Lunch 10th November 2009: Went for the Set menu £27 inc 250ml wine. Starter Smoked Cod Roe with Celeriac & Bacon. Roe seemed dry and overdone, diced garnish ok included carrots and sweetcorn, butter sauce with spring onion. Taste ok. Main Course Braised beef shin. Presentation ok, but if I hadn't been recommended to order a side dish all I would have had was the piece of beef for my plate (I had sprouting brocolli with blue cheese – (an extra £4.20) – almost raw, never mind al dente! and this was not declared on the menu that I would have to order “sides”) The Beef was tepid at most, the buttered snail garnish barely a level teaspoonful, and the jus struggled to show itself. I reckon many would have sent this back to the kitchen just on the temperature alone, but the taste was very good. Dessert, I had goats cheese bun – 3 profiteroles with a goats cheese filling, black pepper honey, julienne of celery and watercress leaves. This was the best dish of the three, though still missing a beat in my opinion. Pre-meal nibbles and post meal petit fours (came alongside the dessert!) didn't enthuse me (was this what the £2 cover charge was for along with the bread?). Wine was ok. No charge for tap water. Service was initially a bit “simpering” from the lead staff, but ended as if they didn't really want me there as I was not “blowing a corporate expense account”. the £27 had grown to over £37 at the end with service) If you are going to do a prix fixe then it should be a complete meal IMHO.
I won't rush back.