Who's been to the Hand & Flowers, Marlow?
Discussion
We went for valentines weekend really enjoyed it. Again like above was about £200 which included 3 courses each (including the £35 steak) bottle of wine, 2 cocktails, glass of wine, 2 pints beer and the service charge. Portions were enough, more filling that they look. Looking to book again soon!
We went for valentines weekend really enjoyed it. Again like above was about £200 which included 3 courses each (including the £35 steak) bottle of wine, 2 cocktails, glass of wine, 2 pints beer and the service charge. Portions were enough, more filling that they look. Looking to book again soon!
I would love to give it a try. Definitely the place to eat at the moment.
I've heard some strange stories about bookings though. Apart from the very long waiting list, is it true that even if you cancel your hotel booking well in advance i.e. A good few months you still get charged over £100? Also heard that they phone you a few days before to confirm booking and if you don't answer the call and don't phone back they will cancel the booking and charge you?
As I said I don't know if this is true but it seems abit over the top if so.
I've heard some strange stories about bookings though. Apart from the very long waiting list, is it true that even if you cancel your hotel booking well in advance i.e. A good few months you still get charged over £100? Also heard that they phone you a few days before to confirm booking and if you don't answer the call and don't phone back they will cancel the booking and charge you?
As I said I don't know if this is true but it seems abit over the top if so.
lauda said:
I'd agree that it's not really worth that sort of journey. Better to head to Restaurant Tristan down the road in Horsham. Not been myself but only heard good things about it.
Restaurant Tristan - fantastic. I have been a couple of times both for dinner in the evenings and also for the special events that they put on.www.restauranttristan.co.uk
Went for a Nyetimber evening - 5/6 courses with a different Nyetimber glass of sparkling wine - it was superb.
www.nyetimber.com
The food is consistently excellent and service very very good.
The setting is lovely, beamed 16 Century with a peaceful atmosphere.
Its not cheap but not extortionate and for a special occasion well worth it.
Just got back from a long weekend spent near Marlow, of which Friday lunch was spent at the H&F.
I'll leave a very short review and some of the pics the OH made me take if it's of any use.
As mentioned above, you have to confirm booking shortly before or they cancel apparently.
The place certainly looks like a pub but I would say it was more a laid back restaurant. Although the decor and atmosphere was much more pub-like than I was expecting, with low ceilinged, beamed rooms and plenty of shouting from the kitchen. There was some real pretentiousness coming from the next table though which spoilt it slightly.
Service was brilliant as you'd expect, as was the Hand and Flowers ale and the cocktails the girls had.
'Complimentary' Whitebait and bread came first, which was great.
Everyone really enjoyed the starters, although the whisky in my Salmon starter was a bit too strong for me. Saying that, everyone else's tasted amazing.
My main was loin of pork, glazed pig cheek, ham, mustard and potato dauphine, with a side order of chips. The whole balance of flavours there was top notch with the pig cheek being, hands down, probably the best thing I think I've ever eaten. It all looked like small portions but it was so rich that there was more than enough - we were all stuffed.
Everyone else had the Great British Menu duck which I'd say was on par with the pork dish for flavour.
Never knew a chip could taste so good either!
I'd give it a good 8.5 out of 10. The food was probably the best I've had, but I think I was expecting more 'wow' - My expectations of a 2 star pub being slightly too high. As said above, the Salmon Carpaccio was a bit of a let down for me personally too. They also added on 12.5% gratuity to the bill which I'm never a fan of, especially it being the sort of place people are going to leave tips anyway.
![](http://thumbsnap.com/sc/x5INDn0m.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/fZA3DdZ8" Target="_blank">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/fZA3DdZ8.jpg)
![](http://thumbsnap.com/sc/dzI5qrCq.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/fZA3DdZ8" Target="_blank">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/fZA3DdZ8.jpg)
I'll leave a very short review and some of the pics the OH made me take if it's of any use.
As mentioned above, you have to confirm booking shortly before or they cancel apparently.
