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.

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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

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

Caters grill Chateaubritand Eastwood Essex

I have been to this restaurant three times now – once with friends, once with my Mum and once with Michael. All three visits were relaxing and the food very good. The lunchtime offers are fabulous value, and the staff so friendly, they always serve with a smile and never rush you out, whether you still have a drink or food or not.

The restaurant and bar areas are nicely spread out into different sections, each being cosy and comfortable with many booths available which is great for a group get together. The spacious garden offers areas for outside dining, or just having a drink.

I have had seabass and a rump steak, plus the prawn dipping starters, but last time I tried the chateaubriand. It was cooked nicely (I always have medium rare) and fall apart, served with a delicious onion loaf, chips and side dishes.

I will go back to this restaurant without hesitation,

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Date of visit – April 2011

How many dined? 2

Average price per person for 3 course meal (excluding drinks) – Moderate (£20 – £30)

Service charge included? no

Food – 7

Service – 9

Ambience – 8

Value for money – 7

Phone:

01702 522 357

Website:

http://www.millerandcarter.co.uk/millerandcarterleighonsea

Steak House – Bar – Grill

629 Rayleigh Road, Eastwood, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 5HR

chicken liver pate at the Anchor Hullbridge

I have reviewed this restaurant before, based on four visits in 2010 – you can view the old review here: http://notjustanessexgirl.com/2011/the-anchor-restaurant-and-pub-hullbridge-essex-review  We went back in April 2011 to try out the new menu, which is less casual than the previous menu and focuses on quality ingredients and delicious combinations. Unfortuantely, the service has not improved.  We had the Lobster, crayfish, avocado & tomato cocktail with lobster mayonnaise and buttered chicken liver pate, toast & chutney, to start. The pate was as good as ever – smooth and not too rich, but the cocktail was served in a glass which made it difficult to mix the leaves and seafood and there was no plate underneath to capture the overflow. For our mains we ordered the pan fried corn fed chicken with fondant potato, stuffing and buttered vegetables, which, unfortunately came out whilst we still had our starter plates on our table, so the waiter walked off across the large busy restaurant with our main meals. When someone came to clear our starters, I said that I didn’t want food that is going back and forth across the restaurant and it was too quick after our starters, and we don’t like to be rushed. All that happened was that the same food, obviously, came out to us again and it wasn’t very hot when we finally got to eat it.

Unfortunately, whilst the staff were friendly, smiling and keen, the service is the issue of this restaurant for me, and it really does spoil the great food served here. It is a very large restaurant, has a large bar and large garden area, so the amount of cooking the kitchen does when it is busy is incredible, but the service staff cant seem to keep up. It is a shame.

Date of visit – April 2011

(Just been back again in May and it is just the same – they should stick to their old menu as the food is just not up to the prices now and service erratic.  Their bar food is great, but I had turbot and it was tasteless, and we also tried the scallop and paella and I couldnt eat it – ) Such a shame as it is a good venue that has gone downhill…) Personally, I wouldnt take another chance with this restaurant, not when Harrisons and the Roslin serve such great food with excellent service.  We ordered a bottle of Cliff Edge Sauvingnon Blanc and only had some so we took it home only to find that it wasnt a decent SB from New Zealand but a cheap Chilean ‘Villarica’ which I have never heard of.  Of course,we should have noticed, but because they dont present the wine and serve it properly we didnt notice.

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 How many dined? 2

Average price per person for 3 course meal (excluding drinks) – variable (£20-£40)

Service charge included? no

Food – 7

Service – 5

Ambience – 8

Value for money – 6

Email:

info@theanchorhullbridge.co.uk

Phone:

01702 230 777

Website:

http://www.theanchorhullbridge.co.uk

The Anchor Pub and Restaurant, Hullbridge, Essex SS5 6ND

Harrisons restaurant exterior Hockely Essex

Well, what a gem this little restaurant is. I don’t really want to promote it and get it too busy so that I have problems getting a table, but one cannot think only of oneself!

Firstly, in April 2011, I had a Sunday roast and it was most definitely the best I have had in any Essex restaurant – and in the top 10 of British Sunday roasts – very good indeed. We tried the tuna carpaccio with a herb crust and dressed new season watercress, which was out of this world – a flavour combination I wish I had the recipe for, so that I could recreate it at home. We also tried the seafood cocktail, which was dressed lightly in a tangy sauce. I had roast rib of beef and Michael had the Tamworth cross leg of pork. Beautifully cooked meat, a pure meaty gravy and fabulous vegetable selection, all washed down with a bottle of Chateau Le Pey chosen from the varied wine list which offers something for all budgets. For dessert, we had bread and butter pudding and a champagne and rhubarb crumble with roasted hazelnuts and crème anglaise. Everything is made in house and the chef, Ethan Rodgers, really does know what he is doing in designing flavour sensations and quality food.

Our second visit, in May 2011 was a Tuesday evening. I had two courses from the set menu – game terrine to start and a pork pie with silky mashed potato and vegetables…..  Read more after the photos…

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I cannot put into words how fabulous the pastry was – a rich shortcrust – or the flavours of the pork and jus, but it was absolutely delicious. Michael had pan fried chicken with saffron potatoes, marinated shallots, peas, spinach and jus. Just lovely! I gave in and had a chocolate and nougat brulee with a glass of Elysium black Muscat dessert wine, which was sheer indulgence – I have never had a dessert like it.

