Family Sunday lunch; I had heard good reviews of the set price menu so was looking forward to it. We were going to be four but one dropped out so my daughter called the day before to let them know we would be three. Drinks in the bar first, why is it always so dark in the bar? Nice service and good wine. We let the front desk know when we arrived that we were one less but the maitre d was not informed. It wasn't a problem but poor communication nevertheless. At our table, set for four, we were explained to how the menu works. Soup to start, then the hors d'oeuvre buffet which was plentiful and offered a good choice of meat and fish but not too generous for a vegetarian, one of which we were. We were given a bread basket which had a good choice of different breads and waited for our soup. We waited and waited and...you can guess the rest. My daughter decided to go straight the buffet and we followed suit like good lambs; it was Easter Sunday after all. We enjoyed our cold starter but still no sign of the soup or our waiter. When he finally returned from what must have been his break, he was surprised when we told him we did not get the soup. He said he would go and speak to the chef as he 'did put...Family Sunday lunch; I had heard good reviews of the set price menu so was looking forward to it. We were going to be four but one dropped out so my daughter called the day before to let them know we would be three. Drinks in the bar first, why is it always so dark in the bar? Nice service and good wine. We let the front desk know when we arrived that we were one less but the maitre d was not informed. It wasn't a problem but poor communication nevertheless. At our table, set for four, we were explained to how the menu works. Soup to start, then the hors d'oeuvre buffet which was plentiful and offered a good choice of meat and fish but not too generous for a vegetarian, one of which we were. We were given a bread basket which had a good choice of different breads and waited for our soup. We waited and waited and...you can guess the rest. My daughter decided to go straight the buffet and we followed suit like good lambs; it was Easter Sunday after all. We enjoyed our cold starter but still no sign of the soup or our waiter. When he finally returned from what must have been his break, he was surprised when we told him we did not get the soup. He said he would go and speak to the chef as he 'did put the order in'. He offered to get us some soup but we were past it by then plus our main course had arrived. I had the roast beef which was good along with the vegetables which were also good. My daughter had omelette Arnold Bennet but as they had served it in an iron skillet it continued to cooked so was rather rubbery by the time she had finished. My daughter in law had the vegetarian tagine which she said was nice. The girls had pudding, the creme brûlée was very good but I felt the profiteroles should have had a warm dark chocolate sauce rather than a cold milk one. Overall it was good, the wine is expensive but good and the bloody Mary's are spicy but also very good. I would eat there again as I think it is very good value for the food at £26.50 per head for four courses. It would have been nice to have had an apology for the lack of soup but we ate well anyway. The waiter was very familiar which was fine but I could understand some people would take umbrage to him joining in on the conversation... More
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