This is by far my worst dining experience in Austin. Ararat offers a strange combination of Iranian, Lebanese, Armenian and Indian food. The food itself is very straighforward if not a bit bland. Any attempt to add a bit of taste, like chilli, you will be charged 1$ more per meal. The portions were too tiny too.\r
\r
Worse than the food is the service. I have never been treated this way in a restaurant. The staff are extremely rude and are always pushing customers around. They do not have a clue about the food they serve or how they should do it. The setting is terrible: wanting to play on the ""exoticism"" of the ""orient"" the restaurant ends up seating customers on rocky unstable chairs and benches. Some chairs even had nails sticking out ! \r
\r
We were a party of 11 and we chose the group/family meal which amounts to 25$/person. The waiter said that this included tip and gratutities to the bellydancer. But at the end of our meal we were cornered into paying the bellydancer for the lousy job she did. Dancing to techno music with unshaven armpits, she was a dancing disaster. \r
\r
When it was time to pay, we were charged for 12 people instead, the owners/waiters thought about cashing 25$ extra. And then the desert came. It was really rediculous with tiny tiny portions or what is supposed to be Halva and other unidentifiable sweets. I really couldn't wait to be out of this place. \r
\r
Avoid Ararat by all means. The rude service and the bad quality of food is really not worth any cent you pay at this place.
more