I will visit again to this lovely restaurant – they are hoping to get nominated for the 2011 Essex food and drink awards (Essex Chronicle media group) and I hope they do for best newcomer and best small restaurant.

Date of visit – April and May 2011

How many dined? 2

Average price per person for 3 course meal (excluding drinks) – High (£30+)

Service charge included? no

Food – 9

Service – 8

Ambience – 8

Value for money – 8

Email:

ethanrodgers@aol.com

Phone:

01702 201217

Website:

http://www.harrisons-restaurant.co.uk

32 Main Road, Hockley, Essex, SS5 4QS

The Sandbar fish restaurant Leigh on sea Essex

I just have to update this review by saying that when I went back in September 2011, it was not of the same standard as I have outlined below.  The fishcakes were still good, but the plaice and chips was terrible – put it this way there is more fish in a birds eye fish finger than one of the two so called fillets of plaice that you get on this dish covered in breadcrumbs.  At £9.95, it was one of the worst value for money meals I have had in a long time, so it just goes to show, chefs and food can change in restaurants rapidly.  When I asked for more fish and told them why I got a piece so small, that when I took the fish out it was one mouthful!………OLD REVIEW AS OF MAY 2011 – We visited this restaurant for lunch in 2007 and I now have no idea why we didn’t go back as it was really good. However, in March 2011 we had an evening meal at the cosy window table in the corner. Lamps, candles and white tablecloths give this place a real relaxed feel yet it is smart and the staff professional with attention to detail.

We really loved it. As for the food, it was very good indeed. We started with a pork belly dish served on a shallot and bacon puree and a salmon fishcake on roasted creamed leeks – both original flavours and cooked to perfection. For mains, I had the dover sole with new potatoes and a brown shrimp butter, and Michael had the duck from the specials menu. This was all topped off with a crème brulee. This is a very good food and a very good venue, right in the heart of Leigh on sea. This restaurant was opened in 1998, so has plenty of years experience with listening and acting upon its customers requests.

Date of visit – March 2011

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How many dined? 2

Average price per person for 3 course meal (excluding drinks) – High (£30+)

Service charge included? no

Food – 9

Service – 8

Ambience – 8

Value for money – 8

Email:  thesandbar@btconnect.com

Phone:  01702 480 067

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

71 Broadway, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex SS9 1PE

The quart pot fish and chips wickford

‘The Quart pot’ is a comfortable and modern pub/restaurant located on the Runwell road. With various seating, from booth style to bar stools, there is somewhere for everyone. The staff are friendly and serve your food to the table, however, you do have to order and pay at the bar. This is one of many of the Ember Inns group, and they have a good selection of beers and wines on offer.

I have been with friends, and my Mum, and we have all enjoyed our food, apart from the last time, last week where it seemed that the main chef was absent, since the food was well below par (cold dark chips and soggy fish and congealed gravy on my friends pie). However, this was a one off, and usually the food is really nice. I tend to go for the fish platter, which at £8.95 is such good value (salmon, seabass and a prawn skewer with crushed new potatoes and salad) and delicious. I also tasted a little of my Mum’s steak and Timothy Taylor ale pie and that was lovely.

Date of visit – various during 2010 and 2011

How many dined? 2

Average price per person for 3 course meal (excluding drinks) – inexpensive (under £20) unless you have the cheapest things on the menu.

Service charge included? no

Food – 6

Service – 6

Ambience – 7

Value for money – 6

Address: Runwell Road

Runwell, Nr Wickford, Essex SS11 7PN

Telephone: 01268 578 091

scampi and chips at the anchor hullbridge essex

(This review is now old – See my updated review of April/May 2011 by CLICKING HERE - opens in a new window) We have eaten at the Anchor in Hullbridge, Essex, four times now and have had some really very satisfying food at reasonable prices. This restaurant has not been open very long, so all the furnishings and décor is new and clean. A modern style of restaurant, it doesn’t suffer with bright lights and uncomfortable chairs. Quite the opposite, the seating (either soft armchair style or soft bench seats) are very comfortable indeed, which encourages one to stay and enjoy a relaxing time and the lighting and ambience are subdued. There’s plenty of space between the tables offering privacy to dine and talk easily.

The menu offers some British favourites, such as steak and chips, lamb hotpot with red cabbage, fish and chips, burgers, pies and home made soups, but there’s also a specials board, offering a selection of pastas, fish and starter dishes, which change…

…regularly. Although this may sound a little bland, the food is well cooked, and has their own finishing touches, making this one of the better restaurants in the south east Essex region. It was about time we had a new restaurant in this area, and the fabulous riverside situations of this restaurant is now well utilised with their large outside area, which leads down to the water, where swans, boats and ducks can be seen.

The only thing that is sometimes variable is the service. The staff are generally very friendly and helpful and add to the relaxed experience, however, we did visit on New Years eve afternoon and were met with a very disinterested staff due to the preparations for New Years eve dinner party that evening. I would just say that perhaps if they have a big event to deal with, then perhaps it would be best to close early, as much of our order was forgotten about and I had to chase up three items which spoilt our new years lunch treat, unfortunately.

I am sure this was a one off though, and would recommend any of my friends, family or acquaintances to visit.

Date of visit: various in 2010 to New Years Eve 2010/2011

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

Food – 8

Service – 7

Atmosphere – 8

Value for money – 8

Website: www.theanchorhullbridge.co.uk

The Anchor Pub and Restaurant,

Hullbridge,

Essex,

SS5 6ND

Telephone: 01702 230 777

Email: info@theanchorhullbridge.co.uk

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

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