Karen F.
Yelp
My other half and I popped down here for a Sunday evening meal to cheer us up as it was cold at home! Plus we hadn't had a chance to try it out since it was done up as a gastropub, even though it's less than a mile from our house. But after our experience, no matter how close it is, we're not going back again.
The place has been nicely done up, with lots of wood and a range of vintage lampshades hanging around the bar. The place was half full, so we sat down straight away with menus. There were only two waitresses for the whole pub, so it took a while (20 minutes?) till one was able to come over and take our order.
My OH had the duck, and he got the better end of the deal: It was decently cooked, as were the vegetables, with the cavolo nero especially good. But it was nothing special - the combination with the sweet potato accompaniment was a bit weird - and a bit overpriced at 12:50.
My Scottish sirloin roast dinner was even worse value at 13:50. The meat was tough and badly carved, the carrots and parsnips were leathery and the roast potatoes like superballs. None of the promised horseradish, though the waitress did offer to go to the store to get some for me.
All of which might be forgivable at normal pub meal prices - but if you have pretensions to being a gastropub, you've got to deliver.
On the way out, we noticed a pile of roast potatoes and veg sitting under the heat lamps, looking like they'd been there a while - maybe since lunchtime? - which explained why they'd been so awful.
Here are the pluses: the service was affable, the room was pleasant and the tables aren't too close together, so you can talk and hear each other, but not hear our neighbours. But all of that isn't enough to get me there again.