Taste Test
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Apologies fail to make up for pub grub meal
DISAPPOINTMENT. That can be the only way to describe our outing to the Kings Head pub in Billericay.
Having endured a wet weekend and a miserable Monday we decided to cheer ourselves up with an impromptu meal out.
The signs were good at the start.
A busy car park for a Monday evening, the tempting waft in the air of food being cooked and a pleasant welcome inside.
The menu was perused, our choices were made and we sat back to await their arrival with a drink.
But the manager arrived at our table with news that my boyfriend's choice of Beef and Guinness pie was no longer available so he duly selected the roast duck instead.
Our starters then arrived. The deep fried mushrooms were a pleasant surprise being comprised of sliced and breadcrumbed flat mushrooms rather than the usual button variety.
But my soup arrived tepid and the manager made his second journey to the table to replace it.
The new bowl while hot this time did not live up to expectations and was far from the fresh tasty homemade soup I had imagined and was instead a bland and overly salty green sludge.
Still ever the optimist I hoped things would improve with the arrival of my sausage and mash and indeed they did.
The fat meaty sausages nestled in a swath of creamy mash topped with tasty onion gravy were delicious.
It was a different story across the table, when what had been billed as half a roast duck arrived to reveal a sorry looking shrivelled lump.
Being unable to even insert a fork into the overcooked and grease laden fowl our waitress was summoned.
She duly apologised and returned the dish to the kitchen with promise of a replacement.
But what arrived was no better, the skin was indestructible and what meat was there was an unappetising grey colour.
The manager then made his third trip to our table, with apologies and the offer to select something else.
With the hope of being third time lucky my boyfriend plumped for the sausage and mash I was happily tucking into.
But rather than offer to take mine away and allow us to enjoy our meal together, he was left watching me eat and vice versa when his meal arrived.
With the plates finally cleared, there was a fourth trip from the manager to inform us he had removed both our starters and main courses from the bill, and with profuse apologies for our experience, he brandished the dessert menu like a cherished trophy.
His faith in the restorative properties of all things sweet was justified and both our dessert enabled us to finish what had been a disappointing meal on something of a high- even if it is was a sugar one.
The Kings Head, Southend Road, Billericay. 01277 635931
What we ate
Deep fried mushrooms with garlic mayonnaise £3.95
Spinach,watercress and creme fraiche soup £2.95
Sausage and mash with onion gravy £7.95
Baked Alaska £3.50
Profiteroles £3.00
Total £21.35
Our verdict
Food 2/5
Service 3/5
Decor 4/5
Atmosphere 4/5
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CommentPosted by: LEDGER, SOUTHEND on 7:38pm Thu 19 Jun 08
ONE SUNDAY ,A PARTY OF 14 ARRIVED TO ENJOY A FAMILY GET TOGEATHER.WE WERE TOLD WHERE WE COULD SIT, BUT THE MANAGER TOLD US HE HAD TOLD THE GIRL ,THAT THIS WAS THE FAMILY AREA AND HE WOULD PUT US ELSEWHERE.WHEN ALL HAD ARRIVED ,WE WENT TO ORDER OUR MEALS,TO BE ADVISED THAT IT WAS BETTER TO ORDER AS A WHOLE ,SO THE MEALS CAME TOGEATHER.WHAT A MISTAKE!WE SAT AND WAITED AS OTHERS AROUND US CAME AND WENT.WHEN THEY DID ARRIVE,30 MINUTES LATER THERE WAS A MIXTURE OF HOT AND COLD ,WHERE I ASSUME ,SOME HAD BEEN SITTING AS OTHERS WERE PREPARED.SOME 45 MINUTES LATER,AND A COUPLE OF REMINDERS,LUNCH FINALLY ARRIVED.IT ARRIVED WITH A BANG, AS OUR YOUNG WAITRESS DUMPED IT ON THE TABLE,KNOCKING THE PLATE AGAINST A GLASS!A SIMPLE APPOLOGY WOULD HAVE SUFFICED, BUT NONE WAS OFFERED AS SHE RAN BACK TO THE KITCHEN.OUR GUEST WAS UPSET TO SAY THE LEAST, AND A REQUEST TO SPEAK TO THE MANAGER AFTER WAS BOOKED.WE WERE ADVISED THAT WHILST HE SAID SORRY,HE WOULD NOT ASK THE GIRL TO SAY SORRY?THE PUB, NICE PLACE.THE FOOD ,ACCEPTABLE.THE WAITING STAFF,MAY NEED TRAINING,AND A COURSE IN MANNERS.WHILST A DISCOUNT WAS OFFERED AN ENJOYABLE MEAL WOULD HAVE BEEN NICER.
ONE SUNDAY ,A PARTY OF 14 ARRIVED TO ENJOY A FAMILY GET TOGEATHER.WE WERE TOLD WHERE WE COULD SIT, BUT THE MANAGER TOLD US HE HAD TOLD THE GIRL ,THAT THIS WAS THE FAMILY AREA AND HE WOULD PUT US ELSEWHERE.WHEN ALL HAD ARRIVED ,WE WENT TO ORDER OUR MEALS,TO BE ADVISED THAT IT WAS BETTER TO ORDER AS A WHOLE ,SO THE MEALS CAME TOGEATHER.WHAT A MISTAKE!WE SAT AND WAITED AS OTHERS AROUND US CAME AND WENT.WHEN THEY DID ARRIVE,30 MINUTES LATER THERE WAS A MIXTURE OF HOT AND COLD ,WHERE I ASSUME ,SOME HAD BEEN SITTING AS OTHERS WERE PREPARED.SOME 45 MINUTES LATER,AND A COUPLE OF REMINDERS,LUNCH FINALLY ARRIVED.IT ARRIVED WITH A BANG, AS OUR YOUNG WAITRESS DUMPED IT ON THE TABLE,KNOCKING THE PLATE AGAINST A GLASS!A SIMPLE APPOLOGY WOULD HAVE SUFFICED, BUT NONE WAS OFFERED AS SHE RAN BACK TO THE KITCHEN.OUR GUEST WAS UPSET TO SAY THE LEAST, AND A REQUEST TO SPEAK TO THE MANAGER AFTER WAS BOOKED.WE WERE ADVISED THAT WHILST HE SAID SORRY,HE WOULD NOT ASK THE GIRL TO SAY SORRY?THE PUB, NICE PLACE.THE FOOD ,ACCEPTABLE.THE WAITING STAFF,MAY NEED TRAINING,AND A COURSE IN MANNERS.WHILST A DISCOUNT WAS OFFERED AN ENJOYABLE MEAL WOULD HAVE BEEN NICER.
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