BITE user comments - Phantom_Raspberry
Comments by Phantom_Raspberry
The best pub in Chesham Town by miles, excellent Thai & British menu - I'm always loathe to recommend a 'Thai' pub but this is superb. Oh and by the way the Fullers & Breakspears are in tip-top condition to boot! Gets busy especially if the rugby's showing but is busy for a very good reason! 9/10
26 Feb 2007 16:53
The Bricklayers Arms, Flaunden
Fabulous award winning 18th C. pub/restaurant in the middle of nowhere (Downside - somebody has to drive) Serves Old Speckled Hen, Timothy Taylor, IPA, London Pride & Tring Brewery "Jack 'O' Legs - Small beer garden and was packed on a Monday lunchtime which says volumes - 9/10
26 Feb 2007 16:49
Situated in the beautiful village of Flaunden, Bucks this lovely pub has the omnipresent Green King IPA, Abbott Ale, London Pride plus surprisingly ESB. The menu's now changed to include Thai food but untried. The previous couple of times this place was full of local characters, sadly missing this occasion! Unfortunately overshadowed by the Bricklayer's Arms further on in the village - 7/10
26 Feb 2007 16:44
Fizzy Beer, Fried Food, Suspicious number of teenagers & Sports telly - What a truly dreadful place - 0/10
26 Feb 2007 16:40
The White Hart, Chalfont St Peter
Old fashioned pub serving well kept ales but at distinctly modern prices - Still beats the Greyhound down the road!
23 Feb 2007 15:24
The Greyhound, Chalfont St Peter
Had a very indifferent pint of London Pride here earlier with Green King IPA being the only other choice. (Is that a choice?) Service was good and the food reasonable but there again the place was half empty. What I didn't like was the wood panelling everywhere and the widescreen TV's but horses for courses if it's good for you go for it - 4/10
23 Feb 2007 15:20
Excellent country pub now in it's third generation with the same family, so obviously doing something right! Four ale engines including currently Black Sheep, Breakspears, Adnams & Cornish Tribute but known to vary at the weekends. One of my favourite pubs and well worth a visit 9/10.
21 Feb 2007 16:29
Good, well kept beers in pleasant surroundings. More welcoming (and cheaper) than the Greyhound in the same village. Didn't try the food so unrated but beers 8/10
20 Feb 2007 13:29
Well kept beers in pretty surroundings but eye-wateringly expensive!! Would rate higher than 6/10 but for the prices...
20 Feb 2007 13:26
Called the Belle Vue for a very good reason, this place has stunning views across Sandwich Bay and out towards Deal and the English Channel from it's clifftop garden. A Shepherd Neame pub but not all bad (!) as it does have Bishops Finger and Spitfire as well as some of the rotating seasonal ales. The clientele are lively but the barmaids give as good as they get back! The food is good and not hideously expensive, unlike my native Chilterns. Well worth a visit, especially in the summer months. 8/10
15 Feb 2007 15:50
Close to the Grand Union Canal and on the A4251 this old inn, which I believe used to cater for the cattle trade in days of yore and possibly a coaching inn as well, is now a Thai pub and serves the ubiquitous Abbot Ale, Green King IPA & London Pride. The Abbot was well kept and the Thai menu inviting but untried. The toilets however have seen better days, just hope the ladies were in better nick! Still undecided about this place and will revisit on a day where punters outnumber the staff and barmaid not expectorating loudly in the back garden! Will give it a cautious 5/10 for present.
15 Feb 2007 15:38
Situated in an historic part of Broadstairs this lively local pub has 4 ale engines and a friendly atmosphere. It's still split into the original public and lounge bars with a pool table in the public bit and comfy seats in the lounge. I had a couple of well kept Broughton's Oatmeal Stout and will return to sample the other engines at Easter. Definitely worth a visit as is the rest of Reading Street with it's history. 9/10
15 Feb 2007 15:11
The Rising Sun, Little Hampden
Situated at the end of a long no through road in the middle of the Chiltern Hills, this beautiful inn is surprisingly busy predominately with walkers. It's been a hostelry according to the blurb since 1750 and if the couple of pints of Adnams I had were anything to go by then they should be there for a few more hundred years! (Breakspears was also on but that disagrees with me sadly). A rather inventive, although not cheap, menu looked interesting however I didn't eat so can't pass comment. Thoroughly recommended. 9/10
15 Feb 2007 14:55
The Ship and Shovell, Charing Cross
Excellent little pub with two bars either side of an alleyway linked by an underground passage. Had a couple of nicely kept Tanglefoot served by a friendly barmaid. It's busy but it's busy for a good reason and will go back again soon. 8/10
3 Feb 2007 08:43
A lovely old pub with an open fire place for the winter and gardens for the summer in a quiet little village fifteen or so minutes walk from Sandwich train station. Four or five different engines with rotating ales. The beer is as well kept as it ever was but no longer served straight from the barrel. The restaurant was, sadly, a disappointment although not for want of effort from the very attentive waitresses but just not up to previous exceptional standards. I'll be generous and say the new owners need to settle in. Well worth going for the beer alone and would be interesting to know what others think about the food. Will post further report later in the year. Beer 8/10 Food 5/10
21 Jan 2007 09:52
Not been in since the arrival of the new landlord but serves decent range of well kept ales (including the bottled stuff if that's what rocks your boat) and worth a visit. Not tried the food so can't rate that.
