Loch Fyne Beaconsfield

We ate at Loch Fyne as a party of four. I had had a dissapointing meal at this restaurant about three years ago, but in spite of the other restaurants on offer in Beaconsfield, thought that another try would be worthwhile.

It's an absolute pain trying to park in Beaconsfield, but on arrival the welcome is warm enough - and the waiters informative and polite, but the food does not live up to expectations.

The restaurant is big and lacking in atmosphere. We had a drink whilst we awaited our friends - a white viognier by the glass. This was a poor wine very lacking in flavour. The piped music is neither loud enough to be interesting nor cool enough to be chilled - just a slightly annoying tinny hiss in the background rather like a poor portable radio in the garden next door.

The menu is unimaginative but is extended by a blackboard offering dishes of the day. I had fishcakes (lukewarm but otherwise averagely OK) followed by 'fish of the day' which was monkfish with mango salsa. Again, my food and that of one of my friends was lukewarm and on a cold plate. The waiter offered to change the dish, but I did not want everyone else to feel uncomfortable (or worse, to wait) whilst the dish was reheated or recooked. The vegetables are dismally uninteresting and slopped into small white dishes and tasteless. One of our party was very happy with his dish, the others dissapointed with the quality and flavour of the fish, the vegetables and the 'mango salsa' - a brown slop.

Desserts are the standard fare of brulees and chocolate nemisis etc. Coffee was served at the same time as dessert - why?? Did they want us out as soon as possible?

Overall verdict: overpriced (£168 for four, three courses including wine and coffee) and unimaginative and poorly cooked food.
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Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Thursday, March 06, 2008