The Bounty, Bourne End

I had the misfortune to eat at this establishment today and sadly after taking the time to drive from London with my partner to eat at the 'Bounty', the culinary experience was, in my opinion, like eating in a 'cafe' in 1960s England.

I have had the privilege of eating in some of the most interesting and good value restaurants throughout London, in fact this was the first occasion that I have ventured out of London to eat for some time. The reason why is on so many occasions when traveling through the English countryside one is always confronted by a certain attitude, that is, now you have the privilege of being in rural circumstance you have to put up with the most appalling, over priced, undercooked, dreary, sludge on offer.

Just to highlight some of the of what was served to me and my partner.

I ordered a very basic 'chicken/vegetable soup'. It arrived after about a 25 minute wait, served on a table that had not even been cleaned, by a boy who was about as interested in serving food as he was doing a tour of duty in Iraq.

The soup looked as if it had been scooped from the bottom of a sink, tasteless and of the appearance of having been retrieved from the 'leftovers' of bits and pieces of chicken that had been found in the kitchen. Needless to say this painful experience cost me almost four pounds. A comparable tin of 'Baxters' chicken/vegetable cost 75pence.

My second course was a 'Baguette' filled with a with what could only be described as a slimy and acidic tuna content, probably from an industrial tub of tuna specifically supplied to the catering trade, (very worrying). On top of this delightful concoction, was a 'cold' melted cheese that of course, was like a snakes skin.

What more can one say! Oh yes a side salad of lettuce and red onion with a few 'corn puff' crisps to make the plate look full.........come on this is the staple diet of kids on a council estate, not a restaurant situated in such a high profile circumstance as yours. And the cost, six or seven pounds. Hardly what one would call value for money.

In some of the best cafe's in central London this type of 'baguette' would cost no more than three two four pounds. How does the "Bounty' management justify such outrageous prices for what can only be described as 'junk, tasteless food'.

Who on earth serves crisps with sandwiches in this age of 'enlightened' food. Come on guys, wake up!

My partner's meal was the 'Roast pork" served cold of course, with a platter of vegetables that were reminiscent of 'fifties' school diners, cold, over cooked and as tasty as a piece of cardboard in hot water. Needless to say she could not eat them.

We left the Bounty with the 'dogs' enjoying the atmosphere, feeling a bit sick, literally!......with an hours drive back to the culinary sanity of London and the delights of knowing that the 'Bounty' was in dire need of a mutiny.....and captain Bligh was in need of a decent meal.

In an age of food revolution, i.e Jamie oliver......Gordon Ramsey etc. etc. isn't about time you joined the fold and sorted it out. The location is a 'Gold mine' but seriously they serve better food in my local working mans cafe'.

yours Sincerely

A concerned lover of decent food for decent people at a decent price.

P.S.

I do not have a problem with your establishment, but with the pricing. If you wish to charge top prices then you have to give high standards of service, quality food, well cooked and well presented tasty food.

This is and was my 'Kitchen nightmare'. Really guys its taken me nearly four hours to get rid of this nauseous taste in the back of my throat as a result of the food I ate today.

27 Jan 2008 18:24