WERE YOU BORN IN A TENT

Tuesday, 8 October 2013

SPICE INDIAN RESTAURANT

Nambatu Area, Port Villa, Efate, Vanuatu

Visited: 21st September 2013

Design: Well I am very excited to be reviewing my first International door in Port Villa Vanuatu. Like a beacon drawing you in from the dark dusty streets of Port Villa, the Spice Indian Restaurant door glows a magnificent violet from its flashing neon OPEN sign. As we were guided into a parking bay out the front of the restaurant by three shady characters sitting in the dark I was surprised to find one of these guys was a security guard for the premises who actually opened the door for us. An unexpected gesture I was not expecting. Framed in a navy blue aluminium, the single panel glass doors are simplistic in their design. The thing that lifted the mundane to a level of personal was the small chime that hung on the inside of the door, ringing gently as the new customers entered. The door had a stainless steel tube handle that felt nice in the hand, with a manual close. The subconscious is hit with a WELCOME mat that you don't tend to notice on your way in, a subtle touch. Being in a tropical area this door had the flexibility of by-folding panels to allow the doors to be opened up and the breeze to flow through on those hot humid nights.

Door resistance: 1

Closure mechanism: Manual

Draft: Minimal

Squeak level: 0

Change return time: 35 sec

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PROFESSIONAL DOOR REVIEWER

Searching the world for the perfect door to eat behind.

First impressions are always important, especially for a restaurant or cafe. So many people are focusing on the food these days that I felt there was a hole in the reviews world. No one was looking at the most important thing, THE DOOR! Everyone complains when it is left open, death stares are exchange when the unsuspecting group of friends having a fun night enter the premises from the cold only to walk straight in and go straight to their table totally oblivious they have left the door wide open to allow an arctic strength gale force wind to cut through the previously warm interior. Like a scene from a western film where everyone in the premises stops what they are doing and cuts down the new comers with a deathly stare. Occasionally you will get the confident diner who gets up, walks across the restaurant and closes the door with a BANG! Just to let the new comers know they have done wrong and to NEVER, EVER DO IT AGAIN!!!!! This individual makes their way back to the table staring at the newcomers, just to make sure they got the message. The only problem is, is that 5 minutes later another group come in and do the same thing and he/she feels obliged to continually do this for the rest of the night.

Well hopefully this blog puts a light on the owners of these establishments and encourages them to lift their game and create doors that allow diners to sit and enjoy their meal, to give the diner an experience before they enter the building. It is also a thank you to the makers of quality doors who care about craftsmanship.

I have developed a scoring system based on,

DESIGN:

This is assessed by the materials the door is made from, whether the door is themed, cluttered or minimal and whether there is an element of surprise or not.

DOOR RESISTANCE: 1 to 5

1 = light push

5 = heavy push

CLOSURE MECHANISM: Manual, automatic or

hydraulic arm

DRAFT: Minimal, medium or high

SQUEAK LEVEL: 0 up to 5

0 = No squeak

5 = Ear piercing

Then the last assessment is the,

CHANGE RETURN TIME:

This is the amount of time it takes to get my change once I have given the waiter the money for the bill. Last impressions are always just as important as first.