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| - This place is more hype than actual substance. I've been a number of times, both pre- and post-renovations. Although aesthetically there are a few (minimal) upgrades to the look and feel of Vendome, the service remains essentially clumsy, with a confusing ordering system, a cluttered blackboard menu difficult to read, unappealing-looking baked goods, average coffee, uninterested staff, and a congested entrance due to customers waiting in a long lineup to order.
In addition, the menu choices are just average for a brunch place, although on the pricy side. For a breakfast for two, consisting of two espresso drinks and two dishes (typically an order of eggs benny, and an order of waffles), we would end up with a $40 bill. Neither the food, the service nor the atmosphere are memorable in any way
The icing on the cake for me was during our last visit on an early Sunday morning, where I decided to stop over to take a tea latte to go before hitting the road. We beat the crowds as the shop was not busy yet, however upon ordering the lineup started building up. As it turns out, I had waited for over 10 minutes for my tea latte and still no sign of my beverage, while orders continued to come out for customers that had ordered after me. Unsurprisingly, they had forgotten about it! I had to ask the barista for it again, and the barista proceeded to prepare my beverage and deliver it in an annoyed manner.
I've given this place enough tries and I fail to find a reason why I should come back. Don't think that will happen, given that there are plenty of wonderful bakeries, coffee shops, and brunch places in the Kensington area alone.
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