The place certainly looks like a pub but I would say it was more a laid back restaurant. Although the decor and atmosphere was much more pub-like than I was expecting, with low ceilinged, beamed rooms and plenty of shouting from the kitchen. There was some real pretentiousness coming from the next table though which spoilt it slightly.
Service was brilliant as you'd expect, as was the Hand and Flowers ale and the cocktails the girls had.
'Complimentary' Whitebait and bread came first, which was great.
Everyone really enjoyed the starters, although the whisky in my Salmon starter was a bit too strong for me. Saying that, everyone else's tasted amazing.
My main was loin of pork, glazed pig cheek, ham, mustard and potato dauphine, with a side order of chips. The whole balance of flavours there was top notch with the pig cheek being, hands down, probably the best thing I think I've ever eaten. It all looked like small portions but it was so rich that there was more than enough - we were all stuffed.
Everyone else had the Great British Menu duck which I'd say was on par with the pork dish for flavour.
Never knew a chip could taste so good either!
I'd give it a good 8.5 out of 10. The food was probably the best I've had, but I think I was expecting more 'wow' - My expectations of a 2 star pub being slightly too high. As said above, the Salmon Carpaccio was a bit of a let down for me personally too. They also added on 12.5% gratuity to the bill which I'm never a fan of, especially it being the sort of place people are going to leave tips anyway.
I went for lunch on Wednesday.
To be honest I was a little disappointed with it - it was good food, but wasn't 2 stars good and not really worth the 90 minute drive to get there.
It's slightly a cut above the usual good Gastro pub fayre - but not on a par with other 2* places I have visited.
ETA - the chips aren't that good IMO. My wife does better ones.
To be honest I was a little disappointed with it - it was good food, but wasn't 2 stars good and not really worth the 90 minute drive to get there.
It's slightly a cut above the usual good Gastro pub fayre - but not on a par with other 2* places I have visited.
ETA - the chips aren't that good IMO. My wife does better ones.
Edited by Mr Gearchange on Friday 6th March 12:23
Visited last week for dinner; 'very good' rather than genuinely outstanding.
I've heard a few people comment on things being a little over salted so perhaps I like over salted food but I thought it was spot on. The chips were genuinely outstanding, however. We were tempted to order more before pudding
There was real subtlety and variety in the flavours with quite clever accompaniments on the plate. Everything had its place, its purpose and added something to the meal.
Did it knock my socks off? Does it justify two Michelin stars? Probably not. Was I disappointed? Not for a minute.
I've heard a few people comment on things being a little over salted so perhaps I like over salted food but I thought it was spot on. The chips were genuinely outstanding, however. We were tempted to order more before pudding
There was real subtlety and variety in the flavours with quite clever accompaniments on the plate. Everything had its place, its purpose and added something to the meal.
Did it knock my socks off? Does it justify two Michelin stars? Probably not. Was I disappointed? Not for a minute.
I've been a few times, I think I mentioned earlier in the thread. However, it's now so hard to get in for my birthday treat this year we tried Sindu which is Atul Kochhars newish place.
It's excellent, not a traditional curry place but really good flavours and textures. We had the tasting which was 5 courses (3 starters, a main made up of about 5 different dishes and a desert) plus the usual amuse bouche and sorbet courses.
They also do a lunch which was 2 or 3 courses for for £20ish.
Would go back, worth checking out if you are in Marlow which is becoming a bit of a foodie destination.
It's excellent, not a traditional curry place but really good flavours and textures. We had the tasting which was 5 courses (3 starters, a main made up of about 5 different dishes and a desert) plus the usual amuse bouche and sorbet courses.
They also do a lunch which was 2 or 3 courses for for £20ish.
Would go back, worth checking out if you are in Marlow which is becoming a bit of a foodie destination.
Bonefish Blues said:
As I suggested earlier in the thread and further visits have confirmed, The Vanilla Pod is a better experience IMHO.
