BITE user comments - toastboaster
Comments by toastboaster
don't think they have quiz machines here any more. bit of a different scene, international standard cocktail bar. very tastey. attached restaurant The Barbican Kitchen is also perfectly acceptable!
5 Feb 2013 04:09
The Bell House Hotel, Sutton Benger
Once a 5 star country hotel, but last time I checked out their lodging bathrooms, they were avocado in hue. Frequently changes hands, since I left in 2008 to my knowledge it has changed hands 4 times, possibly a 5th in the last 6 months. excellent garden, despite being on a reasonably main road. the view to the north is a beautiful church, containing and excellent example of a hand carved pagan Green Man, and a gutter down-pipe shaped like a cow. Just south of the hotel/pub/restaurant is the village hall and recreation grounds, home to the usual small British village antics such as cricket, rugby or football (seasonally)
To my knowledge the hotel has a "conference room", of sorts, probably with a capacity of no more than 40 heads, but with it being so close to the villages own amenities, including another excellent (certainly more regular) restaurant The Vintage (also called La Flambe - or locally known as The La Flambe, The Flames, Le Flames or Le Vintage) and a proper British pub, serving grub that what you might expect from rural Wiltshire. Don't let the locals dissuade you, their vision is based on movement, so just sit tight and let the whole situation unravel in front of you.
5 Feb 2013 03:45
Came in here for a quite pint and to watch the rugby on Sunday. Didn't expect much, but it was surprisingly bad; Inattentive staff who seemed busy ignoring each other, both looked fairly hungover - but that's fine, it was a Sunday morning and that's what Sunday mornings are for.
However; why not try taking all the burnt-out candles and completely empty pepper shakers off the table presumably you put candles and condiments out on tables, but there were no eaters, 6 drinkers and candles and comically filled salt and peppers everywhere. Mad wobbly tables - not ohh-better-pop-a-beer-mat-under-that-corner wobbly, more like lose-half-your-pint-by-putting-your-glass-down-then-lose-the-rest-because-it's-stuck-to-the-table wobbly. The decor was second to none - I think I counted 11 dead bulbs (the assumption could be made that a set of lights were off, had it not been for their infrequent placement), the empty lampshades blocking the only natural light out, the grimly sticky tables, chairs and floors, the two empty foot high glass vases resting on the back of my leather sofa, that made a peeling sound as I picked them up to make sure that I was indeed seeing good chunks of mould in the bottom of (one of) them. inside the vases were dead candles and a pepper shaker.
Best bits; The a4 sheets of printer paper advertising your Six Nations themed "bombs" (Best one? The french, called "Azzurri"). And the pained look of dislike on the face of the guy behind the bar as I left after I asked him to fix the table, clean the table, if I could borrow some spray and a cloth to clean my chair, for a clean glass for my pint, for him to take his pepper, candles and nasty vases back.
Been recommended to me and others and has three screens for simultaneous sportification.
5 Feb 2013 03:34
So, London, land of a billion bars.
There are 3 Weatherspoons within walking distance of each other in and round Putney, with plenty of competition. The Rocket, however, has the best out side area, overlooking the Thames, between Putney road and rail bridges.
If it hadn't been for the weather being quite good, and my internet dying at the house I was staying in and the people I was staying with working near by, I would probably never had come here.
3 of the four times I have been here, I have had exceptionally useless service. Twice standing by the bar, staring at bar staff waiting for them to finish talking about the Olympics, that haven't started yet, only to see them wander out the back, not to return for 5 minutes. When they did they served the gaggle of 40-something ladies all guffawing loudly, knocking back their spritzers, baring their stained teeth.
On the second visit we ate here, beer and a burger from �4.99 with a soft beverage to �7.59 for a "gourmet burger" and a pint of lager. This Weatherspoon-wide offer is always disappointing as I can only rarely get an ale with my pattie, and usually only then as long as I'm willing to listen to the newest looking member of staff getting a drumming down from a fraught manager. I had the Mexican burger, served with cheddar cheese, guacamole and jalape�os, chips and onion rings on the side. Jalape�os were the generic tinned variety, not fresh, no crunch and only a damp bite, cheddar all right, but could have not been there as I could barely taste it, meat was all right, no grizzly bits, fairly flavourful, and not over done. The guacamole was a bit bland, and a bit scarce. chips were long and quite good, could have done with a double fry, but that is a kitchen hassle, so that's just fine. Onion rings were onion rings, greasy but quite large.
