Won't be eating at Imakatsu @ Star Vista (review)

One of those weird Japanese restaurants that don't open at normal times like normal restaurants.


I can never understand why some Japanese restaurants in Singapore have this weird habit of opening for part of the day, closing, then re-opening later in the day. Or opening only late in the day. How do they make money by being shut for most of the day? Just waiting to close down.

Bro & I planned to eat at Imakatsu イマカツ @ Star Vista after I checked the online reviews. Somehow even with the positive comments about the food, I doubted. I've a gut feeling about such things.

I also somehow had a feeling it would be closed. True enough, when we were there at about 4.20pm, the restaurant was shut.

We ate at Coco Ichibanya, walked around & returned to find Imakatsu still shut!  Has it closed down? Stuck on its window outside was a recruitment sign. Were they unable to open because they lacked these personnel?? 

(Incidentally, all restaurants at Star Vista had these recruitment signs on their windows. Means they are operating at below standard manpower? Which accounts for why customers complained about slow service at Imakatsu in reviews.). 

We walked around some more & returned a 3rd time to see its lights had turned on but still appeared closed. An Indian/Malay man (with an unhygienic-looking goatee/beard & oiled hair) was standing in a square hole counter facing in front, bending & looking at the laptop.

I approached, asked him, "What time do you open?".

He flicked up his eyes without really looking at the customer, "Five-thirty.". And flicked back his eyes to the laptop.

I said, "Everyday?".

Eyes on the laptop, he replied, "Yes.".

This shows that the company hired poor staff.  I haven't even tried the food & already the man's behavior & response made me decide on the spot that I will not be eating at this restaurant.

A staff in uniform, whether the shop is open or closed, represents the company. A bad staff ruins a company's image. As a company, never allow your staff to speak discourteously to a customer in any way. Furthermore, this Indian/Malay man was inside the restaurant as a staff.

Back home, looking at their website, it says their opening hours are: "11:30 - 15:00, 18:00 - 22:00".  Yet that Indian/Malay man had said they open at 5.30pm every day.

**As of today 2 May Sat, my comment regarding their rude staff has not been replied to. They are not manning their front line.  This is a poor company. They are not taking their service seriously. Very slack & sloppy.

This is very different from Tsukada Nojo Plaza Singapura Facebook who replied to my comment almost live & lightning fast when I posted there previously.  Someone is obviously watching their Facebook closely.

At Tsukada Nojo, when I ate there previously, the staff were attentive & on the ball. Made me very happy to eat there twice. In their Facebook, they showed they were very interactive with customers, warm & friendly.