The Fox and Hounds Restaurant & Bar, Englefield Green

We last visited in September 2008 and doubted we would return, but we did.
New Year's Day with friends for a walk in the Great Park. Car park empty although road parking was impossible. A pre walk pint of Santa's Wobbler set us up nicely with something a little gentler afterwards with soup (not as described but OK) and chips. Despite crowds of epic (Cecil B DeMille) proportions service was fine. Maybe best to avoid quiet summer Sunday lunches in the restaurant.

11 Jan 2010 07:57

The Fox and Hounds Restaurant & Bar, Englefield Green

I should have paid more attention to the way my initial enquiry was handled. On Saturday I phoned the pub to book a table for my wife and I at lunch on Sunday. The cheery voice on the answering machine promised to call back as they were too busy to take my call. They didn�t, but I did. I was given the choice of various slots but not 13:00 to 14:30. That suggested they were popular and well organized. Correct on one count only.
We arrived at the appointed hour and were told that, although there was no trace of my booking they could fit us in. We waited half an hour for our drinks and food order to be taken and were told that our order, the plaice, was finished. A sign of popularity no doubt but they could have warned us when we were given the menu. We regrouped, made a fresh order and the starter arrived quite promptly. We then waited another half hour for the main courses. I had switched to a Chicken Caesar salad. Only because I was really hungry was it possible to eat what arrived. The chicken may have come from a tin, it was coated in mayonnaise which held the mess of apparently shredded chicken together in a glutinous lump. Quite the nastiest example of a really simple salad I have come across.
Looking around we could see other would be diners being ignored. From the couple who arrived just after us but still hadn�t eaten anything by the time we left, to the table of six who arrived before us but had not been served their main course when we left. Or to the couple who asked for a Muscat de Beaumes de Venise (modestly priced) with their dessert who were served dessert after a long wait, asked again for their wine, waited five more minutes were served coffee and eventually after complaint were served their wine. I hope they didn�t tip, we didn�t and I doubt if I will return to a lovely Berkshire pub restaurant I used to enjoy and recommend to friends.
As a reminder of a remarkable afternoon, my wife and I are now suffering from symptoms remarkably like mild food poisoning.

28 Sep 2008 19:09