Nov
30
Cinetopia Review
November 30, 2006 |
I took some time off from blogging during the Thanksgiving week and finally got around to check out Cinetopia Theaters, a digital projection only, fine dining, and plush seats theater in Vancouver, WA, right across the river from Portland, OR.
After reader reviews like this, I was more than happy to drive a few miles to check this place out. And what a disappointment it was.
We had decided to arrive early, so we could have some food before watching “Happy Feet” (kids movie, but I am sucker for penguins). While the food was fine, but clearly overpriced for the setting which had zero atmosphere (especially with the clearly bored employees hanging out and gossiping at the table next to ours). The hostess had asked if we were seeing a movie, and when. As we had almost an hour and a half before the movie would start, we were expecting a leisurely experience, with a glass of wine and maybe anther drink or so.
The place was somewhat empty (I know why now), with maybe two other tables occupied and a clearly bored, older gentleman, who did not interact with the rest of the staff, playing piano in the background. This could be a nice setting, weren’t it for the industrial feel because of the high ceilings, the exposed entrances to the cinemas in the back, and guys coming out of the theaters to grab more pitchers of beer. Clearly, Cinetopia aims high, but doesn’t reach those heights, which leads to the disappointment being even more severe. The place wants to be intimate, achieves the opposite. Notice how the picture on the left, which is from the Cinetopia website, makes the place look very nice and elegant - just let me tell you - it is not.
Here is what the Cinetopia website has to say:
DINING ROOM
Our dining room seats 128 people and is filled with ambient colored light from sections of floor to ceiling windows interspersed with colored glass. Original works of art form our gallery artists decorate the walls of the room. Customers are able to interact at their tables with a web based virtual touch screen menu. The menu enlightens customers about our food selections, wine list, movie selections and art exhibits.
There were definitely no touch screen menus, and while the picture shows some nice table cloths, we got paper.
Our waitress was what my brother-in-law called “rudely efficient.” Our interactions with her did not go beyond her asking what we wanted and her putting the plates on the table. She was more interested in chatting with her friends than in dealing with us. After ordering, our food arrived within less than five minutes. Freshly prepared food, which is what I expect for a $12-15 per small plate price, is not prepared in a minute or two, and it was pretty tasteless. The bruschetta consisted of three pieces of bread (not good bread, mind you), one with some tomatoes (not good tomatoes), one with some beans, and one with a spread we could not quite hammer down. The stacked shrimp were somewhat okay at best, but cold, the grilled chicken didn’t seem to have been grilled at all, but maybe marinated in a grill flavor, and the calamari were greasy and overcooked/fried (or maybe they had been sogging in the frier for too long).
Dinner was over in about twenty minutes. I did not get to voice my opinion about the food to the waitress, because she never asked. I admit that I gave a meager tip (10%), which prompted her to to show the receipt to her colleagues and point at us. Great beginning of the night.
We decided to cruise the neighborhood until the movie began. The theater was fine - nothing spectacular. The clarity of digital is always appreciated, just a shame that one of the speaker crackled throughout the movie. The seats were fine, but not spectacular (at least, no better or possibly even worse than those in an recently opened or renovated cinema I have been in).
My overall verdict: if you really want to see a movie in digital projection, by all means go, just skip the food and drinks. Just buy your tickets, see the movie and leave.
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I hear ya pal!! I will not give my name, but I will just say this…I use to work at that theater, and it is not worth your time or money to go there. If you want to see a movie bad enough, any Regal theater will have it (and for cheaper). If it is the “digital” aspect you are looking for, again…Regal theaters in that area are now starting to get digital projectors. The reason the staff members looked bored, is because they get treated like S*#*T, and hate their job. That theater only hires “good looking” snob types…and tell them that they will be tipped well. BUT they never train in proper customer service. My thoughts, are to just go to Regal. They will at least treat better…and won’t over charge you (well not nearly as much).
I have to admit I had high expectations when I went to Cinetopia for the first time, and they weren’t quite met.
The sound was great. I can say that.
We were the only people in the theatre — is that good or does that just mean there’s no energy and you may as well watch on a big screen at home?
Anyway, I have to agree that the restaurant ambience needs to be made more separate from the theatre itself. It’s like a romantic house that’s cozy when you face one corner, but when you turn around you’re facing a highway.
The first disappointment was that unless you’re without kids, you’re stuck with a theatre that is no more special than any other theatre. Why bother driving all that way? The theatres you *read* about, that get all the press, are adult only. We felt cheated.
Worse, we left a cell phone behind. When we called, they said they’d found it, and to come pick it up. So my fiance drove the thirty minutes from our suburb south of Portland, said she was there to pick up the phone — and was told they didn’t have it, and never had.
It beggars belief to think they did not have it originally and erroneously claimed they did, but that’s pretty irresponsible customer service. And if they did have it and suddenly didn’t, it was either lost or stolen.
In any event, they refused to pay for the $50 phone they’d likely lost or stolen. The customer isn’t always right.
Bottom line: why bother?
I’m in total agreement with you. My girlfriend, sister and I went to see a movie tonight, and when we got into the theater we saw that there were no seats left together. We left and asked for our money back and they stated that there policy was to only give re-admit passes. I asked where the sign was that stated that and informed there customers what they were buying and they said its “standard Policy” I told them how Regal has never ever denied me my money back when the experience was bad and the Manager, some fella named X (name edited by admin), Laughed at me. And called me a liar. I mean seriously? Where do they get there customer service training at? Rediculous experience and I’m not done dealing with it by far. I’ll be talking to the general manager and if I have to the owner. I’ve already got e-mails to the Columbian and Oregonian out as well.
Me and my wife decided to try this place….we arrived at 7 pm for dinner and waited over 45 minutes for our food which was COLD!! We got up and left and will never return.