Postcard from Bishkek

The other day I had to have a meeting over lunchtime.  We decided that we would go out instead of sitting in the office which can be quite crowded and sometimes a little noisy, and where I can be interrupted by someone at the drop of a hat.  It seemed a good opportunity to try a local bar which has only recently opened just around the corner and which neither of had yet visited.  I was particularly keen to try it because the Bar I used to use as my “local” closed down over the summer and has become a Video Game Arcade.  I was interested to see if this would be a suitable replacement.

So, off we set.

Now, perhaps I should make clear that bars here are not necessarily the equivalent of Pubs and Bars elsewhere.  Usually they are not just “watering holes” where people go to drink alcohol, although such bars do exist.  Most of them also serve food and so probably equate to “licensed” cafés.

We arrived and the place was reasonably quiet.  When I say that it was quiet I mean that most of the tables were unoccupied.  There was a party of five or six sitting at a table around the corner, a couple of pairs finishing their meal at two more tables and the Manager seemed to have his laptop open on another, (apparently they offer free wireless internet access – I must remember that!)  However, the TV’swere all working, (there were three of them), showing Fashion TV, with the volume turned up and, although not at maximum, it was enough to be distracting and impede conversation.  I don’t think anyone was actually watching them, but I do have to admit that my eyes kept wandering to the screens … the broadcast was in English and so provided yet another distraction.

Later they turned the volume down, and I thought, “Great,” but then I realized that they only did so in order to start the music center … which was turned up even louder.  Please don’t misunderstand me, I don’t mind music … background music.  I have come to a bar/café/restaurant to have lunch and a chat … not to a disco or night club.

As it happens the place was well fitted out.  The decoration was smart, bright, tasteful and, being new, clean and sparkling.  The furniture was comfortable, although I found either the chairs a little too low for the table – or the table a little too high for the seats … I think it was probably the former.

The clientele were a little younger than I would normally feel comfortable with … but not very young, underage drinkers or anything like that.  Please don’t misunderstand me, but I normally feel more comfortable in places where the clientele are a little older, and (although everyone was quiet and the model of decorum), perhaps more subdued.

I also got the impression that they all knew each other.  Possibly friends of the owners or the staff.

Despite these little drawbacks, I was quite impressed and thought that maybe this would make a reasonable alternative to the place where I would normally go in an evening.

We ordered some lunch a pot of tea and a beer.  I’ll be honest, the beer was for me.  The prices weren’t bad, although perhaps a little more expensive than an ordinary café, but the owners have to recoup their investment, (which must have been fairly considerable), and they were going for a little more “up market” crowd than the normal café.   In the bottom corner of each page was a note: “Service Charge 10%”

That’s when the trouble started … well, not trouble exactly, but where I began to have doubts.  The waitress, (yes “the waitress”, there was only one), was pleasant enough, attentive and polite.  She was obviously overworked though – overworked? … there were only four tables occupied!  Well, maybe it was the kitchen that overworked.  Whatever, the service was very slow.  The beer came quite quickly, when compared to the time it took to deliver the pot of tea … I couldn’t help musing over the fact that if it had been the other way around, the tea might well have gone cold whilst we were waiting for the beer.

The meals eventually arrived but were on plates of different styles as if they didn’t have a complete set, but I put that down to the fact that we ordered off different parts of the menu.  The food wasn’t bad – but I am not sure that you can spoil an all-day breakfast.

When we finished our meal the waitress asked if I wanted a repeat of the beer.  I said “No, thank you,” and asked for the bill.

Time passed.  Time passed.  The waitress went to the bar and seemed to be busy calculating the bill, but didn’t bring it.  We asked again, and she opened her notebook and started calculating again.  OK.  Maybe she hadn’t heard, or understood, me when I asked the first time.  The music was playing quite loud and my accent can be difficult when you encounter it for the first time.

She brought us the bill and I looked at it.  Everything seemed in order … except for one thing.  The items were all listed … yes, that’s what we had ordered, and as far as I could tell the prices were correct.  At the bottom, however, there was a note: “Service charge 15%”

Hang on … the menu said 10%.

Now, don’t get me wrong.  My concern wasn’t the money.  The difference was only something like 25 som – about 50 cents, whether you are talking Euro or US dollars.  And, remember that the service charge is basically the wages of the staff – in some places, if there are no customers, then the staff don’t get paid … there was no “service charge” received, so there is no salary to be paid!

It wasn’t even the fact that I didn’t think we had received particularly good service.

It was the principle of the matter – it’s either 10% or it’s 15%.  Normally, I don’t mind paying 15%, that’s pretty standard here and some places even charge 20%  – and put additional charges on the bill if there is live music … or … or …

Anyway, I mentioned this to her when she came to collect the money.  I wasn’t rude – or, at least I don’t think I was … I just said “The menu says 10%.”  Her answer was that all the bills had 15% printed on them.  “So what?” I thought, but simply said  “… but all the menus have 10% printed on them.”

She wasn’t looking for an argument – and neither was I.  I was ready to leave.  However, she said, “Wait here, I’ll get the manager,” and disappeared into what I presume was the kitchen.  She reappeared, alone, and stood at the bar writing something.  I guessed that she was recalculating the bill, so went up to see her.  Sure enough that was what she was doing.

I pointed out that it wasn’t the 25 some that worried me – just the formality that the menu and the bills did not tally.  It could lead to trouble for them and they ought to sort that out.

I turned around and the two of us left.

I hadn’t got round to the fact that I made the total – with 15% – 506 som, not 510.  That’s another little annoyance that you sometimes meet here, some places can’t be bothered with the odd som and round up the bill.

Having said that, you’ll notice that I haven’t mentioned the name of the bar.  That’s deliberate – I think it would be unfair of me to do so.  Hey, even if I did feel that the experience was less than satisfactory, they are new and it was the first time I had been there … it may have been a one off … they may learn from the experience and improve.

This isn’t the first time I have had a problem with the service charge – which is a practice that I don’t agree with anyway – and it probably won’t be the last.  (Maybe, I’ll write about some of the other instances on another occasion.)

Anyway, It wasn’t that bad an experience that I wouldn’t go back and give it a second chance … in fact I’ve arranged to do so, (at least one more time), and then I’ll decide if it’s for me or not.

Tags: Expat, Life_in_Kyrgyzstan, Service