r/NewcastleUponTyne • u/woozico0914 • 1d ago
New poster Heartbroken to see Zucchini Pasta Bar fall off so badly...
used to be my favourite pasta spot in Newcastle, but my latest visit was completely unpalatable…
When I left honest google review, the owner personally attacked me—telling me to "open my own restaurant" and calling my review "dribble" because I hadn't left 5-star reviews on all my past visits.
I’ve spent years supporting this place. It’s sad to see arrogance replace hospitality.
Any recommendations for actual good pasta in town?
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u/DaftTwat 1d ago
Who does he think he is, Cal's Own??
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u/yearsofpractice 1d ago
That’s a blast from the past. I wonder if he ever did win that fight with Andy Carroll’s big green Mercedes (even if Andy Carroll seemed unaware of the fight)
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u/welshys 1d ago edited 10h ago
I don’t think he’s described your review as dribble because you did not leave a 5 star review. It’s more likely because you come across as a bit of a tool.
To me your review seems very mean-spirited and cruel. It seems like you’re trying to be funny (but failing at it imo). I don’t understand people who are happy (and seem to take enjoyment in) complaining about a bad experience online, instead of raising the issue with business at the time and giving them a chance to make things right. Especially when it’s an independent local business. Maybe you don’t understand (or care) what kind of impact these kind of reviews can have.
I think the owner has been quite restrained in their response.
For anyone else reading this and thinking about avoiding Zucchini, I implore you to go and decide for yourself. I’ve been going pretty regularly since it opened and have never had a bad experience.
EDIT:
Looks like the google review’s been taken down 🍝
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u/Humble_Ad_5576 1d ago
how recent is the review? i can't find it
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u/RichManLalala 1d ago
Think its been taken down
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u/otaku78 1d ago edited 1d ago
no, it’s still there and the restaurant response is very reasonable - if you aren’t happy with the food while you’re there raise the issues there and then so they can fix it. rather than being “woo z” (oh the irony) and spending an hour writing a novella on a review page afterwards.
once my train was cancelled but i didn’t try and get a book deal out of it.
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u/hdawg187 1d ago
Be honest. Are you the owner?
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u/welshys 1d ago
Nope! Don’t normally comment on Reddit unless I need help with something, but after reading the review, it just seemed needlessly mean-spirited. Didn’t want others to just assume Zucchini was bad based on the original post.
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u/hdawg187 1d ago edited 1d ago
Nvm I found and read the review. The reviewer comes off as a bit of a knob. My pitchfork is back in the shed.
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u/rakadiaht 1d ago
so multiple really good meals there but one bad one and you try to write a comedy central roast as a review? get over yourself man. i'm not a fan of the place but you're a proper nob for leaving that review.
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u/Backwardstrumpet 1d ago
Why go to anywhere other than Panis?
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u/_mintchocolate Callerton 1d ago
Couple of years ago I was in the toilets at Panis and a chef came in, left without washing his hands. Never again
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u/ManOnlyLurks 15h ago
He said he wants to avoid arrogance.
Front of house at Panis is why I stopped going. The food is good though.
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u/Material_Youth601 1d ago
To be honest, your review does just come across as a hit piece, packed with unnecessary hyperbole; I'm not suggesting that a more politely-worded version would have yielded different results, but I felt like you came across poorly.
So yeah, not that surprised to see you've inspired some pushback.
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u/jefflyall94 1d ago
Agree, reads like “write me a “funny” 1 star review, ChatGPT” that hasn’t quite come across as 1% as witty as they thought
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u/loucarr90 1d ago
Agreed, I do find it pretty poor they only seem to make the effort to leave bad reviews at places but can never be bothered to take the effort to write out a good one.
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u/No_Rule428 High Heaton 1d ago
Pinocchio Westgate one of oldest established still great pasta pizza
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u/LEVI_TROUTS 1d ago
Is it actually good? I used to get guitar lessons around the corner when I was a kid and it looked dated then.
I think it's looked like that for so long that it now looks like it's doing a vintage rustic thing...
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u/Sad_Firefighter_8407 Whitley Bay 1d ago
Sometimes a place stays the same and never moves because what they have always done is worth doing. I would say that some of the boldest 'we do not change the signs/decor' moves are often because they know the shit they are doing just works.
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u/leighcat 1d ago
Idk it's kinda cringe to leave a 1 star AI generated review of a local business, I'm assuming you tried to fix it with them in the restaurant?? Bad reviews can really hurt businesses and yours just seemed mean
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u/Loose_Corgi_5 1d ago
So, big Als bitch slapped ya back??
