grey goose rochford essex restaurant butternut squash curry

 We visited this new restaurant/bar on 31st January 2012, just two months after it opened. The front door leads you into a bare looking bar that smells new but has no atmosphere. There are a few tables downstairs for dining, but the main restaurant is upstairs in an open plan design. The evening was admittedly very cold outside, but it wasn’t because of that that we felt far from cosy inside. There are no pictures, no flowers, no ornaments of any kinds, just a plain walled design with not the best wooden beamed ceiling in an open plan design. The lights were not particularly cosy either, as they are too bright individually although the overall restaurant was not and at least they have candles. I mention this because I believe a lot of money was spent on this new restaurant/bar and I just couldn’t see it.Down to the food, it was very disappointing, and we left hungry even after 2 courses each.

To start we had the prawn cocktail with wasabi prawns – little prawns, a load of mayonnaise with a little wasabi taste, a little bread and some lettuce, just plonked on the plate. The lemon wasn’t even trimmed with pips and pith still on it – just a messy slice basically. It was edible but not tasty.

Please click on the photos and use the back button in your internet explorer to come back to this page…

We also had the duck starter which was delicious! A torn up confit duck leg, on lettuce, in a carefully sliced cucumber basket, with a beautiful cooked plum sauce with crisp apple slices. A wonderful starter with the taste of the Chinese crispy aromatic duck, but better. This left us encouraged, but it was the last nice thing we tried unfortunately.

Overall, the menu is basic – steak and chips, fish and chips, lamb and veg, chicken with rice and salad, salmon. I wasn’t overally inspired, but I chose the baked butternut squash curry with coriander rice.

The curry, although a nice warm heat of spices, was too strong and lacked in any depth of flavour. The rice didn’t taste of coriander at all, and was just an overcooked slab of rice on the plate. No finesse in serving at all – you will see by the photos. It didn’t even come with a raitha, a naan, a popodum or anything and for £10.95 and being unable to eat more than half of it, it was terrible.

Michael had the Pan-fried calves liver, crispy pancetta, creamed potatoes in a red wine jus. The jus was bland and watery, there was a huge amount of liver, which is fine of course but he couldn’t eat it all. The mash was tasteless – not buttery, not seasoned, just mashed up potatoes with no creamy texture. And not enough pancetta for the liver he said. He only ate half of it which is unusual for him. The veg that arrived with it all was new potatoes, a load of cauliflower and some steamed courgette – not what you’d want with liver and mash – bland and not seasoned or buttered.

We didn’t stay for a dessert, even though we were still hungry. We went to Marks and Spencer and got a profiterole stack and ate it at home, which was nice.

The wine list is basic, but we had the Borolo which was lovely, but weren’t there long enough to even drink it all.

We were asked if we enjoyed the main once it was cleared away but not before, and we said we didn’t enjoy it and it was ‘average’ We were told that she would tell the chef to try better next time! So we didn’t bother to explain what was wrong.  Although, the service was very pleasant, so I have no issue with that.  Just that the normal process would be to ask us mid meal if we are enjoying it, but we were not asked.  Having worked in Hotel and catering, and eating out a lot, I do notice these things.

To be honest we could eat much better in a café for £5!

Will not return. We went as a treat, and wished we hadn’t. They need to sort the food out if they are to charge the a la carte prices they do, that is for sure.  Our bill just for 2 courses was £35.50 (JUST FOR FOOD) and it wasnt worth it.

Date of visit: 31st January 2012

Ambience out of 5: 1

Service out of 5: 3

Food out of 5: 1

Value for money out of 5: 0

www.thegreygooserochford.co.uk

7-9 East Street

Rochford

Essex

SS4 1DB

Tel: 01702 544797

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But, tonight we walked in without a booking and after looking at her paper reservation list, the manager, who I do not remember seeing before, told us that we could not sit in the restaurant as we requested as they were fully booked for the evening.  So, we sat in the bar area, although we did not want to.  I got chilly, as the bar area was not too warm and the door is located nearby.  We asked for sparkling water, ice and lemon and she left the unopened bottle on the table for us to pour, which is poor in a restaurant of that nature.

We ordered wine and our first two courses, which sounded lovely.  I got my camera out ready to photograph our food for a new up to date review I was going to write for the restaurant.  Then, three people walked in without a booking and asked if they could have a table.  Again, the manager looked at her reservation list and proceeded to seat them in the restaurant with a smile.

