Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 8:57 am Post subject: "Goodyear" Stars - Our Restaurant Reviews
For the last two New Year's Eve, one of my resolutions has been to make more of an effort to go out to dinner with my loved ones and try out more of the local hostelries. I'm failing miserably but here's a couple of reviews for local restaurants that I have managed to visit! Feel free to include your own reviews or suggestions for great restaurants/cafes in the local environs. _________________ When you wish upon a falling star, your dreams can come true. Unless it's really a meteorite hurtling to the Earth which will destroy all life. If so, you're pretty much doomed no matter what you wish for. Unless it's death by meteor.
My friend and I enjoyed a girlie lunch at the Mulberry Tree; now this was last year but the carpark is still busy and it's difficult to get a table so it must still be good!
The bar was very busy and all the tables were taken so we ended up sitting on the leather coach in the bay window. It was a warm sunny day so there were even customers at the tables in the garden, although there was plenty of room in the restaurant (which is non-smoking).
After much perusing of the menu, my friend decided on the steak burger accompanied by wedges and salad and I ordered the Mediterranean Vegetable Tagliatelle.
Both dishes arrived quickly (considering how busy they were) and were very well presented by attentive staff. The steak burger was large and juicy in a Foccacia bun. There were only five potato wedges but these were quite large, skin-on and dusted with a coating of spice. The rocket salad had a balsamic vinegar dressing and was fresh and crispy. I understand that it was all delicious but can only vouch for the quality of the wedges myself as I stole one from her plate when she wasn’t looking!
My Tagliatelle was also enjoyable; the vegetables and pasta were cooked to perfection and blended well with the tomato sauce which was light but full of flavour. I also had a salad as a garnish to my pasta which consisted of beetroot strips and rocket together with some slices of gorgeous sun-dried tomato bread.
Everything seemed home-made and certainly tasted that way. This was the usual excellent standard of the Mulberry Tree.
Down to the nitty-gritty.... price. We spent £19.85 on the above two dishes with four tall soft drinks. With the quality of the food and surroundings, it was well worth the money. A pleasant way to while away the afternoon; the sun streaming through the window onto our sofa. Although there were plenty of smokers around us, the air-conditioning must be up to scratch because it didn’t pervade the bar.
My tip? Don’t eat Tagliatelle on the sofa; it ends up on your shoes! _________________ When you wish upon a falling star, your dreams can come true. Unless it's really a meteorite hurtling to the Earth which will destroy all life. If so, you're pretty much doomed no matter what you wish for. Unless it's death by meteor.
I had the pleasure of trying out the Royal Garden with my family shortly after it's opening last year to celebrate my Hubbie's birthday. I would definitely recommend booking as it is quite popular. There is parking for several cars to the rear of the building but you can park on Church Street and wander across the road if it's full.
The decor is "contemporary asian" with plenty of tables and waiting staff who took our coats and showed us to our table. After taking our drinks order and giving us time to peruse the menu, we ordered the mixed hors d'oeuvre which were quick to arrive. Each of us got to try one of the delicious morsels on offer and a bowl of lemon water was provided to rinse our sticky fingers.
A word of warning, however; if some members of your party refuse the crispy duck course, still order enough for all of you. Trust me, when it arrives they won't be able to resist and will stare at it longingly with puppy-dog eyes until you give in!
All of the food arrived promptly and was delicious, with much sharing of dishes going on as we each proclaimed our main course as the best! Don't worry if you find that the wooden rice spoons throw rice everywhere, it's the spoon shape at fault and nothing to do with your lack of dexterity or the amount of alcohol consumed. Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Before we left that evening, I booked another table to coincide with some friends visiting a couple of weeks later. Again the food was delicious and the restuarant busy. However, the little touches seemed to be missing (taking your coat and the finger bowls) and there was quite a wait for all of the courses. The staff were just as attentive but there seemed to be less of them. We weren't in any particular hurry but even we noticed the delay and it is for this reason alone that I've marked it down to a 4 out of 5.
I notice that they introduced a lunch-time buffet and I look forward to trying this soon.
EDIT: to update with the following....