As I had arrived early, bought myself a pint of adnams, and sat down with a menu the manager came over to see if I needed anything, which was a nice change for a 'spoons, and service was pretty good when my friends arrived, they were both served at the table twice both before and as we ate.
My fries were served in a blue ceramic bowl that kept them surprisingly warm, but next to them in a greasy, badly washed plastic pot was a bout half-a-greasy-pots-worth of "salsa" a kind of sour, ambiguous flavoured red paste/liquid. "Lovely." I thought. "This will go excellently with my Guac."
I and one of my companions asked for Mayonnaise and we were elated when one tiny portion arrived in another whiteplasticgreasycondimentpot, complete with it's very own skin.
The fourth time I came here, by myself at about 1pm, primarily to use their WIFI, which was free and fast enough to download a 145mb file in 7 minutes, give or take, I asked for their cheapest coffee. 99p will get you an americano, espresso, latte or cappuccino, the ladygirl who took my order was attentive, looked me in the eyes, took my money, gave me my change, let me sit down and brought it over to me with a smile.
"Can I get you anything else?"
I sat down, did my compuglobalhypermeganetbrowsing and watched her serve about 30 people quickly and professionally, remembering their drinks when they returned to the bar, speaking especially loudly and clearly to and elderly gent, and on the whole being pretty good. Then the manager turned up and mangled a couple of customers, looked panicked the whole time and mumbled quite a lot, making some in-jokes with the girl, seeming to rub in a mistake she had made. A customer came to the bar and asked for a lid to a wine bottle so she could take it home, the girl dutifully went out the back, washed and dried it before handing it over the bar. The customer left, looking happy, waving goodbye and pressing a tip into the hand of another waitress, who had apparently served them, who muttered a "thanks" then turned her back on the group and started to try and engage girl no1 in conversation, while she waved a goodbye and made girl no2 look pretty bad.
All in all, it's 'spoons, it's never going to be amazing, but it is in a nice location, next to a Carluccios - reasonable italian chain food - and a bar restaurant called The Boathouse, which looked far more expensive. Probably worth going here first, knocking back as much discount booze as you can, and getting out, as a party I saw here had a prime location, with their buffet laid out on a table that ran right up to the door to the men's loos.
6 thumbs up
17 Jul 2012 15:46
The Ragged Trousers, Tunbridge Wells
Walking through drizzle on the Pantiles.
squelch, squelch, squelch.
Opposite the jewelers and their beautiful bandstand/balcony squats the exceptionally eccentric Ragged Trousers. Ducking under the eves, brushing past one of the Pantiles many columns, apologizing to the pretty girl with wavy hair as I extract myself from my coat, spraying her and the suited man behind me with a thousand drips accumulated on my downhill trudge through the high street. I push open the door, let the smooth sounds of Charlie Mingus or R.E.M wash over me as I walk up to the bar and fumble my coat onto a hook under the bar.
A bald man behind the bar looks at me, grins and tells me how to red sock. a long haired guy next to him, stops frowning at the pint he is pouring and frowns at the bald man.
I could have a pint of well cellared European beer, pleasant Cider or bottle of international beverage. but instead I ask for The Middle Pump, their guest ale, between the Larkins (meh) or Golden Ticket (better than meh) This week the guest is 6x, a Wadworths brew from Devises in Wiltshire, and my old local. Would I like a handle?
Fantastico
I take out a �5 note from my wallet that says bad mo fo on it, past it over to the bald man, who in turn passes it to long haired man who, with a flourish, hands me back my �1.70 and smiles, politely asks me how things are.
Arousing
grasping my just-below-room-temperature sudds I turn from the bar and poke through the papers stacked up behind me - Times, Guardian, Pigeon Stool, Local Crap - to find my little nugget of gold, the crossword. Perfect. I sit down on the faded leather bar stool and whip out my pen.
