Revisited June 2007

Have you ever felt unloved, unwanted and disappointed when leaving a restaurant?  The alarm bells should have rung a few months ago when I joined around 40 ladies for a business lunch at the Hotel du Vin...there were only two waiting staff !! ‘My husband and I’ invited four very special guests to lunch to celebrate my husbands return to health, various other happenings and especially our wedding anniversary.

To ensure the lunch ran smoothly I had twice telephoned the hotel to inform them that one of our guests is a celiac and another a vegan.   Five sat down at 12.30 and our sixth guest  slipped in at 12.45pm where an aperitif awaited her.  A waitress had taken our request for drinks so I couldn’t understand why the restaurant manager stated four times that the sommelier would be with us soon.

Air conditioning was by way of open windows, the noise of the traffic intruded and with our table placed adjacent to the walkway, which appeared to be the M1 motorway for guests and staff, it was difficult to hear or understand what the waitress was saying to us - she didn’t appear to have a clue about vegans or celiacs! 

We ordered our starters and waited and waited so we decided to raid the bread basket (not the celiac guest of course) only to discover we were in fear that our crowns and fillings wouldn’t survive the onslaught.  The bread was rock hard!  The food finally appeared at 2pm. The vegan gazpacho was tasty (we were so desperately hungry by then), the frogs legs were somewhat emaciated and tough but the Parma ham and tuna passed muster. 

The restaurant manager informed us that the Chef had promised our vegan a special treat.  So we waited and waited and then she was presented with a plate which contained two or three miniscule pieces of vegetables with a portion of rice, which would just have fitted into an eggcup!   With all the ‘excitement’ of waiting for this special treat she did not order vegetables (charged as an extra we subsequently discovered)!!!!  However the soupcon of rice was tasty. To satisfy her hunger we plied her with chips.  A male guest had been on the ball and had chosen vegetables with his rib-eyed steak and chips which was delicious.  Two guests chose cod and chips and another turbot with which they were pleased. It would have been great if the waitress had enquired if others would like vegetables.  

Puddings were very necessary and after a long wait were found to be delicious. Coffee was nothing special.  We drank three bottles of house wine, well we had to do something, and they were excellent. 

We left the hotel at 4.30pm !!!!!    

Two days later I rang the hotel and asked why we had had to wait 1¼ hours for our first course and long waits between courses.  Platitudes ensued of…. “it was not up to our usual standard and we would like you to visit us again, when we would be given champagne cocktails as a way of an apology” !!  I don't think we have either the time or the inclination to pay a repeat visit. 

Cost £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £

Yummy Factor only 7/10 because of the service! (Identical to 6 years ago so nothing seems to have changed even under the new ownership!)

Guest Review by DF

Visited August 2001

S.A. was taken here with her husband as a Birthday present from her son, M, and his girlfriend, also M.  This is a very in depth guest report by M & M.  Thank you from the Ladies for the trouble they took to write it.

Despite having booked a table at the Hotel du Vin three months ago when we arrived we were seated right by the the door in the bar & champagne area.  (Sadly there was no room to sit and have an aperitif and we had to go straight to our table).  We asked to be moved and the waitress said she would go & check how long ago we had booked.  Although we had not booked early enough (!!) they managed to move us to the main dining room.

The extensive wine list was a joy to read and the menu was well explained by an enthusiastic waiter.  The quail & foie gras pithiviere was a meal in itself, delicious with light pastry.  It was served warm which was perfect & resulted in full meaty flavours.  The ham hock had a solid, peasant, rustic feel, slightly course in texture with a wonderful home cooked taste.  The lemon sole had slightly too much butter but the wilted spinach recommended by the waiter set it off perfectly.  The lamb was tender, although small & served with a superfluous, though tasty, plum tomato.  The dauphinoise potatoes were incredibly tasty and with the help of nutmeg held their own with the lamb & rosemary jus.  The steak was tender and pink but lacked the hard fast cooking that retains the flavour.

Despite the good portions there was still room for pudding!  The blackberry sorbet was sent back as it was watery & did not taste of blackberries.  Unfortunately this was dealt with in an ungracious manner by the waitress who substituted it with a mango sorbet which was spoilt by an unnecessary topping of sprinkled nuts which added nothing to the flavour.  The summer pudding was heavy but laden with fruit and full of flavour.  The real winner was crème brule, excellent.

We rounded this off with a selection of  unusual English cheeses which although initially sour in flavour warmed on the palate and were enjoyed.

All courses came too quickly after one another & the waiters did not remember what you had ordered nor were they very attentive.  However the Sommelier knew his wine and loved being asked about it.  It was a joy to see his knowledge & enthusiasm.  We'd return for the food and ambiance but maybe not for the service.

Cost £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £

Only 7/10 because of the service!

The higher the "Yummy" factor, the better the food & service.  The higher the number of £ signs the more expensive.  ( Roughly one £ sign = £5 per head )