CornelisZ in Huizen

We have visited Corneliz every sunny day since it opened. Its location, by the water, next to a nice grassed area where our children love to play is always enjoyable. Our children love to have a high tea (not really a high tea, but full of nice treats anyway) and we enjoy having a glass of wine at the terrace. Every time we had been there, the personnel has been kind, polite, professional and accommodating (a rarity in Dutch restaurants).

But not yesterday. My husband and I arrived at Corneliz at noon, to have an aperitif before dinner. My husband asked the waiter if he could have a beer with a couple of lemons. Immediately, the waiter said 'NO!' And he went to explain how the manager does not allow any modification on the menu. He became instantly agressive and rude so I, used to better service, asked to talk with the manager. He said 'No, you can not do that. He is not here.' We asked the manager's name and office telephone number, so we could get in touch with him/her and he said 'No, I can not give you that under any circumstance.' In a rare twist of events, he claimed to BE the acting manager. He is a young, clearly unexperienced man, dressed as a waiter so there was no way he was the manager. I had to go into the kitchen and asked one of the waiters if he could call the manager. He said that of course, he would. And a kind, professional lady came into the scene.

She handled things probably in the most professional and intelligent way I have seen here in Holland; she dismissed the waiter without a word and focussed her attention on us, the customers. She asked what the problem was and informed us that she would gladly bring a beer with as many lemons as we needed. But the afternoon at Corneliz had been ruined. My husband and I chose to leave, despite her offering several times to allow her to treat us with whatever we wanted. The mood created by this waiter was so dense and unpleasant that we decided to go to a neighbor restaurant instead.

It is a real shame, but I do not think we will return to Corneliz. Not at least until the restaurant gives proper training to their waiters and teach them the basic guidelines in a business: you do not want to loose customers, so the customer is always right; you make the customer feel at home and you go out of your way to please him; you are flexible and smart, looking for reasonable solutions to the problems that may arise and; above all, you need to be correct and polite at all times... and never tell such blatant lies. All that jeopardizes your employers reputation and clientele. And get your business bad reviews, such as this one.

Still, praise and many thanks to the lady; a shame we will not be seeing you anymore.