Hello
It's tall big bald man
"Hello" I say back in surprise, it's nice to see him again. we chat.
"Bin Emptier (7)"
Hello
The evening shift of staff are arriving, the bar is flooded with more hellos than my aged keyboard can accommodate, hugs and steam from outside billow around the room.
"Dustman" says long haired man
Thanks long haired man, he turns to serve the 20 Belgian tourists that have just walked in, spilling themselves over the wide heavy wooden tables at the far end of the bar, bickering about table service and how they don't sell espressos. The staff are more than courteous to theses bumbling collage students, and despite their shift being over, all 5 staff are behind the bar pumping out coffee, draughts and wine, from their fabulous selection of old and new world grape juices. Tall big bald man and I look at each other.
Cigarette.
In the tiny beer garden out the back we sit under the one giant brolly the covers most of the floor space.
"small pouch on a belt (6)"
Wavy haired girl with glasses comes out to collect my own empty glass - "bumbag" sh says as she swings open to door and we follow her back in.
long haired man is sitting at the bar, book in one hand, vintage dumbbell in the other. Using his bellend he pushes a plate of spare lunch time chips towards me. They're excellent.
"Nail-banger (6)"
Home (pub) made hand cut chips, dip one in some mayonnaise.
"Hammer"
Wavy haired girl, without glasses, raises her eyebrows at me, holding a glass with a handle.
�10 note this time. I take my �6.70 change, stuff the note in my back pocket, it's pointless putting it back in my wallet - I'm going to be here some time. Wave a hello at the curly haired man with an accent who makes food, as I drop my coins in a mug on the bar, funding their weather machine.
Weather machine. what will they think of next? hilarious.
Excellent food, moules on a thursday night, also burger night on a. nother night.
Excellent beer, they all know what they're doing.
Excellent wine, gurt selection, something for everyone.
Excellent spirits, well. I mean they don't, or didn't have malibu, which is just fantastic. they do have Koko Kanu though, if thats your bag
EXCELLENT service. get in there
8 May 2012 17:43
comments circa 2004, i was one of those underage drinkers. and those were good days. I'm sorry we intruded the land of the �5 deal.
pint glass half filled with lager
bottle of breezer/VS/VK/alcocrotch
Sourz
Something else
17 Nov 2011 20:29
Pubs with bouncers dont mean trouble.
Thats a ludicrous thing to say.
It is crap, but is is an O'neills, so a cheap watering hole on the meandering path through the hot dry summer Bath savanna, on your way to the Thai balcony after stumbling out of weatherspoons or The Lamb and Lion. whichc used to sellf 99p glasses of wine. Bath used to have a plethora of these drinks offers, which are now illegal. A lot of places - in order to adhere to new licensing laws - replaced these with bouncers.
17 Nov 2011 20:21
Mermaid Inn, Christian Malford
Update! After the pub changed hands in 2008, the owners neglected to pay staff and promptly went to court. has probably changed hands since then. again
ooo, there used to be a crack dealer at the end of the bar called Zippy, you cant miss him, 6 foot something, grey hair, 4 teeth and a huge harley d.
17 Nov 2011 20:04
Dissapointing! If you like oldy worldy pubs, you should go anywhere but here. However if you like great cocktails, good food, reasonable prices and appropriate customer service then:
Cocktails � B:lush, behind The Roundabout sports bar, opposite Ride Caf�, down some steps. Right at the bottom of Plymouth�s student dives, but without draught cider there is no fear of running into any children. Sexual spirit selection, excellent customer service, approachable, rude and extremely knowledgeable staff. Ideal cocktail bartenders. Can be extremely expensive. But go with it, cocktails, innit? Be suave.
Good Food � Tanners � for people with pockets full of pennies you don�t need to rub together as you pay someone for that. Otherwise try Morgan�s, same price as the treasury, and just at the other end of the town hall. Also reasonable cocktails. Better food, cooked in a much better environment by people paid more than minimum wage � they care how food comes out. In fact, if your looking for a light lunchtime bite, try The Chancel, opposite the courts, round the corner from Tanners (which is itself around another corner from the Treasury). Bodacious hand/homemade fish finger sandwiches, a wall of wines to chose from, staff of maybe 4 people, really worth time.
