Went for a meal at this awful "inn" at end of February. Had no choice as we were staying at next accommodation and needed somewhere within walking distance.
Menu was very limited but my partner and I settled for "half a chicken" and fries for 16000TzSh each. Waited for an eternity and eventually presented with 2 legs of chicken with fries. Questioned this with the waiter and he informed us he would let the owner know.
After we had finished and the plates cleared, the owner came over and asked us if everything was ok. I said we'd ordered 2 "half chickens" and fries and we'd received 2 legs + fries. With a straight face she informed me that we'd had 2 half chickens!! I replied that we'd definitely had 2 legs. I pointed out that we'd had 2 thighs and 2 drumsticks and no breasts.
After a pause, she finally conceded that we had not received breasts but they were "half chickens", albeit "Tanzanian half chickens!!!" I thought she was joking at first and just laughed, but then realised she was serious. I said, Oh, Tanzanian
chickens have no breasts then!!!
She said her supplier gives her these portions and calls them half a chicken. I said, maybe she should let customers know that the portions weren't actually half a chicken but a chicken
leg to avoid any misunderstandings, but she said that anyone who was a traveller would know this. I replied that I disagreed and that it was anything but clear but she maintained this was the case. She also implied that this was "AFRICA" and people should be aware that things were not the same here and that if we'd been veteran travellers we would know this. For her benefit, I'd travelled in Kenya, Djibouti, Senegal plus numerous countried in North Africa.
We had just spent 3 weeks climbing Kilimanjaro and travelling around Arusha and Moshi so we weren't exactly novices. We just felt she had a completely superior and arrogant manner and we certainly never ventured back there. We found the people from Zanzibar to be friendly, generous and helpful. We hired a car and had a great time, it was a particularly easy place to drive and had no problems whatsoever.
And guess what??? We had chicken 3 more times and each time we had an entire half a chicken and for a price at roughly 1/3 the cost!!! I think the owner should change her supplier pronto and stop being ripped off. Then she can stop ripping off her clients!!
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
April 25, 2012
Dear sir,
Thank you for your review, we appreciate all feedback that we revceive. It is to be noted however that you and your partner have judged our establishment on 1 meal and not even a stay in our lovely guesthouse - which certainly is not to be classified as an "inn" This was the evening that you arrived on a delayed flight from the mainland after being on safari and having climbed Kilimanjaro - at your own admission you were exhausted.
Our menu consists of almost 40 items encompassing a whole range of food from sea foods to pastas and pizzas to local dishes, all beautifully presented and wholesome fare as our other viewers have commented.
The chicken that you were served was a half chicken as sold to us by our local supplier, however after you brought this matter to our attention, we investigated and found that indeed a box of quarter chickens had crept in unnoticed to us. Please accept our apologies for that. We had indeed been ripped off and we have now started purchasing whole birds and halving them ourselves. Unfortunately this kind of thing does happen in these parts and we have taken note of the situation.
You have made some very personal accusations toward myself and they are not appreciated, as this is a review forum to add guidance to fellow travellers and not a platform to slander individuals because you are tired and have had a bad day.
To be very clear on this matter, we are not a stop over for exhausted passers by, but a comfortable home from home for those wanting to enjoy the island of zanzibar for the wonderful culturally rich place that it is. We too are tired of exhausted travellers who have had a tough trip, and end by venting their tiredness and subsequent irritations on our review platform. It is travellers such as yourself who give us a bad name not the venue and its loyal staff and management
Thank you
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.