I've been back a couple of times since the above review. Once for the regular restaurant meal and once for the "All-you-can-eat" Buffet on Sunday and Monday nights. The little touches were back for both evenings; opening the door for you, finger bowls etc. and the food was outstanding yet again! I've amended their score accordingly.
The "All You Can Eat" Buffet is very popular, if the evening of my visit was anything to go by. The Buffet nights are held on a Sunday and Monday night only and the menu is different. You get three courses; roughly 30 starters, Crispy Duck pancakes for middle course and about 30 main course options to choose from. More than enough to keep anyone happy. Be aware; there are some rules involved in this "All you can Eat" malarky and these are printed on the back of the menu. You can only order a certain amount of dishes in one go and you have to finish what you've ordered before you can order more from that course. Perfectly reasonable as I can't stand to see food wasted. Deserts, Coffees and of course drinks are extra. It was about £14 per adult and well worth it but make sure you go hungry to make it real value for money!
TIP: I didn't notice it but apparently there is a gratuity already added to the bill for larger parties so don't go leave a further tip! Check your bill before opening your purse again! _________________ When you wish upon a falling star, your dreams can come true. Unless it's really a meteorite hurtling to the Earth which will destroy all life. If so, you're pretty much doomed no matter what you wish for. Unless it's death by meteor.
Last edited by Angua on Thu Jun 22, 2006 4:16 pm; edited 2 times in total
Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 11:14 am Post subject: Woo Hoo! " 'm orrff ow' "
Be prepared for some more restaurant reviews, I've got a hectic weekend after a serious period of "eating-out" drought.
Has nobody else partaken of Norfolk Hostelries?
EDIT: to add.....
Anyone tried Sherbourne House recently? I understand it's been taken over. I think I'll give it a try.
Sherbourne House. _________________ When you wish upon a falling star, your dreams can come true. Unless it's really a meteorite hurtling to the Earth which will destroy all life. If so, you're pretty much doomed no matter what you wish for. Unless it's death by meteor.
Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 4:44 pm Post subject: The Stag - Stars? TBA
The Stag, London Road, Attleborough, Norfolk, NR17 1AY
Tel: 01953 455202
Situated at the end of London Road near the A11 roundabout.
Now, I've visited the Stag many times. The carvery is always good; the veg can be a little on the raw side of al dente but that's the norm' for this type of fare. There's always a good selection with plenty of choices for those who don't fancy roast meat or meat at all! I've never been disappointed with the à la carte either. Always cooked well, innovative, attractive etc. etc. A good place to go but I'd definitely recommend you book as it's very popular.
However, my last visit was a little marred by the attitude of the staff. We had a small issue with our meal; the very new Waitress dealt with it well - offered to replace it, apologised and would inform Chef etc. etc. Superb, matter dealt with, we were happy. THEN a more seasoned waitress came over and asked about the problem and you could just tell that she wasn't in the best of moods. Having explained the problem again (and it wasn't much of a problem, just a niggle that we thought they might appreciate being aware of), her attitude was very much "well it's always been like that and it's your problem" which immediately put my back up! This is not the first time that I've noticed a little "Delusion of Grandeur" from the staff at the Stag so I'd like to pass on the following....
Having waitressed myself for many years, I know that customers can be bloody annoying with their little foibles etc but they are paying your wages. Be civil and remember your tips! Don't take your attitude out into the restaurant even if you disagree with the patron. Simply offer to replace or deduct the cost from the bill and pass the information on to the chef. There will be problems, it can not be helped and it's not up to you to "defend" the Restaurant's honour. Just represent it in a professional manner and your skill and the quality of the food will do the rest.
...and this is a perfect example of how staff attitude can mar a reputation. I've had many good meals at the Stag but I will always remember that last visit most of all because it spoiled a lovely night. I'll go again but I'll leave my "scoring" until such time as the usual excellant quality of the food has caused me to forget that particular staff member's behaviour. _________________ When you wish upon a falling star, your dreams can come true. Unless it's really a meteorite hurtling to the Earth which will destroy all life. If so, you're pretty much doomed no matter what you wish for. Unless it's death by meteor.
