Chips with everything (even if you don't order them)
Had the sad experience of lunching with my partner and my newly-wedded son and daughter-in-law at the Garden Museum Café last week. We'd eaten there twice previously, before lockdown, and thoroughly enjoyed the experiences
How things can deteriorate!
Whilst the quality of the ingredients remains fine, portion sizes have plummeted in direct proportion to the price rises; A small plate of quiche, with leaves, was £17; bread and butter, at £1.50 per person, was a half slice of a home-baked loaf. So for the 4 of us, £6
Wine, £26 for a half-litre of Sangiovese, £30 for Viognier (both blends)
Filthy toilets and chipped crockery only served to reinforce our view that this is an establishment in dire need of reinvention
My partner wrote to the café manager to make these observations and complaints
A detailed reply confirmed that "the crockery is bespoke, and we think very attractive, even with a few chips in it". The bread "is made from heritage grains, and served with some incredible butter from Normandy", and "we were welcome to have more bread or butter if you had asked for some"
Plenty of other platitudes in the 600 word apology, but no hint of remorse or remedy.
Avoid at all costs! read more