We decided to question her as to why she did not give us a table in the restaurant as we had asked and she had no answer or apology.  I found her attitude incredible since she is in customer services and bizarre that she had no reason to act in this way.  Michael challenged her again and paid for the bottle of wine which we’d barely touched.   She charged full restaurant price and walked off again with no explanation or apology.  We were very upset at this poor service.  And after giving them such lovely reviews in the past, and having been there so many times, it was an insult.  I know from my previous years in the hotel and restaurant industry that keeping customers happy is the key to getting paid and making money.

Those of you who know my site and my writing will know that I do not complain very often, but when I do feel the need I do so as I feel I should share the bad as well as the good and I dont like it when people are treated differently for no reason.  I still cannot believe Michael paid for the wine, because I would not have since it was her rudness that caused us to leave.  (we have since had feedback from a number of people and everyone bar one person would have left the restaurant, not paid for the wine and not gone back.   I have also since emailed the restaurant and they didnt even bother to reply or apologise – it says it all!)

Anyway it all ended very happily as I then suggested we go to one of our local favourites, the Roslin Hotel in Thorpe Bay, for dinner.  We had a fabulous meal – prawn cocktail and salmon fishcakes to start, whole grilled plaice and fish pie for main and profiteroles and apple and plum crumble for dessert, all washed down with a bottle of Sancerre – gorgeous!  The staff are so friendly there since they sorted out their staff issues a long time ago, so I knew that they would not let us down.  I took photos so will post a new review for them soon.  The Roslin and Harrions in Hockley are our current favourites local to Southend on sea, for that British/European style food and the Masa in Hadleigh and Saffron Lounge in Hamlet Court Road are favourites for indian.  For thai, I still like the Rak Chang and, of course, Irmas for a pizza.  I have so many more favourites, but I will not go on…  Apart from saying that the thai massage place in Leigh on sea is fabulous!  Overall favourites when looking further afield, it has to be the Ivy in London and Chapter one in Kent.  There are so many great restaurants in Britain and abroad, thankfully!

Sandra

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We dined there for Sunday lunch on our first day there, and dinner on the second, and apart from my prawn spaghetti starter, it was all very good. (the dish was too salty and I was a little disappointed that the waitress didn’t ask me why I had left it uneaten)  Actually, the breakfast was not as fabulous as I had expected either.

(photos to follow soon…)  It is owned by Jamie Oliver’s Mum and Dad, and apparently much of their vegetable ingredients come from his organic garden, so that is a nice touch and I have to say all vegetables we were served were fresh, delicious and held their flavour like only organic veg can.

The rooms are comfortable, with tea and coffee facilities and a telephone, but they only thing was that, when I required something from reception, they never answered, so I had to go out in the cold, along the road to the pub (the rooms are in a separate building) to speak with them. I was met with a ‘Well we are busy in the restaurant as you can see and I have to look after our diners first!’ when I told them I had been trying to call, which I found a little rude, since we were staying and eating with them and were customers too!

It still wouldn’t put me off though, and, as we had to leave at 5am to catch a flight on our last morning, we asked for a sandwich as we wouldn’t be having breakfast and they did make us a ham sandwich, which was handy, as there was nowhere else to get breakfast on the way. The weekend over, on Mondy the staff were friendly and attentive, and it was a much better service and atmosphere than the weekend, when it seemed chaotic and the staff were not as good as the food and restaurant deserve.  I think we had about 3 waiting staff on Sunday lunch and I think they would benefit by allocating tables to waiters/waitresses.  I used to work in the hotel/dining arena and that would be my tip.  Overall, our stay and dining experiences were pleasant.

It is in easy reach of Stanstead airport and I would recommend it as a great alternative to an airport hotel. It is rather expensive for the quality of room, but no more than you would pay at an airport hotel. We spent one day in Cambridge, and it was not too far to the park and ride, making it very easy to get into the town centre. It would be worth staying there for the food alone, but there’s lots to do in the local area, since it is close to Saffron Walden, many sights in North Essex, and the M11.

Date of visit: December 2010

My marks out of 10: (10 being the highest)

Food – 8

Service – 6

Atmosphere – 8

Value for money – 8

The Cricketers, Clavering, Nr Saffron Walden, Essex CB11 4QT

Telephone: 01799 550442

Fax: 01799 550882

Email: info@thecricketers.co.uk

Website: http://www.thecricketers.co.uk

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Peldon Rose Essex seafood risotto

This cosy pub/restaurant was a warm, friendly place to go in late September, and the service was very efficient, but the food variable. The menu consists of British favourites, plus some other more exotic choices, for those who like a change – great if you go here regularly.

