If you've seen Elf you might remember the scene where he congratulates the staff in a coffee shop for having the "Best Coffee in the World". He subsequently takes his girlfriend and gets her to sample it blindfolded. She reports it "tastes like" a c****y cup of coffee and when she sees it says it *IS* a c****y cup of coffee.

Well it's the same deal with the Four Seasons's Roast Duck. Horrible really horrible. Despite their outrageous boasts it is the worst I've had in London bar none.

All the food was cold the spicy fish soup had old vegetables, lumps of whole spices. Kind of like cold washing up liquid with potpourri sprinkled over the top and a few cheapy fish goujons dumped in it.

Rude staff expensive and offensive. Avoid at all costs.

Food excellent, service good, however, be careful with the bill.

We received a bill with a hand written total witha til receipt attached to the back with the individual items on it but no total.

When I added the individual items together they totalled approx 10% less than the hand written amount, which i took to be the service charge.

When I was handed the card machine I was invited to add a gratuity I queried wheter the amount included service and was told the difference was due to VAT, implying that service was not included.

I was sceptical so did not add a gratuity. On leaving the restaurant I checked the menu outside which confirmed the amounts were VAT inclusive and that 12.5% is added to bills to cover service.

All I can presume is that this was a cynical and dishonest attempt to try and obtain additional service.

I have just finished the worst dining experience in my life at the New Four Seasons.

There was a big queue which is fine because we had been told it was a good place so we didn't mind the wait.

When we got to the front of the queue we were shown to a table for 6 by a waiter. Within a few minutes a waitress took our order.

We each ordered 3 roast on rice, something we had been recommended. All fine so far. 15 minutes later and our drinks arrived. Still fine, until 5 minutes later when a woman who was obviously the manageress comes to our table and starts shouting at us for sitting in a table without her permission.

I thought she was joking but she carried on "Why are you sitting here? Who said you can sit here? You are not allowed to come into a restaurant and sit down without permission".

I said that we hadn't sat down without permission but had been shown to our seats by a waiter and had our order taken by a waitress.

By now the whole restaurant has stopped everything to listen. "Who said you could sit here?"

I looked around and pointed out a waiter. The manageress said "No.You are lying. He didn't say you could sit here. This isn't your table to sit at."

I said that I would not enter a restaurant without permission and just sit down. I asked her to bring our food as we were now hungry and had waited for a long time. She stormed off.

The manageress served us our food herself. While serving us she said that we had ordered incorrectly and said "If we wanted to have the same meal for 6 people we should order one meal for six and not six plates of the same meal as it takes too long to prepare."

I was gobsmacked but managed to say when she returned with the rest of the meal "The waitress should have had the sense to tell us we had ordered incorrectly."

Eventually, after more verbal abuse she left us to eat. The food by now was cold and not

I will certainly vote for the food (duck). It was one of the best in Chinatown UK. However (here comes the bad part)....I was there for a dinner on the first day of Chinese new year 2009 and was having a fried vegetable and also a mix platter of duck and pork with one portion chinese tea and a coke.

Also in the bill was two white rice.Duck and pork is £8.00, Vegetable is £7.00, two white rice is £ 4.40, Chinese tea is £0.50 and coke is £1.80 which i comes to £21.70. It was never stated there is a 10% service charge but i assume they will as most of them does. £21.70 + 2.20 (10%) = £23.90 but i was charged £25.00. Partly my mistake as i did not asked for the details when i pay then bill, but do understand as they are tight with table on that dinner time and i was merely try to get myself out of the way as soon.

Well OK i was overcharged £1.10 which i dont mind giving but what annoys me was that the waitress even have the guts to ask me would like to add any tips to the bill? (I was using my card to pay).Come on this is not an honest way of doing business, imagine if this is done to all the customer.

Not like i am discouraging you people going there, but when you are there and about to pay your bill, JUST check all the items before paying. Have a Happy Chinese Ox Year !!

Excellent food, excellent service and many local chinese people eat there. They say this place has the best roasted duck in the whole London. I loved the place and the food and next time when I'm in London, I'll definitely go to New Four Seasons.