THE JAMBALAYA EXPERIENCE

I had a very disappointing experience with this restaurant in Port Barton called 'Jambalaya'.

First, let me narrate to you how we ended up in this restaurant.

On our first day in Port Barton, we went looking for a place to stay in for the night. As we were walking along the beach, our eyes were caught by these huge chairs of a beachfront restaurant. We planned to try the place after securing an accommodation. So after being able to find a place to stay, we went back to this restaurant to have our lunch.

(Jambalaya, Port Barton, San Vicente Palawan)

The restaurant has 5 tables including the giant table and chairs upfront. 

They have a spectacular view of the beach and what made us really interested in trying it out is their huge bamboo chairs which is a very unique place to dine in. Unfortunately, when we arrived at the restaurant, the giant chairs were already occupied. So we decided to eat inside the cottage. 

(Jambalaya, Port Barton, San Vicente Palawan)

 This is the view from where i was seated.

(Jambalaya, Port Barton, San Vicente Palawan)

(Jambalaya, Port Barton, San Vicente Palawan)

(Jambalaya, Port Barton, San Vicente Palawan)

Very nice, isn't it?


So after being seated, we were not yet entertained by the staff. But we didn't mind that at first because we were quite entertained with the quotes displayed on the different spots in the restaurant.

(Jambalaya, Port Barton, San Vicente Palawan)

(Jambalaya, Port Barton, San Vicente Palawan)

(Jambalaya, Port Barton, San Vicente Palawan)

After quite a while, we were still not being given a menu, we tried to understand that because we're not the only customers during that time. After a few minutes we were finally given a menu. 

When we finally decided on what we wanted to eat, we called the waitress' attention and placed our orders. We ordered for a dish called Cajun (their specialty) and an extra rice. My friend and I, decided to share the dish since it looks like they have a large serving (which is actually good for 2 persons) and we just ordered an extra serving of rice. That small lady (waitress) is not that accommodating to us as compared to their foreigner clients. It's just disappointing that the small lady seems like she has a preference on who to serve nicely. I feel like she looks down on us because we're just sharing a meal. I don't know whether she hates Filipinos or she's just that discriminating. Anyway we decided not to get affected with her attitude and just try to enjoy the food. 

(Jambalaya, Port Barton, San Vicente Palawan)

It took them quite some time to prepare our order. They even prioritized serving their other customers. For your information, we're the only local customers in there during that time. When they serve the other tables there are all out smiles on their faces and they're very accommodating, when they serve us however those smiles fade and they treat you like they don't want you sitting in there. I don't get it. I don't get why some Filipinos are just so discriminating with their fellow countrymen when in fact they should be more nice to their kababayans. 

(Jambalaya, Port Barton, San Vicente Palawan)

The food was okay but it was not worth the wait.

(Cajun Special Fish, P450--- Jambalaya)

The ambiance was nice, the food was okay but the service is really bad.

They have a really nice place but what made me and my friend April really unhappy is their staff's attitude.

In the end the experience is okay but what made it from okay to worst is that we were accused of not paying. So here's the story. We were not able to finish the meal so we just asked the waitress to wrap it up for us. So she did and then we asked for our bill, the small lady (waitress) gave us our bill and i gave her a 1,000 peso bill. Our total bill was P480. They gave us a change of 520 which is composed of a 500 peso bill and a 20 peso bill. So after paying we went back to our hotel to change our outfits and then we plan to go walking along the beach, go back to jambalaya to take a photo with the huge chairs (we weren't able to take photos with the giant chairs because it was still occupied the whole time we were there) and go swimming afterwards.

So after doing so, we went back to Jambalaya and to our surprise the midget was calling us from afar. And when i came near her, she said "Ate, di po kayo nagbayad" ("Miss you didn't pay your bill). At the back of my mind I was like "WTF, You didn't give us good service nor good food for the money we paid and now you're even accusing us of NOT PAYING!! The h*ll! Discrimination at its finest!" But still i managed to talk to her nicely and tell her that we paid our bill and that I even have the receipt they gave us. And i also told her that "Diba nga binayaran kita ng 1000 tapos sinuklian mo pa nga ako ng 520? Actually nasaken pa nga ung resibo eh gusto mo pakita ko sayo?" (Isn't it that I paid you a 1000 peso bill and you gave me a change of 520? Actually, I still have the receipt with me, do you wanna see it?) Then she replied, "Ay, oo nga pala." (Oh, yes right.) But still you can feel it that she's still contemplating on whether we really paid her or not. What the hell, miss. Here's the receipt, just in case you come across and read this post, I took a photo of it as a remembrance of your rude attitude and the bad vibes you gave us as a welcome to Port Barton.

(Jambalaya Receipt)

That small lady really do have an attitude. After that conversation, and in spite of her rudeness, I still asked her nicely if we could take photos while sitting on their huge chairs. And she said yes since there are no customers in there anymore. So I said thanks and I asked her once more if she could take the photos for us, guess what she said?? "Ay hindi, busy ako eh." (No, I'm busy.) When in fact she's doing nothing. The nerves!!! I just said okay thanks, we'll just ask some other person to take the photos for us. (There are a few men near the area whom we asked to take our photos and one  of them gladly did. He was actually a boatman and he encouraged us to go island hopping, he volunteered to arrange our island hopping tour for the next day. There are still some nice people out there.) 

(Jambalaya, Port Barton, San Vicente Palawan)

In the end, we successfully had our pictures taken with the giant table and chairs.

(Jambalaya, Port Barton, San Vicente Palawan)

But wait, there's more. Hindi pa pala tapos sa pambubwisit si ate.

(Jambalaya, Port Barton, San Vicente Palawan)

(Jambalaya, Port Barton, San Vicente Palawan)

 After a few shots, she called our attention again and told us that we can't stay there for long. GRABE NAKAKAINIS SI ATEEEE! PARA NAMANG DI NYA KAMI NAGING CUSTOMERS KANINA NAKAKANGINIG NG LAMAN. Pero syempre ayaw namin ng bad vibes sa bakasyon naming ito kaya di namin sya inallow na sirain to. Good vibes padin kami ni Prila. I just replied to her "Oo, di naman kami magtatagal magpipicture lang" (Yes, we'll not be staying here for long we'll just take a few more photos.) That midget is really that rude. Because of her I will never go back to this Jambalaya Restaurant and I will tell all my friends about this JAMBALAYA EXPERIENCE.





ADIOS!


-The Palawenya Explorer ;)