14 Jan 2007 08:27
Stopped in for a cheeky pint whilst on a lightning raid to the Garden of England and a very pleasant pint it was too. Good beer, friendly company in a lovely pub. (If you've time it's also worth visiting the Saxon Church 100 yards down the road).
14 Jan 2007 07:53
It's a footy bar and an Irish theme pub to boot - Having said that it was friendly and useful if to pass a half hour before moving on somewhere else. Didn't try the food so can't rate it. To sum up; not my cup of tea but welcoming for those that like that type of bar.
2 Jan 2007 19:47
Beer as good as it ever was, staff are as warm, friendly and welcoming as a wet fish - No change there then!!
27 Dec 2006 10:14
Le Roi est mort. Vive le Roi! (Pity our politicians couldn't learn about not fixing something that ain't broke...)
12 Dec 2006 13:11
Good range of beers, food's good but it's expensive and packed beyond belief - Far better to save up your money and go sample the real thing - Try 't Brugs Beertje, Bruges as a starter!
12 Dec 2006 13:04
Not bad for a city pub, reasonable beer and friendly staff, can get crowded but what do you expect?
12 Dec 2006 13:00
More of a restaurant and hotel than a pub, expensive and unfortunately not a patch on what it used to be - Shame!
12 Dec 2006 12:57
Beautiful pub in lovely surroundings as previously described. We had a fabulous (but pricey) meal last weekend with very attentive service. Unfortunately I didn't get to try one of the 5 or so beers on hand pull as I drew the short straw and was driving. (Local police very hot on car related crime so not even worth having one!) Next time will cycle and try out beers, hmm can't wait...
12 Dec 2006 12:54
Hmm, Got more than a sneaky feeling that a lot of theses reviews are written by regulars or dare I say it staff, Shock Horror!!
Having said that it's the only pub around for two or more miles and is miles better than it's previous incarnation, The Grange, with it's weekly fifteen rounds on a Friday night...
The food's reasonably priced and there's a good selection and the Guinness is kept well but the ales are frequently off and it can get very noisy and hugely packed on a footie night.
To sum up - Captive Market, it does what it does reasonably well but as my old school teacher used to say, "Could do better!"
7 Sep 2006 20:46
Should have closed long ago but if rumours are true that LIDL are buying it then the sign on the front door, "Chavs, Drunks and the Unemployable Only - Dogs Welcome", should still remain...
5 Sep 2006 13:10
Friendly Shepherd Neame pub overlooking Sandwich Bay with a popular garden in the summer. Serves a decent pint (if SN happens to be your choice) with a restaurant above. Mixed bag of locals always keen to wind the girls behind the bar up and a good bit of banter all round! 8/10
3 Sep 2006 09:40
The Boot and Slipper, Amersham
Now the only place in Amersham on the Hill to get a pint but more of a restaurant than a pub. Having said that the food's good, with a large, reasonably priced menu and average to fair beer. Tables are reserved for people eating, so if you're after a night out then you're better off heading down into Amersham Old Town. 7/10
3 Sep 2006 08:53
Part of a chain pub / restaurant group. Not so much a drinking pub as a dining pub. Reasonable value food with a good choice menu, average / fair beer. 7/10
3 Sep 2006 08:40
Two minutes walk from the staion, this used to be a boozer with a restaurant, now it's a restaurant with a small bar. Reasonable value (for the area!) if eating with the family but would recommend walking down into the town if you're after a pint. I'll be generous and give it 5/10.
3 Sep 2006 08:33
Very much a 'local pub for local people'; beer is reasonable quality but pricey. Food is reputed to be good although not had a meal here for ages. Nice old building and the 'garden' has large umbrellas with space heaters for colder days - ideal for keeping out of the way of the yokels...
3 Sep 2006 08:29
Landlord selling lease, so will post an updated review next year
3 Sep 2006 07:45
This place is what an English country pub should be; quiet, pretty, well kept beer, excellent food, a beautiful garden and an absolute delight in the summer. It's not the cheapest of places but that's propbably why it's so good, long may it remain so!
