Loch Fyne - was I unlucky?
Discussion
I met some work colleagues for a meal last night at Loch Fyne in Reading (I know, I know, it was central for us all).
The meal, the service, the place - all were utterly, utterly, horrific.
Now, I know it's chain, so I wasn't expecting a Michelin star experience. However given their rather optomistic pricing, I was expecting it to be at least edible and of a reasonable standard. How wrong can a man be?
Had the salmon sashimi starter - the fish was warm and obviously far from fresh. The accompanying (teeny dab of) wasabi had clearly been squeezed from a tube hours before the meal and was drying out and going dark green.
Then I rather reluctantly proceeded to mains - I had the moules maraniere. Cold, tasteless, miniscule blobs of rubbery shell fish. Sauce that was separating, very tired onions.
. In a word, crap. No, two words, utter crap. Was meant to come with crusty bread - which it didn't. Asked for it. The grumpster from Eastern Europe huffed and puffed and eventually returned 10 mins later with some sliced loaf toast. By this time I had given up.
We also had some ludicrously over-priced vinegary red and some warm and nasty white.
The staff were dreadful, everything took ages to arrive, and when it did, it was universally s
te. And the pricing is ridiculous - for everything. Premium pricing for sub-economy quality.
Oh well, you live and learn - I shall be avoiding for ever more (Loch Fyne and Reading).
Was I unlucky, or should I have known it was going to be this bad?
The meal, the service, the place - all were utterly, utterly, horrific.
Now, I know it's chain, so I wasn't expecting a Michelin star experience. However given their rather optomistic pricing, I was expecting it to be at least edible and of a reasonable standard. How wrong can a man be?
Had the salmon sashimi starter - the fish was warm and obviously far from fresh. The accompanying (teeny dab of) wasabi had clearly been squeezed from a tube hours before the meal and was drying out and going dark green.
Then I rather reluctantly proceeded to mains - I had the moules maraniere. Cold, tasteless, miniscule blobs of rubbery shell fish. Sauce that was separating, very tired onions.
. In a word, crap. No, two words, utter crap. Was meant to come with crusty bread - which it didn't. Asked for it. The grumpster from Eastern Europe huffed and puffed and eventually returned 10 mins later with some sliced loaf toast. By this time I had given up.We also had some ludicrously over-priced vinegary red and some warm and nasty white.
The staff were dreadful, everything took ages to arrive, and when it did, it was universally s
te. And the pricing is ridiculous - for everything. Premium pricing for sub-economy quality. Oh well, you live and learn - I shall be avoiding for ever more (Loch Fyne and Reading).
Was I unlucky, or should I have known it was going to be this bad?
Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 5th February 13:58
Went to Loch Fyne in Henley, found service and food quality vs price very poor.
I originally put it down to us going on a Monday, which is not really the time to visit a restaurant in its prime (lots were missing off the menu), but I'm not surprised to hear other bad things about the chain.
I've almost given up eating fresh fish & seafood unless it's out of the sea nearby or in London where they get direct deliveries, because I've found for the money, you get pretty poor stuff.
I originally put it down to us going on a Monday, which is not really the time to visit a restaurant in its prime (lots were missing off the menu), but I'm not surprised to hear other bad things about the chain.
I've almost given up eating fresh fish & seafood unless it's out of the sea nearby or in London where they get direct deliveries, because I've found for the money, you get pretty poor stuff.
had ham said:
The meal, the service, the place - all were utterly, utterly, horrific.
Was I unlucky, or should I have known it was going to be this bad?
We ate at the one in Bristol for a friends birthday a couple of years ago and I'd say it's the worst meal out I've ever had. The service in particular was fWas I unlucky, or should I have known it was going to be this bad?
king dreadful with various things missed off our order, shouting at people to get any attention, a massive wait before things came out and still sides msising etc. Took ages to get any food, the food was average at best (fairly sure there were a couple of quite unpleasant dishes ion there) and generally had a crappy time there and would never go back.I just thought everything about the experience was poor and personally wouldn't even consider eating in another again
Loch Fyne itself - not fresh enough considering it's the mother ship. Crap seafood platter with mushy langustines and bloody roll mops. Was a Sunday but even so...
Might go again if passing by. Meh.
Portsmouth - Good. Would go back.
Edinburgh - been at least 5 times. Was average now seems consistently good. Will go back.
It's a franchise with the seafood coming from Loch Fyne which makes my experiences all the more confusing.
Might go again if passing by. Meh.
Portsmouth - Good. Would go back.
Edinburgh - been at least 5 times. Was average now seems consistently good. Will go back.
It's a franchise with the seafood coming from Loch Fyne which makes my experiences all the more confusing.
I used to like it. But they seem to be everywhere now and as a result the quality of the food and staff have slipped.
Our last experience wasn't as bad as the OP but enough to make me not want to go back in a hurry. That was the Bracknell/Wokingham one Shoddy service, avaerage food, premium price.
Guildford was just slow slow slow but the food was ok (lunch special, several things were off).
Cobham one good (first time, sunday evening, special price) one average experience (lunch special).
Our last experience wasn't as bad as the OP but enough to make me not want to go back in a hurry. That was the Bracknell/Wokingham one Shoddy service, avaerage food, premium price.
Guildford was just slow slow slow but the food was ok (lunch special, several things were off).
Cobham one good (first time, sunday evening, special price) one average experience (lunch special).
Been to the one in Gun Wharf Portsmouth a fair few times, no complaints food or service from me. The waitresses are normally the brighter ones from the local uni and not straight off the boat from the ferry port.
Then again I hanker after pie/mash/liquor and stewed eels so I wouldn't necessarily take my word for it
Then again I hanker after pie/mash/liquor and stewed eels so I wouldn't necessarily take my word for it
Edited by HarryW on Friday 5th February 17:46
...on the other hand,
I have eaten at the Edinburgh one half a dozen times (usually when visiting the spokes back home) and it has consistently been very very good.
For sure it's no michelin* boutique bistro but I have to say i look forward to the next time.
Staff very friendly, nice enough setting, oysters to die for
I have eaten at the Edinburgh one half a dozen times (usually when visiting the spokes back home) and it has consistently been very very good.
For sure it's no michelin* boutique bistro but I have to say i look forward to the next time.
Staff very friendly, nice enough setting, oysters to die for
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