We've been celebrating 38 years of marriage today (the long-service medals are on the table) with our pals from Heathbank. It's as well the company was excellent and the wine a pleasant Merlot, for the meal was possibly the worst I've ever eaten in a restaurant.
Garlic bread sounds like a safe and toothsome starter - no? Well, no. This gave me my first opportunity in about ten years to eat what Di called "duck bread" - white sliced, barely toasted, with a sad drizzle of pallid oil. The accompanying salad was naked. Not a vestige of dressing. And it should have been a tomato salsa - I've just remembered that. The lamb noisette was toughly tasteless, and the dish of vegetables (for four to share) would have served me if I'd been alone. To be fair, the waitress said "just ask for more" - so we did, immediately, and ended up with a reasonable quantity. There was no decaffeinated coffee on offer.
In the end, having complained, we weren't charged for the starters. I've eaten at The Pier on several occasions and thoroughly enjoyed it, but I won't be returning. There was a definitely slapdash atmosphere about the whole operation, right down to the missing tiles on the loo wall. We emerged to a beautiful, midge-laden evening, with a wonderful sky over Loch Eck. My phone camera doesn't do justice to it. And Mr B is confirmed in his high opinion of my cooking. Here's to the next 38 years - or maybe not!
Congratulations on your anniversary! Only sorry you had to suffer through an horrific restaurant experience. Never mind, at least the Heathbanks were there to keep you jolly x
ReplyDeleteFirst, Hearty Congratulations on 38years of marriage! That, in and of itself, is an accomplishment!!! Here is to many, many more!!!
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing more disappointing than looking forward to a good meal out, only to have a grand failure! Seems to happen so often.....
Here is to good home-cookin' which is generally much tastier, less sodium-enriched, and much more reliable than the restaurant variety.
Mark would have let the establishment know how disappointed he was...he really believes that for the amount of money forked out for a meal, it had BETTER be good quality, good service, and good surroundings!
Congrats on completing a sentence you wouldn't have got for murder! Just think in 2 years time, yo get the ruby slippers and a trip to a decent resturaunt!
ReplyDeleteWell done 'Old Timers'. Mr.B. isn't the only one who rates your cooking highly - it's a shame you had to suffer.
ReplyDeleteMy stomach goes out to you!
ReplyDeleteThat same night, I was helping friends celebrate their 40th. (It's the second such this year - 1968 wasn't all about revolution.) We went to the most inauspicious eatery I think I've been in for years: sandwiched between a Macdonald's and an Esso filling station just off Great Western Road, it is called Mulberrys - the absence of an apostrophe was the only bad thing about it.
It is run, as I discovered joyfully, by a former pupil and her husband. The company - 20 of us - was rollicking. The wine, chosen and brought along by our host the ancient bridegroom, was copious and palatable. The food was fresh, good and beautifully cooked & presented. Those who chose steak were served with little bowls of the best chips I've stolen from anyone in ages. The secret is that they were cooked in creesh half vegetable oil & half goose fat. Mmmmmm!
Sorry about your bad dining experience (as they put it nowadays). I'm not gloating. I'm sure the company was recompense enough. Roll on the ruby!
abf - Mulberrys was where we had the post-funeral baked meats a couple of years ago - but I fear you'd gone off by then. I concur - best sausage rolls I've ever eaten!
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