Royal Bengal Restaurant in Cambridge
313 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02139
Phone: 617-491-1988
http://www.bengalicafe.com/
After enjoying lunch at the
Middlesex Lounge in Cambridge, my friends and I saw Royal Bengal, a restaurant right next door. We noticed this restaurant is not wheelchair accessible, due to a small step in front of the entry door.
My friend Tony went inside to see if there was another entrance. When he came out he told me that they do not have another entrance but all the employees offered to help get me inside. I was very impressed with the sensitivity and kindness of these employees!!
I give The Royal Bengal Restaurant ZERO STARS for wheelchair accessibility. In order to earn any Stars, they would first need to replace the step with a sloped cement threshold.
May 13th, 2009 at 11:26 am
‘In order to earn any Stars, they would first need to replace the step with a sloped cement threshold.’
Shame on them, sooooooo easy to sort. If their food is anything like the takaway I had last night they can forget cement, the food would have been harder!
May 13th, 2009 at 11:55 pm
Wow. Do you have any idea how much it costs to build a cement slope? Try like $500. If you had gone about 45 feet down the sidewalk you would have noticed I put a piece of plywood on the curb with a handicapped logo on it so that people who need wheelchair access can get into the restaurant.
I would be more than happy to make the renovations to the sidewalk at your expense if your willing. But otherwise i will woefully have to leave handicapped people to their own devices. Perhaps you should buy a wheelchair that can climb stairs? Makes more sense than having all restaurants have to change their sidewalks. Know what i mean?
Let me know i’d love to work something out.
Thank You,
Bengal Mgmt.
May 14th, 2009 at 10:53 am
Wow is right- but to Royal Bengal, who is apparently only “royal” as in “royally arrogant, and unfit to serve the public.” Based upon their comments, I’ll be checking out that piece of plywood ASAP and filing a complaint if there is even a hair over one-quarter of an inch of a transition gap between it and the pedestrian pathway to it- which had better be an accessible route. As for their establishment’s barriers, which begin with the step in front of their only entrance, it’s clear that the Royal Bengal’s main barrier is not the mere $500 it would cost for them to take in everyone’s business- but rather, their utterly disdainful attitude towards learning something new.
This restaurant doesn’t have an auspicious future.
May 14th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Addressing the Bengal Mgmt comment…Did you honestly mean in order for a disabled person to patrionize your eating establishment first they must pay to have a concrete ramp put in place? INCREDIBLE. This is a non disabled person that will never cross your threshold!
May 14th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
It is interesting to read what the management of this restaurant considers appropriate accessibility. A piece of plywood 45 FEET away from the door of the restaurant? If there is in fact a piece of plywood that can accommodate a wheelchair (has that been tested?) how come the restaurant staff is not aware of it, or a sign to let people know? I would not think to look 45 feet away from the door! It seems like the only thing this restaurant has going for it is the staff offering to help get the wheelchair over the step who show a lot more respect than the management.
May 14th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
Hello Royal Bengal Mgmt.,
FIRST, we must say there was NO piece of plywood on the curb with a handicapped logo on it.
SECONDLY, your comment was totally INAPPROPRIATE & RUDE!! Obviously you do not care to make your restaurant accessible to all, nor do you care about obstacles disABLED face. We suggest you take a lesson from the very kind and sensitive employees who offered to help carry Kenny’s wheelchair up the step.
THIRDLY, in August of 2008, City of Cambridge, ‘Commissions for Persons with Disabilities’ informed all businesses about the requirement to remove architectural barriers that prevent Individuals with Disabilities from gaining access to their facility. The removal of the single step into the entrance of Royal Bengal Restaurant is “Readily Achievable”; therefore it needs to be done by the owner and at the cost of the owner!!!
Sincerely,
Kenny & co
May 14th, 2009 at 10:54 pm
Thank You For Your Response Kenny,
I am sorry that we could not work anything out, I’ve made sure to let my staff know that leaving the restaurant for any reason is unacceptable. I am sure you understand, that had they helped you and something happened that there could be legal liabilities on the Royal Bengal.
Otherwise i have fixed the slope situation in front of our restaurant.
I would also like to say that you were correct, it seems as though the plywood was leaned against the wall by someone and was obviously denying access to handicapped people.
But i am happy say that i have personally rectified the whole situation by placing a new plywood plank in our back entrance (by the kitchen, down the alley, past the green dumpster, and around the pot hole) and have put up a sign as well as informed my staff on how to direct those of the handicapped persuasion to a segregated back entrance away from the public eye.
I did this because as you may or may not be aware, Cambridge has a very large percentage of slopephobics (people who are actuely afraid of the geographical features of slopes) which are currently a large portion of our business here at the Royal Bengal.
As i know your aware, i am running a business and sometimes people are not treated fairly, but that is just how it is. At the moment my restaurant is making more money from slopephobic customers than from those of a handicapped persuasion.
At this moment there is nothing i am willing to do based simply on business terms. But i would be willing to see what else i can do if you can drum up some handicapped business for me (please email me advertising prices as well).
I hope this helped,
Let me know.
Manager, Qin Povo
(617) 491-1988
May 15th, 2009 at 10:07 am
Hello Royal Bengals Manager, Qin Povo,
I find your comments RUDE, OFFENSIVE and IGNORANT!
Obviously you don’t understand that Kenny & co strive for EQUAL ACCESS. Obviously you don’t understand what Equal Access is.
Equal Access is NOT creating a segregated handicap back entrance away from the public eye.