We started with a fabulous seafood risotto, made simply with olive oil and herbs, and we were very impressed at the way the chef gave this dish flavour, yet allowed the full taste of each seafood item in the dish come through.

Michael’s steak was one of the best we have tasted – real good quality with bags of flavour, and cooked perfectly to our ‘medium/rare’ taste. That was the best of it though, as the corn was bland, chips were cold and cooked in fat that seemed as though it hadn’t been changed for a long time – a very pungent oil that really was awful – and he didn’t eat them at all.

My chicken in a creamy mushroom sauce was nice, without blowing me away, although the chicken had a fantastic flavour by itself and

had been cooked very well indeed – soft and moist.

The desserts were a disappointment. A bland trifle and a chocolate cake type dish with meringue over the top, which needed some sort of sauce or something to finish it off.

The wine list is varied and good value, but we didn’t feel that we had value for money with the food.  Judging by the long length of time this place has been going and my partner’s recommendations from his past visits, so I would not put anyone off going here – it may well have been just a bad day and a one off.

Date of visit: September 2010

My marks out of 10: (10 being the highest)

Food – 5

Service – 7

Atmosphere – 7

Value for money – 6

The Peldon Rose – www.thepeldonrose.co.uk

Peldon, Colchester

Essex

CO5 7QJ

Reservations 01206 735 248

General Manager dean.cole@thepeldonrose.co.uk

General Enquiries enquiries@thepeldonrose.co.uk

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The atmosphere was great as well as the food. To start I had the ‘Grilled wild tiger prawn piri piri, flat bread & salad’ It was all great, except that I got something more like a ciabatta rather than a flatbread, but it was all delicious and the prawns were large and mosit. Michael had the ‘Pressed pork belly & spanish foie gras terrine with pickled mushroom, apple compote &sour dough toast’ which he enoyed.

For mains, I chose the ‘Pan roasted lamb rump with kohlrabi turnip puree, puy lentil, baby spinach and red currant jus’ and I will be back to have that again. The lamb was cooked beautifully, just as I had asked, and the flavour fantastic. All the accompaniments were just right and the whole dish was lovely. Michael had the ‘Zabrano beef bourginogne, braised cabbage, pearl onions,butternut squash, candied pancetta & red wine’ which he enjoyed, but he said he preferred my dish. I did try his though, and the beef was tender and sauce very good and I would recommend it if you fancy that sort of dish.

I will be back again now, and I am so pleased that they have now sorted out the staffing issues as it is a great restaurant to dine in and the chefs have always been excellent, together with the use of fresh, quality ingredients. The prices do reflect this.

(I will add the photos from our meal soon…)

Restaurant name

Zabranos

Date of visit

March 2010

Website address

www.zabrano.co.uk

Restaurant telephone

01702 476999

Restaurant address

127, Leigh Rd, Leigh-On-Sea, Essex SS9 1JQ

Service Charge included?

No

Average price per person for 3 course meal, excluding drinks

moderate (£20-£30)

How many dined?

2

Value for money rating?

8/10

Atmosphere Quality rating?

8/10

Service Quality rating?

8/10

Food Quality rating

8/10

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I am not overly keen on queuing for food, but when it is busy, the food is at its best. I tend to check for condiments and sauces before I queue and ask for more if they are running out, so that I have a fresh supply by the time I get to the end of the queue with my food, otherwise it can be quite frustrating, but it is the same with all carvery restaurants. I find the Toby to have the best selection of vegetables, a better quality of meat and the best deals. They also tend to have hotter, fresher food than others.

I went to the Toby Carvery at Southend on Sea (the Bell) which was ok, but I prefer the ambience and food of the Toby at the Wickford restaurant (The Thomas Kemble, Runwell Village). The staff there are really good too – friendly and helpful.

The best part of the carvery is the price. In the day (before 7pm) it is just £5.25. However, when it goes up to £7.50 in the evenings, I would say it was average, as for a couple of pounds more, one can get a very good meal served to them by a waitress in another restaurant. It depends what you want, but the drinks are good value, so this is great for the budget.

I have been during 2009/2010 and 2011 and it remains the same!

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Compasses at Pattiswick interior

Whilst on an Essex road trip, we decided to try out one of the North Essex restaurants on our wish list, and chose the ‘Compasses at Pattiswick’. This really was a good choice and we will be back again! The restaurant and bars are spread across a large area, so you can choose where to eat depending on what mood you are in. The bar is cosy and smart, the restaurant nicely laid out with comfortable chairs and a couple of tables in the middle bar, where the shop is set up. We ate in there as the fire was roaring and the restaurant area was pretty busy.

