BITE user comments - cynicalbastard
Comments by cynicalbastard
Agreed on the comments about an intimidating bunch of locals. This place is s dive
2 Jun 2007 21:54
The Royal Standard of England, Beaconsfield
The RSOE certainly has many charms indeed, it is indeed beautifully located, the building oozes character and may even be almost as old as the management would have us believe the place to be. There was a fair selection of interesting ales available during my last visit, some interesting ciders and penty of lager for the Phillistines amongst our group.
I feel that people should be warned about their food prices, I have a serious issue being charged almost �9 for bangers and mash, and getting just two sausages and a solitary scoop of mash in return.
The sausages were good, but a price tag of �4 each can no more be justified than their equally horrendous charge of �1 per oyster. Whilst one or two other menu items seemed slightly better value for money, people really deserve to be warned beforehand.
The management are very keen to dispel any accusations of their becoming yet another "gastro pub" (the area is saturated with them) and they have plans in mind to include a wider ale selection, introduce live music and so forth. This community focus could encourage greater diversity of clientel.
An interesting pub, a good (if costly) experience, well worth at least the occasional visit
2 Jun 2007 21:22
The Royal Standard of England, Beaconsfield
I wonder if that last remark was made by a member of staff? (LOL)
Been there a couple of times recently, after a break of many years. Their attitude to smokers was a bit offputting - I don't smoke myself, but this didn't say much for their hospitality). The food prices were horrendous. I was in a state of serious mental and financial shock after a plate of bangers and mash.
The choice of real ales (Brakspears and 1 other) has reduced from the old days (2 on tap compared to 5 lagers) To be fair, they were having a problem of some sort at the time of my last visit.
The staffing issue is puzzling, they all seem to have difficulties in speaking English, and I found them surly and unpleasant.
The premises are certainly quite spectacular, though. Despite the surly staff, the dingy interior, the attitude to smokers, there is something good and enduring here. I will be back
4 Mar 2007 21:59
Overpriced restaurant that serves beer as a distraction to their largely fish based menu
30 Nov 2006 20:53
Horse and Jockey, Tylers Green
A small country pub, very popular with the dreaded estate agent types in the early evening, but settling down nicely as the evening wears on.
Excellently kept drop of ale - Abbotts - down to earth menu. This means reasonable choice, unpretentious and good pricing.
30 Nov 2006 20:51
Absolutelyu right, this is a forum for people (as in clients) to review any venue that serves beer. Not a place for proprietors to promote their menus. I'm sure if people have more positive experiences of your etablishment, they will post them and thus save you the trouble of having to defend yourselves.
Having visited myself, the experience was unremarkable in terms of both beer and venue and I found the criticsm justified. It is one of very many over priced winebar/eateries in that area.
I won't comment on the food as this really isn't an appropriate forum to repeatedly hear your promotion of the menu.
18 Nov 2006 01:08
Fancy menu, but not terribly good in terms of quality or price. 35 quid a head for pub grub? People must be out of their minds to pay that.
As this is a beer forum, the beer was drinkable, but not spectacular and I was made to feel awkward when I asked for a pint to be changed because it tasted of cleansing fluid.
22 Oct 2006 18:27
Overpriced yuppie restaurant, not a pub and less than a pleasure both dining and drinking there. Crowded tables, poor service, just a bad experience
22 Oct 2006 18:23
Forgive the second entry, but we have just returned from holding a sunday birthday meal there and this warranted an update.
The pub has now seriously upgraded its restaurant, although this shouldn't be taken as suggesting that it has become another of those mindless pub/diners that are dominating the scene. At least for the present, it appears to remain a real pub, and the landlord (Ray) assures me that they have no intention of changing things. Let's hope so.
The Brakspears was spectacular, the food good (around �7.95/head for Sunday roast) and the service and welcome was excellent.
A blustery autumnal day, a roaring fire, great beer and convivial surroundings. Who could hope for better? As long as this place doesn't become yet another "dinner pub" then I will keep returning
Thanks
22 Oct 2006 18:04
The Royal Standard of England, Beaconsfield
Great to see the old place starting to recover from a bland and disinterested previous management. The beer has always been good - great in fact - and now the food is catching up.
It's not cheap, but it i in a lovely situation and it is full of character. Nice to see some of our American friends dicovering at first hand why we think their beer is so awful, and also learning that no all pubs are bloody Irish pubs.
