh Malai Tikka", was a shame. Not to mention they used the same seasoned vegetables on everyone's plate. Which, did not compliment my meal. Also, the presentation was pitiful....really, pitiful.The service? Worse. I don't care if they had the best food in Jacksonville - I wouldn't put up with that service! First off, It had just opened for dinner and they had maybe two tables already seated and a ton of wait staff/workers hanging around and no one greeted us. We stood for quite a while and almost left before someone actually came over to us. He didn't say hello or anything - just asked how many. Even though the place was spacious and empty he sat us RIGHT NEXT to the other two tables. Then, he almost broke my glass. After that, he spilled my coke. He then came back and told me they were all out of shrimp and prawn so I had to change my order. After that, he dropped a menu into my appetizer and splashed it all over the place, took it away and brought back the same thing on a different plate - so most of it was gone. Then, I had to ask for my drinks to be refilled and he made a face at me and sarcastically said "Oh, yeah? Of course..".
I'm a chef and I'd be ashamed if anyone I worked with even acted half as bad as the people there did. I also would be out of a job if I cooked like them. I've seriously been to gas stations in the middle of the desert and paid $4 for a better meal and service.
Do yourself a favor and go down a couple of blocks to India's Restaurant on the corner of Baymeadows and Southside. Or Masala (off San Jose). Much better food and service.
P.S.
The Atmosphere is that of a diner/dive/truck stop... not in a good way. Ugly Building, ugly decor, uncomfortable seating. They bought an old restaurant (Denny's? Applebees?) and hung a few decorations trying to make it look like a real indian restaurant.