Grass Rootes - Carta

Natraj Indian Cuisine

➤ 219 E Davis St (at E St), Culpeper, Virginia, USA, 22701, United States

Carta • Indian • Delivery • Fast Food • Vegetarian

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"This review is not about the food. It is about the service and honesty of the restaurant staff. I encountered deception from a male staff member when I placed a carry out order tonight around 5:30pm (10/16/24) and it had me boiling. I walked in to a nearly empty restaurant (there was one guest dining) and placed a to-go order at the counter. The team member said it would take about 15-20 minutes (it ended up taking closer to 30 minutes, but that’s beside the point). The brief interactions I had with the female worker (who appeared to be the owner) were curt and uninviting. What infuriated me, though, was when the male cashier rang me up and I went to pay. First, I tried to pay with cash (I prefer this method especially with carry out orders to avoid being asked to tip on a to-go order I am simply picking up myself). The man who rang me up said that he didn’t currently have access to the cash register and asked if I could pay with a card. I then pulled out my card. The man began turning the handheld POS system towards me so that I could insert my card. However, he quickly pulled it back, selected the 20% tip option (which I could clearly still see), and then gave it back for me to swipe. I was stunned and could not believe that a cashier would automatically make a selection like this for a customer. I was furious. Being the non-confrontational person that I am though, I didn’t know how to address this with the cashier, and I did not want to cause a scene. The card reader was not working at first, and after a couple attempts I frustratingly tried to ask again if I could just pay in cash. This request was ignored, and he was finally able to get my card to go through. The receipt printed and it showed that I had left a 20% tip. I was so heated by this, especially since the man never even acknowledged what he had done. I know restaurant margins are slim, and whenever we dine in, we tip well over 20%. But I do not buy into tip culture where workers are expecting to receive tips for merely handing over food to a customer, let alone making that decision for the customer. To knowingly try and deceive a customer like this is appalling. If I ever do place a carryout order at Natraj again, it will be via their online ordering platform where I am given the choice to leave a tip or not (I do try to be generous whenever I can, especially with restaurant workers, but this should be on my own terms and not something that is forced upon customers without any acknowledgement – I understand it’s a completely different scenario when large groups are dining and a gratuity percentage is added to the bill automatically—at least this is MADE KNOWN to the customer), or I will insist on paying cash. If the cash register is conveniently not accessible again, then I will pay in exact change. It’s incredibly insulting to treat a customer like this, and this is a warning to other guests. Use the online ordering system or pay in exact change if you don’t want to have tips forcibly added onto your bill without any notice, consent, or acknowledgement. Service: Takeaway Meal type: Dinner Service: 1"

Flavor On Main

➤ 137 S Main St, 22701, Culpeper, United States

Carta • Cafe • Italian • American • North American

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"My husband and I were able to enjoy a last minute date night. We wanted something new and intimate which is usually hard to find in our area. My husband mentioned Flavor on Main since we had walked passed it multiple times visiting other local restaurants. We had no problem making a reservation for 6 pm. When we arrived we immediately were able to sit at our table that sat parallel to their open kitchen window concept. Our server Maria was absolutely phenomenal! Even though she’s only been with the restaurant for one year she was beyond knowledgeable and hospitable to a point that was unmatchable. The service was quick but efficient yet silent for an intimate experience. Myself having been in restaurants for 16 years was absolutely floored at the whole experience. The chef actively resides in his kitchen making all dishes with a noble team next to him. I ordered Kale Pesto pasta with Chicken which was outstanding! My husband ordered the Chicken Arianna which after dinner Chef came to visit our table and expressed that the dish was named after his daughter. The chef Fabrizio (sp? introduced himself which from someone that comes from the business thought that added such a professional and nice touch. We finished the evening with cannolis and cheesecake Brûlée style which were outstanding! If you want a polished casual yet swanky feel, this place meets all requirements. Also above is a small hotel, it couldn’t be more perfect. We even talked about this being our wedding rehearsal dinner spot in the future that’s how amazing everything was! We will be back!"

Thyme Market

➤ 128 E Davis St, 22701, Culpeper, United States

Carta • American • Mediterranean • North American • Delivery Services

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"Such an amazing experience at this restaurant. Brought my boyfriend and my friend here for their first time. Got to enjoy the peaceful beautiful seating outside. Shannon and David gave the most outstanding service. I worked in the food industry for 6 years. And these folks by far give some of the very best service. The ambiance, food, and service is the best in town for sure. Make sure to stop by and try them out!! Anything on the menu is pristine! 10/10 for us! Shannon and David, keep up the amazing work. Rooms: 5 Service: 5 Location: 5"

El Jaripeo

➤ 500 Meadowbrook Shopping Ctr, Culpeper I-22701-3972, United States

Carta • Lunch • Mexican • Spanish • Vegetarian Friendly

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"Monday night dinner, party of 4. Everyone loved and ate all of their primary meal components. Might have been a little beans and rice left on a plate. So, food is good for a fair price. We weren't digging the atmosphere for some reason, hard to explain why and they could use a bit of updating, but everything was there that you need including stocked soap and paper towels with no touch dispensing in the bathrooms, which are fairly clean. When we arrived there was a long set of tables that clearly had a large group eating at them recently and they were very cluttered with crumbs. Understandable, but not what you want to see walking in the door. Took them a while to clean it up too, and when the person did, it wasn't the most logical or sanitary way to clean. Just a cloth towel to wipe/gather up the food debris, I didn't see anything for sanitizing but may have missed that even though I sat facing it the entire meal. I just found it to be illogical and not a great way to clean those tables. I would have a bench scraper or a little broom and pan for the chunks, then come back with some Lysol wipes on the table surface and chairs. Speed of the food and service was a bit slower than other Mexican places who seem to have the food out so fast you have to wait to order for a while if you want to sip a cocktail before eating. Had we wanted cocktails, the wait for the food would have been about right. There were plenty of servers, so maybe it was that attention to detail in the kitchen that seems a touch slow. But they got the food right!"

Albana's Taverna

➤ 614 Sperryville Pike, Culpeper I-22701-2137, United States

Carta • Greek • Salad • Lunch • Italian

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"Cute place, though I think we could do without the robot! As a sidebar...did someone in Culpeper invent these robot servers? The only places I 've been to in VA that use robots were both in Culpeper. Was greeted and seated right away by a personable (and human! server. Got off to a terrific start with the pita and yogurt 'appetizer ' honestly the best pita bread I 've had in my life. Had the Avgolemono soup as a starter. Was pretty good piping hot. Not too lemony. Score it an 8. My entree was the Moussaka. This is where things went downhill...and fast. The dish was 45% Bechamel (far too much and 45% potato (far too much . The amount of eggplant and meat combined was 10% (far too little . Times are tough, I get it. But the anemic portions of eggplant and meat didn 't do this dish any favors. It also didn 't have much flavor, and the parmesan flakes were just tossed on the top w/o any melt. I contrast this to the life changing Moussaka I had on Polk Street in San Francisco nearly 40 years ago. It was awesome. Everything in balanced proportion you could taste the meat (including lamb and the seasonings. It was all bubbly and greasy and oh so good for a kid from northern NJ who dated an Italian girl in high school, it made me wish I (and she were Greek. I was hoping for that from Albana 's Moussaka but, alas, it was not meant to be. Hard pressed to recommend..."