restaurant review #362 – Well, most of the times it’s good! Sometimes it’s not so good …
Ludo is a vegan restaurant in the city center of Ghent, near the Vrijdagsmarkt. I was eager to go check out this place, it’s always fun to discover new vegan places! We were here at the end of December 2022 on a Saturday for lunch.
When we came in, we had no idea whether we should wait at the counter or could take a seat. We stood at the counter and staff completely ignored us. No hello, no welcome, nothing (yes, they saw us coming in!). I asked, and was told we should order at the bar. So we took a menu to our table to choose. Then ordered at the bar.
The table was very dirty with smears of food and crumbs (also on the floor) with several plates and dishes from previous patrons. Although there were only a handful of patrons in the restaurant and plenty of free tables (so not busy). We made some room ourselves by assembling it and putting to the side.
After ordering, it took more than half an hour for food to come. For only two sandwiches! Meanwhile nobody came to clear the tables, so I just went and asked a dish rag to at least clean the table myself.
We had two ciabattas: regina and pikachu (7€ each), potato wedges on the side (7€) and a soup (6,5€). First we got the sandwiches, the soup wasn’t even ready yet by that time (not warm yet we were told), it arrived 10 minutes later, when our sandwiches were nearly finished. If it wasn’t for the fact that we had already had to pay (when ordering) we would have cancelled the soup by then.
Food was OK-ish, although many potato wedges were not properly cooked and the soup didn’t taste like much.
The restaurant is not accessible. Steps to get in, steps to toilets downstairs, didn’t see an accessible toilet. Toilets were very shabby, with pieces coming of the wall, mold and broken flush. So small one can hardly take off pants to sit. Nothing to dry one’s hands after washing.
The positive is we had a table overlooking the canal (looking through dirty windows though).
When we left, we walked past the counter. Staff completely ignored us again, looking down even. No goodbye, nothing.
It all felt so unwelcoming, shabby and dirty 😦 If I would have come here with non-vegan friends, it would have left a poor impression of veganism on them … 😕 Don’t think we will visit again.
It’s very rare that I rate a place 2 stars (on Happy Cow), and even more rare for a vegan place, which I want to support and wish to do well! 💚 See also my post: A critical note about a vegan place? Don’t you dare!. But this times, the cons largely outweighed the pros.
This was such a disappointing experience.😓
LUDO , location
Meerseniersstraat 16
9000 Gent
website: didn’t find a website
FB: https://www.facebook.com/ludokafe
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See my lists of restaurants where vegans are welcome in the menu section of The Bruges vegan! List restaurants in Bruges and outside Bruges.
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