Reasonable Prices � In Plymouth? The B-bar on the barbican, part of the Barbican Theatre, is an excellent noodle establishment, Nam Prik Pow was my favorite, ask for anything however you like it, authentic Thai food cooked by people who might be from Thailand.
Customer Service � The Treasury is second to none here, the front of house staff will do anything to accommodate you and your companions. Worth a visit just for them, food is average; a couple of dishes stand out on each of the seasonal menus, accompanied by regular favorites. Food service can stop early on quite mid week nights. Bear in mind on weekends it becomes more of a bar than restaurant � never bring your nan on a Saturday night, she is likely to feel that the girls tottering around, bambi-like on their way to the bar to acquire another Raspberry Mojito. On that note, cocktails are all over the place, half of the evening staff are cocktail pros, but not much can be said for everyone else, not that they won�t try and adjust their attempt to suit your taste.
Give the staff a break, they�ve got enough to deal with.
Usually dead on Sundays, despite live jazz.
Seven Thumbs Up
and another thing
serves draught beer - not an issue for me
17 Nov 2011 19:59
this pub formed the formative years of my drinking. i could tell you things, things that would make you cry, things that would make you dance.
used to have the best duke box, not changed since the early 80s, free too.
land lord, solid gold diamond, his best anecdote involved Hendrix. not the gin
seemed scary as balls at 18, but once you got to know the characters you were sorted, everyone buying everyone rounds.
then running back to train station to find we still had half an hour, so ran back downed a pint of gem and blitzed straight on to the train.
came back 2 years later, dead. none of the old crew. oh. those were the days
despite not sampling the bar in 3 years, I'm giving it 10 out of 10
1 Jul 2011 08:35
I moved away from Chippenham a year or so ago and if my heart hurt more for this bar, it'd be because of a medical complaint.
it's so good, it's just so good, staff are friendly and knowledgeable, beer is tastey, snack selection is reasonable, i've never eaten there, but you don't need to eat when your having as good a time as i have had.
Folk Festival
The best time to go to the Old Road, Oldy, The Tav, Tavvles, Oldleberry
Nothing makes a good quality locally brewed ale better than the satisfaction of fighting through a ten deep crowd of blacked-up, morris dancing, mandolin playing, mental old, hippies all trying to get exactly the same thing as you
has recently developed a chav problem, they look about 12. if not chav, squaddy, but not good squaddy, violent child squaddy.
Busy friday night, local crazy kicking up a fuss? any of the barmen or bargirls will sort it out faster than you could say "oh did you see that bargirl pick up that overweight man and hurl him over the wall between the beer garden and threshers?"
Beer garden. What so many bars lack, without even noticing most of the time. well attended by staff, even at busy periods glasses are collected.
boom
so good
pity wetherspoons opened a bar in the cess pit of a town centre. immediately 3 smaller pubs closed. which has hopefully bolstered the old road's custom.
long live the oldy, may she misguide the youth and laugh about it to the oldth for many years to come
1 Jul 2011 07:01
Lional, you old dog you.
the best beginners pub in chippenham, tiny little space, fire, smoking alley next to grotty outside toilets, if it had spit and sawdust on the floor, it'd be a spit and sawdust pub.
but its too good for that
i have never been in the ladies toilets there
fantastic crisp selection
1 Jul 2011 06:52
its clean on week days
if you leave before 7 in the evening theres no deafening music
its cheap as beans, i cant count the number of times ive smashed bottles of corona (2 for �3) into pints of fosters (�2 a pint)
rude staff, ruder client�le
opposite regs kebab and chick o land
dies after 11 when everyone goes to 11s next door
expensive food for what it is
never seen a less happy chef and i work in restaurants and i make it my duty to irritate them in every way
ruined the building Brunel lived in while he built the GWR rain network, but ive used it more often than the carpet shop it used to be
1 Jul 2011 06:50
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The Gog and Magog, Plymouth
incredibly unclean, from floors to glasses, rude staff, bad food. other people mentioned how bad the draught ale was - it was ok for £2
5 Feb 2013 04:14