21 Oct 2006 23:40
This is a pub forum and not a food forum, but if I really have to comment about the food, it is dire, boil in the bag, unimaginative over priced bland muck served indifferently by disinterested staff to people whose palates are too jaded to notice.
The beer is sparkled, over chilled and barely drinkable.
The premises have just been done up, and their exclusion zone for smokers is now total. I don't smoke, but I see no reason why a place climing to be a pub should impose moral values on its customers.
Shame they aren't as discriminatory about kids. It's like being in a play school.
This place should be torn down, brick by brick, and replaced by a McDonalds. It's no good to man nor beast as it is, for it is neither a pub nor a proper restaurant - despite charging premium prices.
21 Oct 2006 23:35
The Blackwood Arms, Littleworth Common
Sadly the previous comments hold true today. This once delightful place is just another dingy and costly bistro. Avoid
21 Oct 2006 15:35
The Royal Standard, Wooburn Common
Nice to read such good reviews. I have been a regular here for around 6 years, and consider this my local pub of choice. The staff are very pleasant indeed, and can't do enough for you. The locals who drink there are welcoming and chatty, and the atmosphere is just good.
The outside seating is a bit close to a busy rural road, and offstreet parking can get a little difficult, but they have cctv to keep an eye on cars, the menu is good, the food is reasonably priced and they are very generous with helpings.
Most omportantly, they know their beer and they keep it well.
21 Oct 2006 15:32
The Jolly Cricketers, Seer Green
LOL. Just returned there to see if it has changed, and, yes, it really has got worse. I have been in toilets in Calcutta that were nicer to be in than this dive, they smelled better, they were cleaner and they had less flies.
I previously said that burning was too good for this place. I was being generous
21 Oct 2006 15:25
Superb hostelry. Brakspears at it's best. Not cheap, but good food, popular and great, cheerful staff.
Highly recommended
25 Mar 2006 13:18
The Jolly Cricketers, Seer Green
Run down, food that redefines salmonella and surly, disinterested staff. A new low in mediocrity, they lower the bar for everyone. No saving graces whatsoever. Burning is too good for this place
25 Mar 2006 12:54
Fulll of pikey's and people who claim descendancy from the Irish, yet are 10 generations removed. A great place to haul a slapper across the floor of the urine soaked toilet for a quick but loose one, a dreadful, disgusting and loathesome experience for anyone who doesn't call his caravan home or wroship arsenal
25 Mar 2006 12:49
The beer is varied and usually pretty good, although quite overpriced. Half the time you get the feeling you're drinking the same old stuff but with a catchy ~ stupid name that you'll never encounter again in your life.
The clientel is a sorry mix between yuppies and people having adulterous liasons in the lounge area through to green welly wearing yuppies and faux farmers from low cost local housing dominating one of the three tables in the tiny public bar, waffling on about the old times (mostly droning on about fiddling the tax man, old blues music and ancient English motorcycles). Fine if you get off on those things, very dull if you don't.
The food is dire beyond description. Stay away from it at all costs or pay heavily for the crap salads, dreadful scotch eggs and indifferent occasional hot dishes. The worst that English cooking can possibly provide, salmonella disguised as nourishment.
The beer festivals are swamped by estate agents called Nigel and bedraggled overweight clerical assistants from Ealing. Well worth avoiding.
Go there for the superbly kept and varied beer, the hot fires on a cold winter's evening and the feeling of an old pub run in the way that pubs are supposed to be run.
25 Mar 2006 12:46
Back to cynicalbastard's profile
The Blackwood Arms, Littleworth Common
At one time this place was renowned as a centre of excellence for real ale, and rightly so. But the suddent departure of Sandy a few years ago (taking his permanently parked Winnebago) and the place went through hard times before being bought out by Brakspears. Gone went the wide choice of beers, the old fixtures and fittings and, yes, the character was ruined.
Returning for the first time in years, the character hasn't really returned, the inside is little better than a second rate Beaconsfield wine bar. But the soul remains. The beauty of the incredible wooded setting, the attentiveness of excellent staff and, although the choice was limited to Brakspears and Old Hooky (pleanty of flaming lagers though), they were well kept and enjoyable. There were 3 of us, 2 had their food and the third (me) was kept waiting for 20 minutes. Despite this, the food was excellent, competitively priced overall, and the attentive Manageress (Margo) simply shone in her work.
A wonderful Sunday afternoon, a treat to be there and a great place to enjoy the country at its best. I wish them well
3 Jun 2007 20:27