Author Topic: Prices up, standards down (Read 10879 times)

itstime · « **Reply #20 on:** November 01, 2009, 04:56:21 PM »

How the restaurants manage to survive is a question we often ask ourselves. Rents do appear to be prohibitive and when you add in all the expenses and other overheads it's a struggle to imagine how they manage to stay in profit. It's always saddening to see some restaurants struggle to fill their tables in peak season but still manage to make the end product so enjoyable for the customer.
I don't have any answers but wish all of them every success in continuing to provide some of the most wonderful dining experiences I've ever had in any country I've visited.

anne41 · « **Reply #21 on:** November 01, 2009, 05:18:22 PM »

Last month was my first time in turkey - never mind Kalkan so have nothing in Turkey to compare it with - but found everything very reasonable compared to the rest of Europe. In 2008 we spent 6 weeks in our camper van travelling across Europe and believe me Kalkan prices are brill - the food is fantastic - people great - so excellent value for money.

Anne

misty · « **Reply #22 on:** November 01, 2009, 05:31:31 PM »

You also have to remember these guys have a limited window for their business to show a return.....My belief is that there are just to many restaurants and its survival of the fittest....I've seen virtually empty restaurants in August so it must be tough......

Charlie · « **Reply #23 on:** November 01, 2009, 05:41:07 PM »

Totally agree with Howmad and Mitch. If you don't like it, as others have said .......it's a big world out there.

MartynE · « **Reply #24 on:** November 01, 2009, 05:42:55 PM »

The moaners should get real.

Fiona and I have just come back from lunch with friends in Windsor, in a "gastro-pub" type establishment.

We all had starters and main courses, two bottles of wine between us and a jug of tap water.... two of us had pudding and three had coffees. The bill came to Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£127.70. The food was ok... the service was adequate if a bit brusque... no more or less than we would expect in the UK, but certainly nothing exceptional.

Any one of the meals we enjoyed in Kalkan in September would have beaten that experience hands down, in an infinitely more attractive environment, with better and much friendlier service - and would have been less than half the price!

Nothing to add really.

helen1 · « **Reply #25 on:** November 01, 2009, 06:05:55 PM »

I totally agree with Martyn. I was taken out by my family for my birthday last week. The food was lovely but we only had one bottle of wine between the four of us and the bill was Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£148! A meal in Kalkan with starters, main course and pudding with wine for the four of us is usually half this price.

misty · « **Reply #26 on:** November 01, 2009, 07:54:41 PM »

Absolutely agree but no one has mentioned the fantastic ambiance that most restaurants offer.....roof top terrace... fabulous views sunsets etc can you put a price on that......

Enjoy Kalkan · « **Reply #27 on:** November 01, 2009, 08:39:53 PM »

its quite funny really as when we go to a decent restaurant in the UK we compare them to Kalkan....... and Kalkan wins for service, extras and friendliness of the staff !

Kefgirl · « **Reply #28 on:** November 01, 2009, 10:22:55 PM »

Spot on Jon; We've never been anywhere like Kalkan for Restaurants, and this includes Spain, the Balearics, Greece, the Algarve, California etc etc!
Never have I experienced the wonderful welcome and attentiveness, which was then followed by superb food and hospitality.
It was our first visit 5th-19th October, and we were SO impressed, we booked for next September while we were still there! (it will be our 30th Anniversary, we wanted to celebrate somewhere special)

I must add that the prices were very reasonable, there really is something for everyone.
We just can't wait for Sept 25th. Our annual May holiday to Lourdas in Kefalonia will never be the same now, maybe we'll do Kalkan twice a year instead!

Enişte · « **Reply #29 on:** November 02, 2009, 06:30:23 PM »

Mrs and I went to Deniz restaurant yesterday early evening and had a lovely meal, with Angora at 20TL and a huge kuzu balik (lamb fish) for just 30. Well worth a visit - just opposite Fener lighthouse cafe and the ice cream stand.

Rachey · « **Reply #30 on:** November 02, 2009, 06:42:16 PM »

Echoing other posts - I think the restaurants in Kalkan offer incredible value. There's nowhere in Edinburgh that can come close to delivering the quality, service, surroundings and ambience of Kalkan at anything close to the price! Our favourite restaurant in Edinburgh - Rhubarb - we save for very special occasions, it's utterly fabulous, but a meal for 2 incl wine will set you back Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£100-150! Compare that to what you get at Coast@Gironda for a fraction of that, and I'd go to Coast every time! We've not had a bad meal anywhere in Kalkan - we're so spoilt for choice there. I don't know how the restaurateurs do it and still earn enough to live on. If you find Kalkan too pricey, then head off to Marmaris or Altinkum!

