Froggies At The Timber Batts

Reviews about Froggies At The Timber Batts

•  

  Sally Sadler Review added: 2018.07.15

  ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
  We had high hopes when we booked as we are real lovers of good food and do a lot of our own cooking so eating somewhere above the norm is important to us. We arrived on time and the welcome was warm from the bubbly lady behind the bar. She offered us menus and drinks and said we would shortly be shown to the table. She was serving behind the bar so we waited a while to sit down.
  
  We were placed next to a very hot log burner (it was not a particularly cold night so we were burning and wished they'd let it burn down rather than adding to it) the table wobbled which was disconcerting.
  
  We placed our order and as my partner was having a fish main he opted for the only meat starter (as he felt he waned to balance the meal). He was a bit surprised to get a plate generously covered in what looked like supermarket salami (one type) with a few cornichons. He was disappointed as in other restaurants he had had a similar dish with a selection. There was no bread served with our starter although we later discovered it was forgotten so eating his plate of meat was dull and no waiting staff were about to complain for 15 mins!! I had scallops with garlic king prawns and it was delicious and I admit had it been a main I would have been delighted as the scallops left me wanting more despite not being seared as I expected!
  
  The main took over 40 minutes for our main to arrive as we were the first to arrive we heard other tables complain as they waited longer. I would find 30 mins acceptable as we were the first table but for 40 mins I expect perfect food and a busy night. The vegetables were nice enough but I know reheated veg and the rosti potatoes looked crisp but were soggy. This made me wonder if they had been reheated or kept warm too long. In all honesty I think the veg must have been prepared too early and kept warm. I had partridge - the flavour was delicious but the bird was over cooked and therefore too dry, unfortunately the delicious gravy it was served with was no enough and I was unable to get the waiters attention as he ignored us the female waitress was busy with serving. The kind female waitress arrived with finger wipes towards the end but I couldn't eat it all because of the dry meat and it was too late for more gravy. My partner had Sea bass with fennel sauce. The flavour of the fish was good but again the skin looked crisp but was disappointingly soggy. He was expecting better, The fennel sauce was outstanding. I admit I had some with my spinach and would happily have taken a pot home.
  
  The other waiting staff failed to look about to see if we needed anything or were trying to catch their attention - only the female waitress was attentive and she appeared to be mainly at the bar or far busier than her male counterpart.
  
  For dessert my partner chose Tarte Tatin as he adores caramelised apples - the pastry was soggy the apples stewed so much there was no caramel at all on the top as the apple was too wet (a terrible error for a good chef who had chosen the wrong typr of apples for this dish) again he was disappointed. I adore crème brûlée and it was nice enough but nothing special and the caramel top overly thick top had a job to break it) so for the money I was a bit disappointed.
  
  The table after us were also not happy and found the heat too much so did not stay for dessert. They made similar comments to us. We left without coffee (unheard of for us).
  
  It was my partners birthday and my treat for him. I felt terrible and I admit friends cancelled their table after I told them of our experience. The prices and menu suggest better quality and we were let down. I've eaten far better at this price and the mistakes were basic errors. I am sad to say I would not return. Nothing was horrid but it simply was not worth the prices or disappointment. Sorry to the lady Waitress at the bar who actually made a bad night tolerable and stopped me from complaining. Was it the chefs night off? Sat 26th 2011? I doubt it but I welcome a response if this was the case.

Add review