Who's been to the Hand & Flowers, Marlow?

Who's been to the Hand & Flowers, Marlow?

Author
Discussion

lauda

3,446 posts

206 months

Monday 16th March 2015
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dazco said:
I was speaking to a Michelin assessor and he said their ratings are based only on the food.
This is how I understand that it works too, although I think this may be a more recent focus. When I first started eating out at Michelin-starred places about ten years ago, they all seemed to have gone through the 'Michelin tick-list':

- starched tableclothes
- fancy cutlery/crockery/stemware
- formal or semi-formal service
- Moulton Brown soap/moisturiser and little cotton towels to dry your hands in the loos

Now there are quite a few places recognised by the Michelin Guide that don't necessarily fit that template and I think that's a good thing.

But it's also worth remembering that as I understand it, the Guide rates places based on what sort of establishment they are, or are trying to be, and at their particular price point. By that I mean that you shouldn't expect the same quality of ingredients/cooking at a 2-star pub or bistro where you're spending £20 for a 3 course lunch menu as you'd expect at a fine dining restaurant where you're paying upwards of £70 a head for dinner.

So would I expect The Hand & Flowers to be as good as Midsummer House or le Manior? No, but I'd also expect it to be a fair bit cheaper too.

Zoon

6,654 posts

120 months

Wednesday 7th September 2016
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To be honest the whole celebrity chef restaurant thing is a con.
You are paying for said chef's name and he's not even cooking!
At least Michel Roux jr comes out to say hello at Le Gavroche.

Bullett

10,873 posts

183 months

Wednesday 7th September 2016
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He does cook there.
At least he did last time I visited.

Zoon

6,654 posts

120 months

Wednesday 7th September 2016
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Bullett said:
He does cook there.
At least he did last time I visited.
He wasn't there on Sunday.
But I'm talking celebrity restaurants in general, Gordon Ramsay does't do many shifts at his multitude of venues.

RichB

51,435 posts

283 months

Wednesday 7th September 2016
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Zoon said:
At least Michel Roux jr comes out to say hello at Le Gavroche.
His cousin comes out and says hello at The Waterside too. Perhaps it's an old school thing being part of the Roux family?

HotJambalaya

2,023 posts

179 months

Monday 16th January 2017
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has anyone been here recently?

I'm seeing a fair amount of availability which has me a little suspicious

Melman Giraffe

6,759 posts

217 months

Tuesday 17th January 2017
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HotJambalaya said:
has anyone been here recently?

I'm seeing a fair amount of availability which has me a little suspicious
Still has 2 stars so should still be excellent

Richieboy3008

2,058 posts

182 months

Tuesday 17th January 2017
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Went there last week for the first time and it certainly didn't disappoint. All the food was cooked to perfection. Pretty good value too. Saw they also do a set menu for £30 which is incredible for a 2* 'pub'. My only minor criticism is that all the tables are very close together and you have to physically move them to get out, therefore disturbing other guests. Would definitely go back.

HotJambalaya

2,023 posts

179 months

Tuesday 17th January 2017
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Excellent, thanks. will pick up a last minute reservation and get up there!

Output Flange

16,793 posts

210 months

Tuesday 17th January 2017
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HotJambalaya said:
has anyone been here recently?

I'm seeing a fair amount of availability which has me a little suspicious
My wife took a call from them last week seeing if we wanted to re-arrange the booking we cancelled......two years ago!!

loudlashadjuster

5,084 posts

183 months

Friday 24th February 2017
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We went last year and it was mildly disappointing.

The main problem was that most of the dishes were just over-salted to one degree or another. We did subtly mention it and got a perfunctory apology. Dessert was unsullied by sodium though and was delicious.

Apart from that the presentation, textures etc. were all good and you could tell there were flavours being overpowered by the salt, although I've had far better elsehwere, from places with much lower ratings from Michelin etc.

It was a memorable evening though as we were sat across from Rob Brydon which made it feel like an episode of The Trip biggrin

Rob Brydon said:
Come, come, Mr. Bond!

zygalski

7,759 posts

144 months

Saturday 25th February 2017
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A quick googling reveals the over saltiness issue seems quite a common complaint.

thebraketester

14,193 posts

137 months

Saturday 25th February 2017
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We went a couple of years ago. The food was good but as others have mentioned it's not worth the year long waiting list and also struggling see why it's 2*.

There was something missing from the whole experience too, which I can't put my finger on.

Bullett

10,873 posts

183 months

Monday 6th March 2017
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I went to the Coach on Saturday, his other pub.
A sort of english tapas would be a good description we had a couple of mains each, a couple of sides and drinks for under £100. No booking which whilst initially annoying worked out ok for us even on a Saturday.
Enjoyed it and a good alternative.

I also heard that he's just bought another pub in town as well.