The Kings Arms, Ninfield

I will keep this review as short, and factual as i can so as not to unleash a mese of frustrated rants brought on by visiting this "Restaurant"

Although not taking reservations, they do allow "call ahead" in that you may ring 1 hour previous to your arrival to have an available table saved, and to alert them of your party and its numbers in attendance, in this case a party of 5 to celebrate an 18th birthday.

On arrival at 19.00hrs on Sunday the 22th April, we was greeted by a near empty car park and a restaurant playing host to around 8 people, this alone is not really an issue but what follows shows that there were no excuses for what happened, given the numbers that were being catered for, and that Sundays are 2 pounds more expensive for the same meal during the week.
After "seating ourselves", at one of the many empty tables, we made our way to the end of the Queue for the carvery, where the 4 people in front of us insisted our party pass through in front of them! on doing so we was made to wait 5 minutes for a "Chef" to appear from the kitchen to serve the carved meat, where he ungraciously picked and sliced at the now dried up meat selection that had obviously been sitting out under lights for some considerable time, whist trying to ensure that only the smallest amount of meat was begrudgingly "issued!"

The Yorkshire puddings had been subject to a similar fate and had become dehydrated and hard, we was then faced with an array of EMPTY bain marie`s, that once contained the other necessary elements to construct a meal, in a condition that can only be described as the dried up aftermath of a bun fight at a St Trinians leaving party! There was spoons and ladles from brown foods in with whites, empty containers placed in with remnants of gravy, giving it an an overall impression of trying to serve dinner from a draining board!
It was then apparent that the reason we was ushered through by our fellow diners was that, other than the offer of a scrapyard workers sandwich filling, " there was nothing left.

On asking the Chef if there was a restock on the horizon? he then informed us that we "would have to wait 10 minutes!" This then left a party of 5 holding cold plates looking bemused and bewildered while the already emaciated meat started to take on a whole new look! It was then our other thoughtful diners told us the same had happened to them, and that they had already been waiting 10 minutes! So why oh why did the swordsman behind the counter allow us to be served his offering in the knowledge that there was nothing else to come ?
Unhappiness and quizzical expressions were then addressed to the Magician of the blade, to which he said "if you don't want the meat give it back and i will tell you when the rest of it arrives"! And so we did!

No less than 20 minutes later, we was informed that we may now approach the servery to continue with our mission to eat. As was expected, the meat had not been changed or had the portion and service got any better,BUT! what did surprise us was the fact that not all the bain marie`s had been restocked and Peas, Stuffing, Carrots, potatoes were all still missing! The obvious was asked and to our amazement was told 10 minutes! deja vous!
2 of our party could wait no longer and took what was on offer, including the selection of cold gravy, apple sauce, and mustard that was all mixed together like a selection of paint pots on an epileptic artists table, transferring it onto our clothes from the drips and splashes left behind by the obvious mela before us, whist the rest of our party waited a further 15 minutes! leaving us to eat in shifts.

To conclude;

This restaurant has no customer service or care, whilst producing a meal and serving quality comparable to that of a works canteen, it caters with the emphasis on quantity over quality, and the premiss that the customers lost simply make room for those that will replace them.
The standard of hygiene, and cross contamination of food types are beyond words, whist customer service is lacking at best!
Summary: Poor Food, Poor Service, and even worse presentation, well avoided.

5 May 2012 21:10