30 Mar 2006 13:07
Bar / Restaurant serving reasonable beer but served by a lousy attitude-filled manager. We were there to watch one of the Six Nations matches and the manager (a French national) put music on half way through the second half of the game despite there being 50 - 60 people watching the game! The Machiavellian half of me wants to go back to see the England - France match but the more reasonable half says go and watch somewhere else where we're made to feel more welcolme!!!
16 Feb 2006 13:50
The Jerusalem Tavern, Clerkenwell
Serves well kept St Peter's Beers, not often found and a welcome change from Fullers etc in an historic building with lots of little rooms rather than one big bar.
It wasn't too busy the evening we visited but I guess it can get packed with 'City' types, so pick your time wisely but do try it!
17 Nov 2005 19:53
Nice little Real Ale pub with lots of old Railway memorabilia - Well worth a stop off before going home at the end of a day in the Big Smoke!
17 Nov 2005 19:45
Lovely little pub, situated by the picturesque River Wye with varying real ales served straight from the cellar. Good hearty food, small garden and a log fire in the winter. Very popular with walkers. (If you're driving, park the other side of the river next to the football pitches in Redbrook, then cross the old railway bridge and the border into Wales!)
6 Nov 2005 11:51
Nice unspoilt pub with small rooms (including a skittles/games room) rather than one big bar, in fact no bar at all as beers served straight from the cellar. Nice pint of Abbot, only wish I could have stayed for more!
6 Nov 2005 11:11
I've fallen out of this place more times than I care to remember - Great atmosphere, friendly, helpful staff who mug your wallet with the utmost cilvility - Must go back there soon...
23 Oct 2005 16:53
Restaurant Pub Le D'Orsay, Quebec
A wonderful bar / restaurant in beautiful Old Quebec. Excellent food and beers including many local brews such as Boreale Blonde, Belle Guele and two wicked secondary fermentation type bottled beers; Maudite and La Fin Du Monde. They also have a local cider for those that prefer. Service can be a little slow when they're very busy but everything else makes up for it!
2 Oct 2005 16:27
The Elephant and Castle, Toronto
A British style pub for homesick Brits or those that think Eastenders is a true reflection on British society!! The only beer that's on handpull is London Pride everything else including the Bass was fizzy. The food was nice, the staff attentive, toilets were clean etc but sorry guys, this just didn't work for me. (I should also point out we visited another pub in the same chain at the Rideau Centre, Ottawa and it was the same).
2 Oct 2005 16:18
Les 3 Brasseurs (The 3 Brewers), Montreal
Situated in the Quartier Latin, this very busy brewpub and restaurant is a delight to visit. The beers and food are excellent however be prepared to wait a little while at peak times for service. The pub is part of a chain originally founded in France and prides itself on its beers. (Who said the French don't know how to brew beer?!) See also comments about "L'amere a boire" just up the street.
2 Oct 2005 16:09
Fabulous little brewpub & restaurant just up the street from the busier & noisier "3 Brasseurs" (See seperate review) but nicer for it. Would particularly recommend the "Fin du Siecle" and the "Stout Imperiale", however be prepared to leave your legs behind...
2 Oct 2005 16:01
Wow! What an excellent find!! The beer's well kept, the barmen knowledge & friendly and the food's good as well. Mrs Phantom_Raspberry was equally impressed...
Directions - Come out of Union Station onto Front Street West, do a right, keeping on the same side as the station, cross Yonge St and walk for about half a mile down Front Street East, until you get to the "Flat Iron" building, cross Church St and it's a tiny entrance just on your right, down some stairs.
2 Oct 2005 15:45
The Old Buttermarket, Canterbury
A terrible pub, despite those that might say otherwise! If you're not a regular you usually get ignored at the bar and when you are eventually served, it's in a slapdash fashion with beer that tastes like dishwater! I fully concour with the 5th Earl of Wimbourne who says a place best left to the gullible.
11 Aug 2005 15:57
Fabulous old pub with probably the best pint of Guinness I've ever tasted!
14 Feb 2005 13:39
I fully concur with the aforementioned comments by His Grace Wimbourne, especially the one about the curmudgeonly landlord and his enormously bosomed long-suffering wife! It's just as well then there's a more than an average share of footpads, nare-do-wells, recidivists and other assorted hobbledehoys to keep him on his toes! But more seriously, what a shame more hostelries cannot take note.
11 Feb 2005 13:37
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The Halfway House, Edinburgh
Lovely little place with a warm welcome tucked down a side street with four ale engines including a very nice Dark Isle and Deuchars. Food untried so unrated.
18 Mar 2007 09:30