Suman Suman
The Artichoke

The Artichoke

Rattington Street, Canterbury, United Kingdom

Pub • Steak • Vegan • British


"Awful experience that my family and I went through at the The Artichoke pub in Chartham that resulted in plates being physically snatched (from behind our backs) out of the hands of a mother who was breast feeding at the time all whilst a four year old was watching!!! The actions of the staff were absolutely disgraceful, despicable and rude. Initially everything was fine and we were greeted warmly and were made comfortable with our seating. The atmosphere was warm and friendly which makes it all the more surprising how events unfolded. The issue started when our main course was brought to the table. It was my daughter who noticed that her dinner was incredibly cold (we all had variations of the roast) and after checking I felt that all 4 meals were cold. Some elements had some warmth but most were cold to the point it would have been unpleasant to eat. The gravy was lukewarm on one side but cold on another plus the plates were cold, potatoes hard and meats very dry. My issue isn’t one with the food rather how it was dealt with by the staff as I would expect that the standard process would be for a customer to inform a member of the team and for a replacement to be offered with an apology. We had waited a while for the food (we were told that it was being plated up long before it arrived which is why I think it was cold) but when I let Chelsea know that it was cold it took an awfully long time for another member of staff to attend to “deal with it,” whilst she playfully chatted with another table. Given that we have young children who need to get to bed we did need to get on. A lady, Holly Millin I think, eventually came over and was extremely curt and sharp which felt very much out of place as no complaint had been made. She did offer to replace or to cancel the meal with no charge. We accepted the former as the latter would have meant that our daughter would have gone without dinner when we needed to get her home ready for school but it made us feel very undervalued to the point that we were being inconvenient. I did ask the lady that I was surprised that food could be brought out without checking and she said that food is probed and that plates are hot enough to burn your skin. This didn’t help offer an explanation as to why ours were cold but I didn’t press any further. After the replacement meals were brought out Chelsea asked if everything was okay and I said that the food was indeed warm but I was surprised that we weren’t offered an apology because the state of the initial meals was entirely unacceptable – I was simply shocked by her brazen reply of “I am sorry that you feel that way” which we took to be very condescending and sarcastic. After this interaction I looked at my wife with incredulity and perhaps let out a nervous laugh. Chelsea must have overheard my reaction to her sarcasm and reported to her manager that we laughed at her (which we hadn’t). At which point the manager came over and without warning snatched our plates whilst stating that we had laughed at Chelsea which we hadn’t. My wife was breast feeding at that time that Holly leant over her to snatch her barely started dinner. Holly then proceeded to physically grab the plate away from my mother-in-law who had no idea the lady was behind her – she had her cutlery in her hands and was chewing! My mother-in-law also does not speak English and had no idea what was happening. How can reporting a cold meal be escalated to this level? From initially nice service to plate snatching. This certainly is not normal behaviour for any human. We still cannot believe what happened. Today my daughter is still upset as she witnessed an altercation by a lady she did not know and my wife is shocked that a person could be physically aggressive whilst she was breast feeding a baby – anything could have happened if the plate would have hit his head. Be warned something is not right with these people..."

Brownlow Inn

Brownlow Inn

Brownlow Heath Lane, CW12 4TH, Cheshire East, United Kingdom

Pubs • Full • Steak • Lunch


"Wow!!! It has been many years since my last meal at the Brownlow. My late wife Dee and I used to dine here regularly. After her passing, I spent a lot of time working in Sub-Equatorial Africa, providing water to remote areas. Now that I am back in Congleton, some of my neighbors decided to take me out for a birthday lunch, and to my surprise, they chose the Brownlow. I was a bit apprehensive, as the restaurant held so many wonderful memories for me. However, from the moment I walked in, any doubts I had were quickly dispelled. The warm greeting and smile at the reception desk set the tone for the rest of our dining experience. We were promptly seated with menus in hand, and our pre-meal drinks (a perfectly chilled Pinot) arrived with efficiency. The professionalism displayed in serving our meals was commendable and something that is often lacking in other restaurants. The presentation of our dishes was impeccable, and the quality of the food was evident in the clean plates at the end of our meal. I have always believed that people eat with their eyes first, and even those who prioritize presentation would be pleased with the artistry on display here. I will have no problem recommending the Brownlow to my family and friends in the future. The whole team's friendly and welcoming demeanor made for a pleasant dining experience. Special thanks to Simon, the chef, for a job well done - you definitely deserve a raise! I am already looking forward to my next visit. Thank you for a memorable meal. Norman A Dean."