Another vote for the Vanilla Pod here, I can also recommend Caldessi's in Bray and had a fantastic lunch at The Beehive in White Waltham on Friday.SlackBladder said:
Bonefish Blues said:
As I suggested earlier in the thread and further visits have confirmed, The Vanilla Pod is a better experience IMHO.
Another vote for the Vanilla Pod here, I can also recommend Caldessi's in Bray and had a fantastic lunch at The Beehive in White Waltham on Friday.Looks to me like you'd need a good meal after a few courses at the Hand & Flowers.
zygalski said:
Looks to me like you'd need a good meal after a few courses at the Hand & Flowers.
Perhaps that's why Tom Kerridge has lost so much weight! 
Seriously though, I am sure people have nice meal at his place but my issue is that he calls it the only pub with 2 Michelin stars and gives it "laarrge" like a Bristolian Jamie Oliver. Yet serves up nouvelle cuisine in small portions. I would have more respect if he came out with it and dropped the "pub" pretence and admitted it's a posh restaurant in a former pub rather like the Fat Duck.
Dr G said:
Visited last week for dinner; 'very good' rather than genuinely outstanding.
I've heard a few people comment on things being a little over salted so perhaps I like over salted food but I thought it was spot on. The chips were genuinely outstanding, however. We were tempted to order more before pudding
There was real subtlety and variety in the flavours with quite clever accompaniments on the plate. Everything had its place, its purpose and added something to the meal.
Did it knock my socks off? Does it justify two Michelin stars? Probably not. Was I disappointed? Not for a minute.
Nice post. I went for my 40th exactly 2 years ago (8th March). You have summed up my experience perfectly I've heard a few people comment on things being a little over salted so perhaps I like over salted food but I thought it was spot on. The chips were genuinely outstanding, however. We were tempted to order more before pudding
There was real subtlety and variety in the flavours with quite clever accompaniments on the plate. Everything had its place, its purpose and added something to the meal.
Did it knock my socks off? Does it justify two Michelin stars? Probably not. Was I disappointed? Not for a minute.
Bullett said:
I've been a few times, I think I mentioned earlier in the thread. However, it's now so hard to get in for my birthday treat this year we tried Sindu which is Atul Kochhars newish place.
It's excellent, not a traditional curry place but really good flavours and textures. We had the tasting which was 5 courses (3 starters, a main made up of about 5 different dishes and a desert) plus the usual amuse bouche and sorbet courses.
They also do a lunch which was 2 or 3 courses for for £20ish.
Would go back, worth checking out if you are in Marlow which is becoming a bit of a foodie destination.
nice one, will check that out soon! It's excellent, not a traditional curry place but really good flavours and textures. We had the tasting which was 5 courses (3 starters, a main made up of about 5 different dishes and a desert) plus the usual amuse bouche and sorbet courses.
They also do a lunch which was 2 or 3 courses for for £20ish.
Would go back, worth checking out if you are in Marlow which is becoming a bit of a foodie destination.
FestiveFreddy said:
This is what I find a bit odd. I thought the surroundings were part of the Michelin assessment and nice pub though it looks from the pics I've seen, it does look like a gastropub to me, so I'm quite curious as to how the 2nd star was justified (I'm hoping the food is the reason, of course).
Went to the Royal Oak last year (1 star) and at least that feels like a restaurant when you're seated, but when it comes down to it I can name at least 5 pubs within 30 minutes of where we live which serve food on a par with the Royal Oak. That's not to say their food is average pub grub by any means.
So, anyway, I'm looking forward to the H&F and I'll certainly report back here with my thoughts on the place.
I was speaking to a Michelin assessor and he said their ratings are based only on the food. Went to the Royal Oak last year (1 star) and at least that feels like a restaurant when you're seated, but when it comes down to it I can name at least 5 pubs within 30 minutes of where we live which serve food on a par with the Royal Oak. That's not to say their food is average pub grub by any means.
So, anyway, I'm looking forward to the H&F and I'll certainly report back here with my thoughts on the place.
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