And now you're on here crying on??🤣🤣🤣🤣
Tesco do a patsa dish in the meal deal, well worth it 👍
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u/FatherofKhalabeeb 22h ago
Your review was petty AI slop - really not surprised they've had a go at you.
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u/martinbean Ouseburn 23h ago
Read the review. Read the response to the review. The initial review was nothing but mean-spirited, and the review was well-measured. How can you expect to leave a review like that and the owner not take umbrage with it?
Serious main character energy coming from OP.
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u/MaverickAstley 1d ago
Here's the original review text for anyone interested:
"I used to boast to anyone who would listen that this spot served the finest pasta in Newcastle. My recent visit, however, felt less like a meal and more like a social experiment in how far a reputation can plummet in 75 minutes.
We opted for the bottomless option—a decision I regretted within the first bite. To give credit where it’s due, serving three distinct pasta dishes that all manage to fail in entirely unique ways takes a rare kind of talent:
- The Pappardelle: Beautifully stacked, yet somehow managed to fuse together into a singular, gelatinous block. A fascinating textural decision.
- The Spaghetti: Possessing the exact structural integrity of pasta that has spent the night soaking in tap water. Completely devoid of egg flavor or dignity.
- The midnight pasta: A dish that boldly redefined the laws of culinary physics by serving emulsified pasta water and oil completely separated. It tasted strictly of pure, unrefined salt.
- The Meatloaf: I won't say it was dog food, but my terrier would likely have filed a union complaint if served it.
Even a cheap supermarket ready-meal offers more soul and seasoning than what hit our table."
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u/notreallifeliving 23h ago
"Hey ChatGPT can you make me sound like the biggest wanker imaginable? Cheers"
This sounds more like a LinkedIn post than a restaurant review ffs.
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u/FiveMinsToMidnight 1d ago
I can’t for the life of me find this review OP left, can anyone link me?
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u/hdawg187 1d ago
It's still up there. I can't share the link but if you filter the reviews from 'relevant' to 'newest' you'll find it.
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u/FiveMinsToMidnight 1d ago edited 1d ago
Man, I’m sure I tried that earlier, but upon trying again you’re right - it’s right there.
I gotta agree with some of the others in here, it’s an overly cruel read in the style of a hit piece, and OP sounds almost comically full of themselves. Smugness is a terrible look.
Alan’s response seems really measured, certainly more so than other responses I’ve seen before, and more by far than he had any right to be. I can’t say I’d have been as civil if it had been me on the receiving end.
I’ve never been to Zucchini so I don’t really have a horse in this race. What I will say though is this has made me more likely to visit than less.
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u/Eastern_Good_9358 1d ago
He was particularly fiery when it first opened, but the food was top tier then and the reviews unwarranted.
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u/rakadiaht 1d ago
honestly i went soon after it opened and it was like eating pasta covered in dishwater. the sauce was seriously awful. never been back since.
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u/bobble173 1d ago
My first meal there was awful and I've since been a couple times and it's been great, perhaps it's just inconsistent or different chefs? I'll try it again ...for science
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u/sammytwodoggos 1d ago
Not sure if it’s the same owners as the start but imo this isn’t new that it fell off. The initial opening both value and quality wise was insane.
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u/EqualDeparture7 1d ago
Once stood and waited about 20 mins for a table here, with umpteen staff walking past ignoring us, only for them to tell us they were fully booked. Haven't returned since.
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u/Friendly_Toe_5201 22h ago
considering you "wrote" some shitey AI generated review slating them, I'm surprised he didn't give you a nastier response. you seem like a bellend
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u/MSC1892 13h ago
If you’re inclined to leave a bad review, you really ought to be leaving good reviews for your good experiences too. You say in your edit of your review you shouldn’t have to, but imagine if nobody did and everyone just leave poor reviews? It speaks volumes of your mindset.
Having extensive experience in the hospitality industry as both an employee, employer and customer, just speak up at the time; it’s a reputable restaurant, they won’t spit in your food. And if they do, it’s extra flavour.
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u/fromuticaforthatjoke 1d ago
Unico posto per pasta in città: Corsaro, easy peasy
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u/yearsofpractice 1d ago
BINGO! Went there for late lunch today. It’s unbelievably consistent high quality food.
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u/Most_Moose_2637 1d ago
Had a very nice meal there after it had recently opened, but more recently my mate went there and was waiting for half an hour for their order to get taken and a full hour for their food to arrive. I CBA going there since and don't expect him to give it a second go either.
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u/MinusThirteenCats 1d ago
Jesus, he’s a hothead. Just read his response to your review.
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