The Spaniard

I'm here to defend this fine establishment!

The past reviews surprise me, but I fear this may be something to do with the phenomenon that many reviews are only penned on the back of a bad experience.

I can't drop a point for atmosphere. This place is steeped in history as a highwaymans' hideout. Rumour also has it that the gunpowder plot conspirators were supposed to come here to watch the aftermath parliament's destruction. Is this an urban myth. I don't know, but it works for me. Ghost of the past occupy every nook and cranny of this building.

The food is possibly a bit overpriced, but I'm happy to pay a premium to maintain this listed building. Besides, it's still cheaper than some modern pubs. Overall I'm happy with it. From my point of view, I get a lot of bang for my buck here. The food itself is fine too. It's good old-fashioned pub grub, but done quite well. Generous portions too. Sometimes they also list recommended ales alongside the food on the menu. I quite like this touch.

The service is changeable. Overall it's good enough. It's best when there's no-one around. But if you're there during a busy period, I can well understand customers being left out.

Bottom line, however, is that I love this place to bits. I've been coming for a long time now and will continue to do so.
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Alan Ingham - View all reviews by this user
9 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, October 04, 2011

I wish I could argue with the overall feel of the review below about this pub serving rubbish food badly: but I can’t. With rosettes and Time Out recommended stickers all over the doors of this pub it is amazing just how shabby their staff treat customers. Oh, yes, I can disagree with the review on one glaring point – nice kids? Where? The barman that served both my partner and I was very unpleasant. From his overall demeanour of superiority down to the natty little pumps of his incompetence we both felt ripped off and insulted by him. I’d like to buy the place if only to sack him. Claiming to not have soda water so you flog very expensive fizzy water to non-drinkers is plain mean especially when behind you are two jugs of soda water reserved for Spritzer drinkers £6.70 for two lime and waters is quite outrageous. Additionally, if you are going lower yourself to serve your fellow human beings it is customary to ask if people want ice on a hot day and not to sigh and pout throughout the whole experience. I am sorry this pub has decided to hire and retain such a person but it loses any further custom from me for the next four of five years when hopefully this fool will have moved on via the X Factor, Big Brother or somewhere else.

Shame though as the Barnsley chop and Greek salad were fabulous. The Ploughman’s however was farcical consisting of some Cornichons, a supermarket apple, one pickled onion, a bit of salad and a big slab of best value cheddar (it was as near to the advertised Quicks Cheddar as I want to be to the aforementioned barman). These do not constitute a Ploughman’s. They do constitute a farce. That and the barman were the of the same ilk: bin worthy. What were the reviewers for these London rags thinking?
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Morgan
3 Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, June 30, 2009

The legendary highwayman and famed rogue, Dick Turpin, is said to have drunk here and used it as a hide-out. According to the pub's own information, his father was the landlord here in the early 18th century and Richard was born at the inn. Some even claim that Turpin’s ghost haunts the premises, which could explain why our evening went from absurd taxi drive to a ridiculous restaurant experience.

The service was snail slow and embarrassing, comparable to the pub atmosphere of a busy student’s union – genuinely nice kids but without an idea of basic service, manners or even remembering to place the order and deliver the food at all! After seating ourselves in the upstairs restaurant we waited over an hour for our food to arrive.

I collared a studenty looking French employee who apologised and returned with ‘Posh Mushrooms on Toast’ (wild mushrooms in cream and herbs on granary toast, £5.75). As a starter it was good. The mushrooms were served in a creamy heap over the wedge of toast and a small garnish salad on the side was refreshing against the mushrooms.

And then the “BUT”. During our starter, our mains arrived, were placed on the table next to our posh mushrooms, with the service waiter walking off. “Excuse me,” I said, “Won’t this get cold?” “Yeah,” he replied. “Then could you please take it away and wait until we have finished our starters?” It was utter craziness.

Fifteen minutes later the mains arrived. One serving of fish & chips (beer battered haddock, chips, tartar and mushy peas, £10) and my Elwy valley lamb leg steak (£9.00), which arrived as a simple steak I’m fairly certain, without even a hint of lamb in sight, and served with a mixture of cold vegetables and salad. Not a happy matching. This was terrible. Hot and cold together just don’t work. The meat was fatty and tasteless and one of those rare moments when the bone actually outsized the meat.

I was told the fish was no better. Soggy, oily and a dry batter, which clearly had either been re-heated or kept under kitchen lighting for too long?

A decent Malbec at £15 a bottle was some redemption, if not just to wash away the taste of a disastrous meal.
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David J. Constable - View all reviews by this user
3 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 2
Sunday, April 19, 2009