We eat quite often at The Wellington - mainly for lunch but occasionally for supper. It's our local and has pretty good service on the whole...
On a whim on 18th January, I rang about a late Sunday lunch, and booked a table after being told it was lamb. But on arrival, just before our 3pm booking, we were told 'the lamb had gone 20 minutes ago'. A quick consultation: "Roast beef?" As a precaution, I added "Rare, please."
Two plates arrived but they were well-cooked. I sent mine back. Twice. I then asked if I could have a couple of entrees since the lamb had gone and they had no rare beef.
The entrees were whitebait and Thai fish cakes, served together on one plate. The waitress, who knows her job backwards, said the salad was 'on the house'. I thanked her but said there was enough on the entree plate. She smiled and took it away.
As we finished our meals, the manageress came over. "What didn't you like and what did you like?" she said agressively. We looked at her in silence. After all, we've been going there for food for a long time and, mainly, it's fairly good. In fact, the pub generally has a cheerful atmosphere.
"The beef," she said, staring hard at me, "is cooked in the morning, sliced up, and put into gravy. Then it's heated up again." She added, "If you want lamb, you have to say, 'Please save two orders for us... A lack of communication." Well, now we know.
When M. Bleu went to the bill to pay the bill, our diminutive manageress with attitude, said: "I don't know who your friend is..."
Ma'am, just a li'l old journalist and travel writer who's been doing reviews for 50 years and never been treated in such an unwelcome way before. By the way, the glasses were dirty. We sent those back, too. And alas, e-cigarettes are allowed in the bar, which is also where people - including us - often choose to have their meals. Eccch.
A tip: Monday nights are for £10 rib or sirloin steaks. They do them rare, if you want them that way. And with loads of really good chips and decent salad. The Wellington is the only local place I know that will happily give you an olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing for your salad if all those little sachets with GM products aren't your style. read more