For pre-starters there is a choice of some delicacies like garlic bread, ham, olives etc, and we asked them to do a small platter which was no problem at all, so we had ham, salamis. Garlic bread, olives and sun dried tomatoes. Delicious! Next we had the pea soup, and I have to say, for a plain pea soup you just could not get better – beautifully seasoned!

See more of the review below these photographs of the restaurant (click on them to open and use the back button of your browser to come back to this page)……

For the mains, Michael chose from the blackboard, a steak and kidney pie served with seasonal vegetables. I had the sea bas on chervil crushed potatoes with watercress and red pepper salsa. All freshly prepared and impressive.

Just to finish the meal we had a lovely cappuccino and shared a sticky toffee pudding as there was not too much room left for much more food. I highly recommend this pudding and it is the best stick toffee that I have ever had.

The service throughout was very good – professional, yet friendly and warm, and they also helped me to get online with their wireless internet connection, so this is a good spot for business lunches too.

If you like wine, then the wine list will not disappoint, with a full range for all tastes.

Restaurant name

The Compasses at Pattiswick

Date of visit

December 2009

Website address

http://www.thegreatpubcompany.co.uk/thecompasses/index.htm

Restaurant telephone

01376 561322

Restaurant address

The Compasses at Pattiswick, Compasses Road, Pattiswick, Essex, CM77 8BG

Service Charge included?

No

Average price per person for 3 course meal, excluding drinks

moderate (£20-£30)

How many dined?

2

Value for money rating?

8/10

Atmosphere Quality rating?

8/10

Service Quality rating?

9/10

Food Quality rating

9/10

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plaice with pea casserole pipe of port southend

This is a candle-lit Wine Bar with mahogany tables and sawdust covered floors. It is set our like a cellar and is very cosy – an unusual find in Southend on Sea. I wouldn’t say it is over comfortable, as the wooden seating is basic, but there are booth type seats for a little more privacy and it is cosy in a way.

The wine list there is extensive and to suit all tastes, but the service was mediocre, and unfortunately the food was not fabulous.

I had a potato and leek soup to start, which was rather good, and Michael had the prawns in lemon and garlic, and he enjoyed those, although it was a small portion for the price.

For mains I had pan fried plaice with a pea casserole and new potatoes. I thoroughly enjoyed it but Michael’s pork belly and casserole was not of the same standard. The pork belly was not soft enough and the casserole lacked flavour in every way – a very bland meal that we could not recommend. However if you like fish, then the prawns and plaice were really good and I would thoroughly recommend them.

Restaurant name

Pipe of Port

Date of visit

October 2009

Website address

www.pipeofport.com

Restaurant telephone

01702 614606

Restaurant address

84, High St, Southend-On-Sea, Essex SS1 1JN

Restaurant E-mail address

info@pipeofport.com

Service Charge included?

No

Average price per person for 3 course meal, excluding drinks

moderate (£20-£30)

How many dined?

2

Value for money rating?

6/10

Atmosphere Quality rating?

6/10

Service Quality rating?

6/10

Food Quality rating

6/10

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The restaurant area is rambling, cosy and comfortable and the staff are friendly and efficient. We were in a rush to eat, and they accommodated us well.

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Hall Farm in Essex

My brother took me here for breakfast and I am glad he did. It was a sunny day so we sat outside with the views across the fields – very pleasant! It was great for my young nephew, as it is enclosed my fences, so he could run around and play. We had a late breakfast consisting of 2 egg, 2 bacon, 2 sausages, flat mushroom and grilled tomato, and it was delicious – all fresh and quality ingredients. I took a peek at some of the lunches other diners had, and they looked really good, so if I am in the area again, I will certainly drop in for a meal.

In the front area, they have pigs and guinea pigs so nice for children, and a shop with farm foodstuffs and gifts. A very pleasant stop.

Restaurant name

Hall Farm Cafe

Date of visit

September 2009 (29/09/09)

Website address

http://hallfarmshop.co.uk

Restaurant telephone

01206 322572

Restaurant address

Church Rd, Stratford St. Mary, Colchester, CO7 6LS

Service Charge included?

No

Average price per person for 3 course meal, excluding drinks

inexpensive (under £20)

How many dined?

2

Value for money rating?

9/10

Atmosphere Quality rating?

8/10

Service Quality rating?

8/10

Food Quality rating

8/10

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