The Falcon Inn, St Mawgan, Newquay, Cornwall.
Wednesday Night. September 2007.
This was a very disappointing experience.
This was a pub whose food had been recommended by an acquaintance. So we opted to visit as we were staying in Porth, which is quite close.
We had not booked, but turned up at 8 o'clock. A table was available.
My starter was 'Home Made' Tomato Soup, which was acceptable, but which had a bit of a suspicious 'Heinz' taste to it, and, as usual, they were tight-fisted with the bread - although this is not the only restaurant guilty of this offence.
My Main Course was 'Beer Battered' Cod and chips. I was given the smallest piece of cod you could imagine. This small piece of Cod was dwarfed by the amount of batter around it. This miniscule piece of cod had also been cooked to within an inch of its life, and was consequently overcooked and tasteless, with no hint of a Beer taste to the Batter. A most disappointing meal.
My partner ordered the Squid starter, followed by a Red Mullet main course, which was fine, but was served with not only a portion of Rice, but also some chips! A bizarre combination...and no vegetables of any description.
My other dining companion had the Garlic Bread starter, followed by the Haddock, which was also brutally overcooked, but at least he had what you could actually call a serving.
What was also annoying was the fact that, even though it was only a little after 9, and we were still eating our meal, the staff were busying themselves laying out the tables for the next morning's breakfast. I thought this was downright rude.
The whole experience was less than good.
Their website boasts an AA 4 Diamond with dining award, an AA award for the Best Seafood Pub, and is apparently listed in Egon Ronay's Good Pub guide.
On the evidence of my experience, I would suggest the inspector calls again pretty soon and takes a closer look.
The Glasshouse, Sidbury, Worcester.
Saturday night. April 2007.
This was our first visit to the recently opened Glasshouse. Word was that this is the best restaurant in Worcester. The opening had been accompanied by a great deal of publicity, but we had decided to give it a few months for the dust to settle before our first visit.
We visited on the last saturday night in april. I had booked a table some five days in advance, and at the time of booking, was asked for my mobile phone number, which i duly provided. On the Saturday morning, i received a text confirmation / reminder of my reservation.
Our table for two was in the middle of the large upstairs dining room. There were very few empty seats. We had a bottle of mineral water @ £2.90, and a goats cheese starter (very rich) @ £7.00 ea. I had a mains Of Black Bream @ £14.00, which was reasonable, although I thought the dressing a little strong for the fish. My wife had the Monkfish @ £17.00, and had no complaints. We followed this with the (calorie rich) Chocolate Pithivier @ £6.00 ea. This was a accompanied by a very good £27 bottle of Sancerre.
Overall, the food was very good. The only thing that would make me think twice about going here again is the Dining Room itself. It is called the Glasshouse, and sure enough there is a lot of glass and mirrors in the room. The problem is that all these hard surfaces do nothing to soften the the sounds generated by all the diners. Consequently, quiet conversation is very difficult, and I would certainly not recommend The Glasshouse for romantics who want a quiet candlelit evening. Is The Glasshouse the best restaurant in Worcester at the moment? Probably the best of an average bunch.
Red Hart Inn, Awre, Blakeney, Glos.
March2005
Mothers Day Lunch, 3 courses, £23 per head.
Dining accommodation. 7/10. Our table was near the only window in the dining room and subsequently had the best aspect. Unfortunately the adjacent 2-person table was so close that it was necessary to sit shoulder to shoulder with one of the diners at that table. No table cloth.
Food and Wine. 8/10. Cheese Souffle Starter ok. Fish, Beef and Chicken all ok. Presentation only average. Vegetables very average. Dessert ok. Wine ok, if a bit short on character (Argentine Chardonnay).
Service & Waiting. 7/10. Only two staff (no aprons) were waiting in the restaurant, and couldn't quite keep on top of things when it got a little busier. We waited, but ultimately had to ask for the Dessert menu. Neither was aware whether we had ordered our desserts or coffees from the other. Also, empty glasses were not removed within an appropriate time.
Other facilities. 5/10. The Male toilet looks like it hasn't been decorated for several years and needs a good clean/renovation. Apparently, the Female facilities were more acceptable.
Overall. Must try harder. Some areas need more effort to justify price tag for food. Yes, would go again (but only if spending less on meal).
Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire.
August 2003. Sunday lunch at Ostrich Inn, Newland, Coleford. Establishment badly in need of some attention - in more ways than one. Needs a good clean. Accumulated dirt on the back of the chair left a mark on my shirt. Service average. Food choice limited. Poor quality overall.
Crediton
April 2003. Stayed at Libbetts Cottage Bed and Breakfast, Crediton. Only one double room is available here. Mrs Venn cooks breakfast to order at a time of your choice. Garage available for your car. Good value accommodation.
April 2003. Sunday lunch at New Inn, Coleford, Crediton. Good setting. Good food. Good value.
Dorset
Christmas and New Year of 2002/03.
We stayed at the Yalbury Cottage, at Lower Bockhampton, Dorchester. Although this establishment has been awarded Five Diamonds for Quality by the AA, RAC and English Tourist Board, there is still room for improvement. It is, however, well located for Thomas Hardy fans who will find many places of interest within easy reach.
Dorchester was a real disappointment. The town is bustling during the day, but dead at night. Good Indian restaurant at the top of the town. Ordinary Chinese restaurant at bottom of town.
Sherborne is well worth a visit. The town has a bustling market-town feel to it. The antique shops are scattered around the town. There were approximately 16 antique shops when we visited. A map is available showing the locations of the shops. This is useful as they are scattered all over the town. Visit the teashop for a Sherborne Stodger (really!). The Abbey is worth a visit (especially if you are doing Bechinoe family research).
Shaftesbury has little to recommend it - apart from a visit to the Hovis Hill (Gold Hill).
We also went to an antiques centre called Antiques for All at Blandford Forum. Although quite large, there is not much more to see here than at the average flea-market. Don't go out of your way to visit.
There is an antiques and collectables shop on the sea-front at Lyme Regis that is worth mentioning mainly because it is much larger inside than it at first appears. Although it is unlikely that you will discover any hidden treasures, it is worth a visit if you're in the area. Everybody should visit Lyme Regis at some time.
R.Phillips, Worcester, UK.
