Pan Fried Hake
The Gallery Restaurant At The Swan At Lavenham

The Gallery Restaurant At The Swan At Lavenham

United Kingdom, CO10 9PX, Lavenham

Bars • English • European • Brasseries


"We had to cancel our major holiday so decided to stay in a couple of lovely hotels in the UK and booked this hotel but have been so disappointed, especially the food on offer. One our first night, we went in full of anticipation and very hungry after a six hour drive from the Wirral. The whole meal was the worst one we have ever eaten. The restaurant wasn’t particularly busy but we had to wait a long while for the food to arrive. My asparagus and wild garlic soup was ghastly. It was vibrant green but was overpowered by the garlic and was watery , with no substance, so I sent it right back. I had requested the skate wing in advance as I overheard someone saying there was only one portion left. I wish I hadn’t bothered. It came with a huge pile on cold seaweed , :3 barely cooked halves of potatoes, no leeks and the few buttered shrimps were not buttered. This fish was grey and overcooked and after 2 mouthfuls, I sent it back. My husband’s ‘ torched’ mackerel was cold, overcooked and tasteless and the accompanying vegetables had no dressing at all. He ordered the pork which was a 4 cm round and had to saw through it as it was so tough. Also there were only a few drops of ‘jus’. The restaurant manager was very apologetic and said she would report it back. I went to bed hungry and unhappy. , which was a shame on our anniversary. The breakfast was ok but the sausages were well overcooked and tough and we specified soft fried eggs but they were solid. The adorable Kas apologised and promised soft ones next time. We played safe last night and ordered Theo chicken pies in advance but when they came , one was beef and the poor Manager couldn’t believe it but we ate them as they take 30 minutes to cook. They were very tasty but the gravy was a beef one.!! Surely it’s easy to prepare some chicken gravy. The desserts were nice. We spoke to several other guests who all said they were disappointed in the food. I did speak to James, who’ll is the Manager who told me he had read the report from the dining room. On leaving I was told there was a £5 supplement and £31 for the wine. I would definitely not eat there again. The nicest thing about the restaurant was Kas’s lovely smile and excellent service."

The Library Bar and Grill

The Library Bar and Grill

4a Guildhall Hill Norwich, Norfolk NR2 1JH, United Kingdom

Steak • Mexican • British • Vegetarian


"At six and three quarters, being the oldest person in the room affords a certain air of esteem. One can look down on one’s peers with lofty arrogance informed by world-weary experience. *Tch* and *tut*, my little rugrat friends, what little you know of the world! Kathryn White asked me to sit next to her in assembly yesterday, and I said, like, no way lady! Dude, I’m a P-L-A-Y-A, and ain’t no crazy ho gonna cramp my style – HELL NO!At thirty-three (minus one day), the same does not hold true. First of all, sitting next to Kathryn White does *not* mean I’m going to marry her. Second, propping up the bar at the Mustard Lounge, I fear I may well be old enough to have fathered some of the punters. Third, it’s way past my bedtime.Come the morning, I am not feeling sprightly. By the grace of God, however, I’m not hungover, as such, and can at least mooch into town without too much ado.I’ve been meaning to eat at The Library for a while, but have never managed to arrive in time for lunch. Today, however, I can sit there, warm and fuzzy with smugness, if a little woozy from sleep deprivation and the really high ceiling.The fish options look good, but for reasons self-evident to anyone but vegetarians and teetotallers, the curative properties of the lah-di-dah fry-up seem more appropriate. We both order the hand-cut chips, thick-cut bacon and fried egg: it is triumphant, standing us in good stead for another night of acting half our age.The combination of book-lined shelves and purple décor make the place an ideal location for nerdy goths. Nerdy nerds, however, will despair at the filing of said books, which have been lined up with wanton disregard for any established classification system, happily marrying Bruce Lee with crochet and motor racing with Middlemarch.Such irregularity was echoed in the friendly, if erratic service, and the disappointing dessert. The espresso mousse was relatively feeble, with texture like bread in a swimming pool and a flavour more in line with Revels than tiramisu; frankly, I was more excited by my subsequent trip to the toilet.This not to damn the dish unfairly, however, as The Library’s exquisite toilets are perfect for restroom aficionados, and are surely shortlisted among the finest in Norwich."

The Stamford Public House

The Stamford Public House

The Firs, WA14 2TG, Trafford, United Kingdom

Pub • Vegan • British • Vegetarian


"Considering your post what a shame that your manager chose to shame my girlfriend and I on a recent visit for a meal because we are exempt from wearing masks. On two occasions we told staff we were exempt and had it shouted across the establishment that we need to have a mask on as we waited to be seated. Also then for a member of staff to ask us to wait whilst they ask their manager if we are able to be allowed in. Upon being seated the manager, who I have to add has been great on previous recent visits and always welcoming and friendly, then came over and again asked why we didn 't have masks on and that we needed letters as PROOF and that anyone can claim to be exempt . This was done with zero discretion and in front of other customers. There is no legal obligation to provide proof and that is on the official government website, my girlfriend checked this after the manager walked away. We both felt totally embarrassed to have been asked further in front of other customers and to have to be told we have to provide proof of our exemption. The dealing of the whole situation was disgusting and to be spoken to in such a manner for having an exemption. My girlfriend felt we should have said something after the meal but we chose not to. I fully understand this year is a testing time for everyone and especially the hospitality trade at the moment with curfews also but of all days please show some understanding and awareness that people have good reason to be exempt from wearing a mask and beyond a visible reason. I just hope you are more welcome to future customers regarding the wearing of masks and don 't choose to belittle and shame them in front of other customers. There are several reasons for being exempt of wearing a mask, one being them causing distress and anxiety, with relevance to today and your post, so I hope you can please show more understanding in future."

Highcliff Grill

Highcliff Grill

St. Michael's Road, West Cliff, Bournemouth, United Kingdom, BH2 5DR

Steak • Grill • Lunch • Cheese


"At the bar, drinks were being poured and the girl mentioned that the cocktail would take a while to be brought to the table. There were a total of 9 people in the bar/lounge area with three servers. After 15 minutes, I noticed the bartender folding napkins and asked for the cocktail. He gestured towards the bar where the girl had been standing before serving other customers. The bartender seemed disinterested and gave me a look as if to say, "How dare you ask?" In the restaurant, which had 5 dining tables, my daughter requested a Hendrick's gin and tonic but the server had never heard of it. She suggested a Bombay Sapphire instead, but they were out of that too. My wife asked for black pepper, but the server claimed they only had white pepper in the shaker on the table. Midway through the meal, the restaurant managers ran by and inquired about the missing black pepper. Eventually, a server brought a pepper pot to the table and mentioned that it took so long because they didn't know how to open it, but it turned out to be a pepper grinder. Despite the food being good and the service friendly, the staff seemed to have no idea what they were doing. This particular location, the Marriot Highcliff Hotel in Bournemouth, does not live up to the standards of the Marriot Group. It lacked a sense of responsibility and interest, giving off a poor impression overall. A bizarre and disappointing experience."