The Bear in Stock |
| Written by Undercover Dining | |||
| Friday, 17 April 2009 | |||
 I am very pleased to say that for the first time in a very long time, our friends took the lead and booked a meal out on a Friday night for a long awaited get together at The Bear in Stock. I had been there only once before for my best friends pre-wedding meal with the girls (in other words, a very sophisticated and low key hen evening). The only thing I was concerned about was the portion sizes. I seemed to recall them being rather small and having to order separate side dishes which were no more than a ramekin in size.When we arrived at around 7.45pm, the restaurant was already buzzing and the car-park full. The Bear’s menu is just about perfect. It’s not so extensive that you have to trawl through it, but not so small that you struggle to find something you like either. I started with a ‘special dish’ of scallops with pancetta, sun blushed tomatoes and a pea mint puree. My husband, Graham, had mussels in a white wine and cream sauce and our friends had the crayfish, avocado and smoked salmon tian. We were all really impressed. We also ordered a plate of rustic bread with dipping oils which came at the same time as our starters. It would have been nice if it had been served first, but it’s a small thing and didn't matter too much. However, the main courses were a different story altogether, unfortunately. Two were complete ‘let downs’, whilst the other two were....absolutely fantastic! For some reason, doesn’t that always seem to be the way? Our friend Neal and I had great dishes, whilst Emma and Graham rather got the rough end of the stick. Neal and I both had the fillet of seabass on olives, French beans, roasted tomatoes and a balsamic reduction. I am very pleased to say that I also ordered a side of seasonal vegetables which were ample to share, whilst the courses themselves were perfectly sized. Neal and I could honestly not have chosen better. It was simply delicious. Meanwhile, it was all frowns from Emma and my hubbie who had seemingly been presented with what I can only describe as ‘a hunk of meat’ on a plate. Honestly, the presentation up until then had been spot-on and really professional, but their meals looked more like something from a cheap steakhouse Stateside. They had both opted for the ribeye steak with béarnaise sauce and hand cut chips. In fact, that would have been my second choice, but I’m so glad I opted for the seabass. My husband's steak had to go back as it was well done and not medium-rare, as requested. The steaks were also delivered with the bone in. Now I know this does keep the flavour, but it's certainly not attractive and I have been to restaurants before where they do add that to the description on the menu, so that you are aware. Once another steak had been cooked, it had literally only just seen the pan and was definitely rare. In the meantime, my friend Emma had been picking at her steak and did not look a happy bunny either. They both left the steaks and asked the manager to take them away. He honestly couldn't have been more apologetic and also looked pretty disappointed too. I have to say that The Bear took every effort to rectify the situation and offered us a complimentary bottle of wine. I think service like that is rare these days, where restaurants actually acknowledge their error and apologise to the customer for such. Due to the lack of main courses on two parts, we did not even deliberate about dessert....we just dived straight in! We ordered the apple crumble with cinnamon ice cream, the warm chocolate brownie, and I had a Baileys bread and butter pudding, which was a lovely way to end my meal and they were all absolutely yummy! When the bill arrived, the steaks had been taken off. To me, that showed a professional touch from a restaurant who obviously care about its food and delivery of service and wants to maintain customer satisfaction. A ‘good call’ by the manager so far as we were concerned. Everyone in the restaurant that evening looked like they were having a great time and all the other dishes going to tables around us looked superb. The steak on the ‘special’ - which was a fillet - looked worlds apart from the ribeye, I must say. As for the venue itself, the decor is really lovely and maintains the character of the old pub with a modern twist and the service is unobtrusive. The wine was not poured, which I actually prefer as you are left alone and not constantly feeling like your glass is being topped up. But a little tip for the waitress - our wine should have been tasted first, before simply plonking it into the cooler. Would I go back to The Bear, or recommend it to others? Yes. Absolutely! I loved all my dishes. For me, it was the best meal I’ve had in a long time locally. I pride myself on writing honest reviews and hope, on my recommendation, that you too will try The Bear as I have no doubt they run a tight ship where any errors are rectified both professionally and immediately.
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Nike Shox Pas cher
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... I hope i can eat as much as I could. But.. I am fat... I should save money for myNike pas cher |
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