Highly disappointing!
Having heard a lot about this place as being one of the best "gastro-pubs" in the area, we were expecting good things so well in advance for Sunday lunch / birthday celebration 8 adults and two small children. As we had a vegan with us, we asked if he could be accomodated and were specifically told, it wouldn't be a problem.
We were shown to a large table in a decent room at the back of the restaurant which didn't have the ambiance of the rest of the place but thankfully, we didn't have to get the singer either. I was a bit perturbed to see office style chairs in this area (yet not in the main part) and this didn't really give it a great look.
The waitress came to take our orders and had never heard of a vegan ... when we explained, she stated that all that was available was on the menu, despite the fact we'd been assured that something could be arranged. The owner came out and although apologetic, she just passed the buck claiming she didn't know who took that call and on Sunday's nothing could be done - all she could offer him were a salad and some vegtables. When I stated that any chef could knock up a vegan dish without a problem (erm, stir fry? roast tomatoes with pasta? mashed potatoes with roast veggies? couscous? .... ) she said they were unwilling to do that on a Sunday. It was extremely annoying.
As a gastro-pub I was expecting something a little out of the ordinary and maybe other days they do but even on something as traditional as Sunday lunch, there are ways of making it that little bit special. Starters on the table were potted shrimp (tasty), prawn cocktail (70's style in rose sauce ... tasty and good portion, a wild garlic soup, goats cheese salad and black pudding and bacon salad. These were the only choices and these could have been knocked up by just about anywhere. There was nothing wrong with them, they just were just a bit pedestrian. Our vegan got a small salad which was basically just 2 cherry tomatoes and some leaves with dressing. How hard would it have been to excite this some?
From taking our order, it too about 15 mins for the starters which was fair enough but after clearing our plates it took another 40 mins for the main courses to come which is far too long for lunch. Again the menu was rather dull with 4 types of meat (lamb, beef, belly of pork and chicken), fish pie and wild mushroom mac and cheese (yaaaawn) - just about the easiest menu that could be prepared and everything in advance.
Lunch was actually fairly good apart from the dull fish pie (one type of fish and shrimp) in which they forgot to serve the side salad and bread until asked. A huge bowl of well prepared boiled veggies and cauliflower cheese as sides. I have no idea why this would take so long as every dish would have been prepared in advance and could have been put out a lot faster. Our vegan got a bowl of veggies - EXACTLY the same veggies that were in our big bowl and which we had a lot left.
Service was very average over all. The girls serving have not had proper training for somewhere that is trying to be on the higher end (reflected in the prices, table clothes, cloth napkins, etc.).
The bill came and for the vegan's salad and the bowl of veggies, they charged £9 !!! Considering that they had made the mistake and were unable to correct it, the very least the owner could have done was to comp that (we could have simply skipped his meal and fed him from our plates!)
Overall we were all very disappointed and feel that this place can only be "resting on it's laurels" if it gives this little attention to it's customers. Well these are 8 customers, that are unlikely to return. read more