The Contented Vine

A group of friends (seven of us) went here for early supper on 25 November. The ambience is good and the food is nice, good sized portions and hot but the service - don't start me on the service.

Both waitresses were surly and unhelpful and virtually threw the menus at us. When had to work hard to get coffee and when it came it was just put on the table. No-one knew which coffee was decaf, etc and so we had to ask.

A service charge of 12.5% service had been put on the on the bill which we felt was a bit steep for the surly service we received so we did not pay the full amount of service. This made us very unpopular and we were glared at when we left!

Shame because food is good. Won't go until again until the staff have been retrained.
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5 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 4
Thursday, November 25, 2010

Had one of the oddest and disconcerting dining experiences at the Contented Vine. Booked a table for dinner on a Saturday evening in the afternoon by actually walking in to the restaurant and so watched the booking being entered in the diary. Restaurant was reasonably full when we arrived. Two waiting staff were on duty – with one diminutive girl seemingly running around covering most tables. However we were greeted and dealt with by the other staff member. It is really hard not to be offensive, but the waitress, who I think may actually be part of the management team, could not seem to understand that we had booked a table. After a drink at the bar we asked if our table was ready, as the restaurant was now full, and we were guided to a table that had not been cleaned, and she gave it one wave with a tea towel and invited us to sit down. She struggled to understand our order, disappeared for long periods, and eventually abandoned us altogether at which point the other waitress came to our rescue. The restaurant was full, and I guess many were locals who are just used to this situation, but it certainly took the gloss off the evening. As for the food it was fairly good but not exceptional. There were things that were just silly – the green salad was completely bland, with no dressing offered, you had to ask for lemon to go with fish, and the chips were poor. It’s clearly a popular local brasserie, but I would be peering through the window to see who was on duty before I entered again – I shouldn’t have to do that.
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Simon Hall
5 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 6
Saturday, May 01, 2010

I had Sunday lunch there yesterday.the family occasion could not have been happpier.However,the roast beef,promised pink if not rare,was like the boiled bottom of my shoe.
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6 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 5
Monday, November 09, 2009