What restaurant chains do not ask if you have a criminal history?
I just got my bartender license and I want to land a job at a chain restaurant, but many of them ask about criminal history. I have a criminal charge from when I was 18. Does anyone know of restaurants that don't ask about criminal history? _________________ i need help
I would imagine most employers run background checks for potential new hires. I didn't think you were required to have a license to bartend in the UK! _________________ Site Admin
Attleborough Have Your Say.
attleborough_forum@yahoo.co.uk
My friend and I enjoyed a girlie lunch at the Mulberry Tree; now this was last year but the carpark is still busy and it's difficult to get a table so it must still be good!
The bar was very busy and all the tables were taken so we ended up sitting on the leather coach in the bay window. It was a warm sunny day so there were even customers at the tables in the garden, although there was plenty of room in the restaurant (which is non-smoking).
After much perusing of the menu, my friend decided on the steak burger accompanied by wedges and salad and I ordered the Mediterranean Vegetable Tagliatelle.
Both dishes arrived quickly (considering how busy they were) and were very well presented by attentive staff. The steak burger was large and juicy in a Foccacia bun. There were only five potato wedges but these were quite large, skin-on and dusted with a coating of spice. The rocket salad had a balsamic vinegar dressing and was fresh and crispy. I understand that it was all delicious but can only vouch for the quality of the wedges myself as I stole one from her plate when she wasn’t looking!
My Tagliatelle was also enjoyable; the vegetables and pasta were cooked to perfection and blended well with the tomato sauce which was light but full of flavour. I also had a salad as a garnish to my pasta which consisted of beetroot strips and rocket together with some slices of gorgeous sun-dried tomato bread.
Everything seemed home-made and certainly tasted that way. This was the usual excellent standard of the Mulberry Tree.
Down to the nitty-gritty.... price. We spent £19.85 on the above two dishes with four tall soft drinks. With the quality of the food and surroundings, it was well worth the money. A pleasant way to while away the afternoon; the sun streaming through the window onto our sofa. Although there were plenty of smokers around us, the air-conditioning must be up to scratch because it didn’t pervade the bar.
My tip? Don’t eat Tagliatelle on the sofa; it ends up on your shoes!
Had a superb bar meal there a couple of weeks ago. Brilliant food and excellent, friendly service. Having dinner there tonight for our wedding anniversary (just moved into the Town), so will write a review afterwards! _________________ Biggles The Aviator
Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 4:17 pm Post subject: Re: The Stag - Stars? TBA
The Stag is a place my wife and i have used for some time and at times taken our friends when on a visit to the area. However our last visit to the Stag last year put us off for life.
We have used the carvery which we have found very good, so for a change we decided to use the bar meals one afternoon, this was the mistake.
My wife found human hair in her plate of what looked quite nice order, the food was cold, both our plates looked real unclean, i made a complaint to the waitress she inturn asked the head waitress to talk to us, we told her about of issues, with a very small sorry explianing the plates were not dirty but because of the use of a dish washer the plates become damaged, i explained if this was the case then they should invest in new plates, My wife was offered a refund on her meal only, with this kind of disappointment we have decided to give the Stag a no go area, each and every one we speak to we tell the same.
If only they had been a little more thoughtful, we may have gotten over the issue, as it is they have lost what we would concider valued custom.
My wife has done waitressing Dolphin house at Diss and also worked behind the bar at Garboldisham Fox, She tells me she would have been sacked for that kind of attitude.
Shame really as we did like the carvery there, but pride stands in the way...
Last edited by Tony on Thu Oct 22, 2009 9:04 pm; edited 5 times in total
Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 6:16 pm Post subject: EATING AT THE STAG
Have to say, we ate at The Stag once around mid-Sep....and never again will we cross the threshold. Awful food, poorly cooked, badly presented and over-priced. The staff were rude and treated us as an inconvenience, and beyond that didn't know their own menu. We were as glad to leave as we felt they were to see the back of us!
Hopeless, inept effort. Lots of other much better venues! _________________ Biggles The Aviator
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