Equal Access is NOT ‘placing a new plywood plank in your back entrance (by the kitchen, down the alley, past the green dumpster, and around the pot hole).
Equal Access is replacing your “readily achievable” one step with a sloped threshold.
In August of 2008, City of Cambridge Commission for Persons with Disabilities sent a letter to all businesses in Cambridge; informing them of the March 3, 2008 amendment the city council passed. You can read the letter at http://www.cambridgema.gov/CityOfCambridge_Content/documents/ordinance.pdf
The amendment REQUIRES places of public accommodation to remove structural barriers that impede access by people with disabilities, when it is “readily achievable” to do so. Your one step entry is considered ‘readily achievable”.
We have placed a call to the office of Commission for Persons with Disabilities and asked that they take a look at your segregated handicap entrance to your back door.
Sincerely,
Kenny & co
May 15th, 2009 at 10:15 am
How generous you are! The “handicapped” get a private segregated tour with the view of the alley and the dumpster! I think that you as the Manager deserve “five stars” for being the “trop grand le cric arse” ever!
May 15th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Before everybody gets too angry with this restaurant manager, you might want to call and make sure that the person posting on this blog really is associated with the restaurant. The tone of the posts is awfully suspicious, to my mind. Of course the restaurant should be fixing the step out front, but those posts look like troll activity.
May 15th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
… I would be more than happy to make the renovations to the sidewalk at your expense if your willing. But otherwise i will woefully have to leave handicapped people to their own devices. Perhaps you should buy a wheelchair that can climb stairs? Makes more sense than having all restaurants have to change their sidewalks….
I am truly stunned by your ignorance and blatant disregard for your disabled customers let alone your obvious ‘could not give a toss’ attitude to the ADA. Expecting ALL wheelchair users to have step climbers to enter your building to GIVE YOU money is like expecting all your non-disabled customers to bring their own chairs but then again Qin Povo, you are obviously so tight that you probably would try that one if you thought you could get away from it.
What I find more surprising is your obvious lack of intelligence and business sense, you see, when the likes of Kenny go out to eat, he like myself does not go alone, in fact last week I went to an ‘accessible’ restaurant with 7 friends and spent a great deal of money and I shall no doubt be going again very soon. That’s just me, one customer, its really not rocket science.
If you truly think it ok to prevent disabled people from using your services, why not try putting a sign up saying ‘no disabled’ and chance your arm with the ADA but then go that bit further and put up another saying ‘no blacks’ see how long you are in business then!
Whatever way you paint it My Povo it is discrimination with a capital D and I for one will laugh the day that this all turns around and bites you and your business.
Now you have so kindly corrected the few dollar hardboard ramp into your property and made all us disabled people so humbly grateful for eternity, I make one last suggestion, any future wheelchair users should visit your so called restaurant, not to eat but to check the ADA compliance of:
Royal Bengal Restaurant in Cambridge.
A: the ramp gradient and overall compliance.
B: WC facilities for the disabled (fine tooth comb suggested)
C: counter heights, hearing loop etc etc etc
Oh and when done let’s take a peek at Health and Safety, food preparation standards, fire regulation etc.
You see Mr P, we do have a voice and it’s one in great numbers!
May 15th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Hi Jessamyn,
Kenny & co believe the rude comments posted by Royal Bengals Mgmt may have been posted by someone associated with the restaurant.
Yet we are NOT sure. We looked at our Administrative site we saw that there is a difference in the emails and IP’s.
The first comment posted is: Royal Bengal Mgmt. | Cbaker@gmail.com | IP: 69.72.194.26.
The seond comment posted is: Royal Bengals Mgmt. | RBengals@gmail.com | IP: 208.77.19.51.
We don’t know what “troll activity” is??
If you discover the comments posted were definitely not from the manager of the restaurant, please let us know.
Today, Kenny filed a complaint with Cambridge Commission for Persons with Disabilities and Cambridge Human Rights Commission.
Thank you.
Kenny & co
May 21st, 2009 at 6:40 pm
Kenny & Co are extremely grateful that the Cambridge Commission for Persons with Disabilities and Cambridge Human Rights Commission has taken Kenny’s complaint very seriously.
Michael J. Muehe, Executive Director/ADA Coordinator, Cambridge Commission for Persons with Disabilities visited the Royal Bengal to look around and took some pictures. The pictures are posted online at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/30991499@N03/sets/72157618498933243/.
In the photographs labeled “plywood” you will see a staff person from the restaurant, who brought out a piece of plywood to serve as an impromptu ramp. Mr. Muehe pointed out to him that a piece of plywood placed over a step is not an adequate substitute for an actual ramp. He demonstrated how the plywood shifted dangerously when a wheelchair tried to go up it, and that the plywood had an unsafe lip at the top and bottom, all of which made it unsuitable for use as an actual ramp.
Also, you’ll notice a series of photographs of the back entrance. In addition to the potholes, dumpsters and broken glass, the back entrance was completely blocked by automobiles. There was no ramp (plywood or otherwise) at the back entrance, just a single step.
SADLY, I now believe that the nasty comments posted on my review were not made by someone Trolling. I believe the comments may have been made by someone who knows this restaurant very well for they knew about the plywood, dumpster, pot holes & entrance in the back.
My THANKS to Cambridge Commission for Persons with Disabilities and Cambridge Human Rights Commission for taking my complaint seriously.
I wish all Cities and Towns would pass an Ordinance Amendment like Cambridge.
Sincerely,
Kenny & Co