Kalkan regular · « **Reply #31 on:** November 02, 2009, 07:19:54 PM »

I get quite sad at the tone of some of the postings. This topic started by someone discussing the fact that they found eating out dearer than last year (probably true), mainly because of the cost of wine, which varies widely (true). They then moved on to relate their experience of a few restaurants (a legitimate forum activity). There was then a discussion of the cheapest place to get wine when you ate out and a newish value for money restaurant(another legitimate forum activity). Only one person said they wouldn't pay for wine because of the price (which is their choice).
We then moved into some comments which I consider could be seen as a put down of previous posters either by implication or directly. It implied that they didn't understand how difficult it was for restaurants to make ends meet (I don't disagree, I wouldn't want to open a new one in Kalkan) and how Kalakan restaurants were great value so they must have got it wrong. Comments such as 'the moaners should get real' don't help as I don't think this topic wasn't full of 'moaners' if you read the posts as they were intended.
I am a wine drinker who eats out every night we are there, buys wine in the restaurants of Kalkan and pays up without complaint, knowing thet the price will be very variable.
I am putting on my flack jacket as I type as I expect to come in for some interesting replies.

fidimax · « **Reply #32 on:** November 02, 2009, 07:36:25 PM »

It all boils down to what you want,you can eat out on the cheap or the more expensive, cheap bars or expensive bars,and as members have said,Ive never had a bad meal in Kalkan,from the soup kitchen to Coast,they are all great,good luck to them all,and I hope they are all still going strong next year !

misty · « **Reply #33 on:** November 02, 2009, 08:33:16 PM »

Quote from: Kalkan regular on November 02, 2009, 07:19:54 PM

I get quite sad at the tone of some of the postings. This topic started by someone discussing the fact that they found eating out dearer than last year (probably true), mainly because of the cost of wine, which varies widely (true). They then moved on to relate their experience of a few restaurants (a legitimate forum activity). There was then a discussion of the cheapest place to get wine when you ate out and a newish value for money restaurant(another legitimate forum activity). Only one person said they wouldn't pay for wine because of the price (which is their choice).
We then moved into some comments which I consider could be seen as a put down of previous posters either by implication or directly. It implied that they didn't understand how difficult it was for restaurants to make ends meet (I don't disagree, I wouldn't want to open a new one in Kalkan) and how Kalakan restaurants were great value so they must have got it wrong. Comments such as 'the moaners should get real' don't help as I don't think this topic wasn't full of 'moaners' if you read the posts as they were intended.
I am a wine drinker who eats out every night we are there, buys wine in the restaurants of Kalkan and pays up without complaint, knowing thet the price will be very variable.
I am putting on my flack jacket as I type as I expect to come in for some interesting replies.

I agree we eat out every night and I still don't get people moaning about the price or the increases year on year.....

MartynE · « **Reply #34 on:** November 02, 2009, 08:52:23 PM »

Quote from: Kalkan regular on November 02, 2009, 07:19:54 PM

I get quite sad at the tone of some of the postings. This topic started by someone discussing the fact that they found eating out dearer than last year (probably true), mainly because of the cost of wine, which varies widely (true). They then moved on to relate their experience of a few restaurants (a legitimate forum activity). There was then a discussion of the cheapest place to get wine when you ate out and a newish value for money restaurant(another legitimate forum activity). Only one person said they wouldn't pay for wine because of the price (which is their choice).
We then moved into some comments which I consider could be seen as a put down of previous posters either by implication or directly. It implied that they didn't understand how difficult it was for restaurants to make ends meet (I don't disagree, I wouldn't want to open a new one in Kalkan) and how Kalakan restaurants were great value so they must have got it wrong. Comments such as 'the moaners should get real' don't help as I don't think this topic wasn't full of 'moaners' if you read the posts as they were intended.
I am a wine drinker who eats out every night we are there, buys wine in the restaurants of Kalkan and pays up without complaint, knowing thet the price will be very variable.
I am putting on my flack jacket as I type as I expect to come in for some interesting replies.

Whatever happened to healthy debate?

I stand by my post referring to "moaners" - I think that anyone objecting to a restaurant making a mark up on wine, or increasing its prices when the cost of overheads have gone up considerably year on year, is "moaning" and needs to "get real". I don't think that's in any way demeaning or insulting to previous posters, it's just my opinion.

Of course, you are entitled to take a different view and I do not feel the need to wear a flak jacket if people disagree with me. Go ahead and argue your point; it's called healthy debate! :-)

Kalkan regular · « **Reply #35 on:** November 02, 2009, 09:24:17 PM »

Martyn I do not like moaners who are always negative about everything but my view is that the early posters on this thread were not 'moaning' but commenting. What's the difference between someone's opinion/healthy debate and someone 'moaning'? My view is that the first has respect that their view comes from their experiences and the second indicates that they are just negative people who like to complaining or nit-pick without foundation.

Em1 · « **Reply #36 on:** November 02, 2009, 09:33:03 PM »

MartynE
Just because I think some restaurants charge too much for wine does not give you the right to call me a moaner; this is not healthy debate I am afraid.
Em

MartynE · « **Reply #37 on:** November 02, 2009, 09:53:06 PM »

Blimey.

I guess you could say I'm a moaner then....moaning about people who moan.

OK, I've got broad shoulders.... I am also a moaner.

There, that didn't hurt, did it.

Kalkan regular · « **Reply #38 on:** November 02, 2009, 10:03:17 PM »

Wearing a hair shirt doesn't suit you Martyn (it rubs the red skin after being in the sun) but I look forward to seeing your broad shoulders in the Nur some time. Mines a red wine, preferably by the bottle!