The food at Hereford Road is not bad. Its not very good either. But unfortunately, the restaurant staff – and the “service” given by them – do not reach even those mediocre heights. Thankfully, it is pretty unusual these days (I have never otherwise experienced it in my 10 years of eating out in London) to receive throwback, 1970s style “what do you know, you are just the customer” care and attention – especially in a restaurant that has pretensions in the direction of the excellent St John's Bread and Wine and its peers.

After taking exception to being served with an anaemic and greasy pile of what appeared to be deep fried potato crisps with Pheasant (they were supposed to be fresh game chips) we told the waiting staff we were disappointed. Their response: “The Chef calls them Game Chips. So they are Game Chips”. No attempt to placate us, no dialogue. Just “take it or leave it”.

The French restaurant manager did an excellent job of guaranteeing that we left with an awful taste in our mouths, telling me “you talk too much” (i.e. how dare you complain); telling us that “you will pay the entire bill or there will be trouble” by agreeing that the more appropriate way of treating his customers in this situation might be to offer an apology or even a coffee on the house, but that “I am different” and “do not care what you think about the food”. In fact, the only helpful suggestion he had to offer was that “you need to find another restaurant”. Don't worry, we will. Any other restaurant, in fact.

If there is anyone out there planning to open a restaurant, pub, or any other establishment that relies on pleasing and impressing its customers, I suggest you pop along to Hereford Road for a cautionary lesson on how bad an experience it is possible to give your customers, if you really, really try.