Feast Catering and Cafe

DO NOT HIRE FC.... I hired Stephen Bigmore's Feast Catering to prepare a 7 course tasting menu for 35 people to celebrate my husband's 40th birthday. Stephen and I sat together and spoke several times about the details of the party.  The catering was AWFUL!

First, his staff arrived late. I had a house full of guests and NO FOOD. Then when they finally arrived (10 mins AFTER the party began and I had to make calls tracking them down), it took them 20 mins to get the first course out and it was the WRONG course! Clearly all the time I spent with Stephen was for naught.

Next problem was the glasses I had requested they supply (AND I PAID FOR) were "forgotten" so we had to use our own (so much for not having to wash glasses all night).

The fourth problem was they were supposed to pass the courses but just laid them out on the counter. (I paid for a waiter and that's what I get?). Again, the staff was clearly not briefed on the event details. Furthermore, they did not have trays to serve the food so I was interrupted  to find serving trays.

The last straw came several days after the party when Stephen finally called me to "apologize" (read: MAKE EXCUSES). He proceeded to tell me he made the decision to ensure the other event he booked was perfect at the expense of mine. He made no effort to make the situation better. In fact, Stephen ended the call by asking me to drop off  one of the platters they had left behind (couldn't even offer to pick it up!)  

DO NOT HIRE FEAST CATERING. The owner is unprofessional, arrogant and quite frankly, the food isn't all that. What should have been a fun and polished event was stressful and certainly not worth the premium I paid for an alleged "classically trained chef". Stephen and his team need a lot more training and will quickly shaft you for a bigger and better party without hesitation.

Many of the prepared dishes are very good, although pricey. I especially like the grilled portobello mushrooms, the paper thin, perfectly cooked grilled marinated eggplant, and the highly addicting bowtie pasta salad with pignoli nuts and basil.
My favorite lunch here is a roasted red pepper, grilled eggplant, and goat cheese sandwich on a chewy bagette dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
I did have Stephen cater a brunch a few years ago. He made some nice dishes, but the centerpiece was a whole side of poached salmon with dill sauce. It was undercooked, raw in the middle, which is how he insisted that it should be served. Salmon is not like tuna. Cold poached salmon should be cooked through, so that was a disappointment.

Feast Catering fits in perfectly with the whole chic-overpriced-upscale-suburbia that is Westfield. Lovely shopfronts with Lexus SUV's lining the sidewalks...ah, the suburbs.

I originally popped in to Feast to grab a quick sandwich for llunch, and enjoy my sandwich, I did, but my wallet is considerably lighter every time I go in.  First things first- the place is delicious. The Balsamic Chicken Salad, though a bit heavy on the green onion, is amazing on a baguette or (more healthy and a bit less delish- a wheat wrap). The sandwiches are enormous, so you get a fair bit of food for your $6.50-7.50.

The sandwiches are all upscale gourmet-y, including brie and other fancy-pants accoutrement.  There are quite a few vegetarian options, especially in the panini, a daily soup (often not vegetarian), and custom salads (starting just over $5). I'm unimpressed with the custom salads- they're just spinach or field greens with your choice of the standard toppings. I'd rather grab a bowl from the Trader Joe's up the street for far less if I'm doing the salad thing.

One of the highlights is the pre-prepared salads, my favorite being the Three Bean or Mediterranean Orzo. Be warned, though, trying three salads will run you about $8.50.  You can also buy the salads or prepared dishes by weight.

Drinks in the cooler are in keeping with the trendy, including Moby's TeaNY, Boylan, and Jones. There's a definite cafe feel to the place, and the decor is bright and enjoyable.

I had a tough time picking the price bracket, since I can't seem to get out for under $15 for just me, but that's with a sandwich, side of bean salad and a drink. I wish there was a half-sandwich and salad option for us po'folk.