Feathers Inn, Wadesmillback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Wow, five years have past since my last visit. Have things improved?...not really.
Yet another young waiter, who asked what would I like to drink? What real ales do you have? I enquired.
The blank look on his face said it all. I might as well have spoken in a foreign language.
After a shrug of the shoulders he turned to a female staff member for help.
She informed me they had GK IPA, Abbott, Ruddles and TT Landlord.
Watch this space in 2023!
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Years ago I came to the Feathers for a meal to celebrate an anniversary or birthday. An ideal pub for a special occasion - not any more though.
Their main advert is for two meals (now) £9.95. A poor choice of five meals, two of which are vegetarian.
As all real-ale drinkers know, you do not visit a Greene King pub for its ale.
Never much of a choice and here is no exception. IPA and Old Speckled Hen is their extensive range.
It probably hasn't changed for over a decade - and probably never will.
Where has the senior barmen gone, with all the chat and wit? Replaced by kids who can just manage a grunt.
After parting with more than fifty quid I hardly got a thank you when settling my bill.
That magic feeling has now gone from the Feathers. Ordinary food, ordinary staff and bloody ordinary beer.
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Has also been an infrequent visitor to The Feathers over several years driving up from North London to sample the carvery. But stopped coming a few years back when the quality dropped below what you would expect for the price level.
However was back in the pub during a recent lunchtime after a Christmas Ramble around the Hertfordshire countryside. Did not eat in the restaurant and kept to the bar section for beer and bar food, so will report on that.
Cannot fault the Feathers for providing a warm welcome on a cold winter�s day. It provides a large bar area with several comfortable sofa like seats and tables and chairs. In the middle is a large open fireplace (open to both sides) which today was roaring away nicely. And by the look of the amount of logs that were pilled up in several places around the bar area, they were well prepared for the unlikely event of being snowed in.
The beers are nothing special being the usual Green King fair, but both the IPA and Speckled Hen were pleasant and seemed to be kept well. Have to agree with below that the drinks are slightly pricey and over �12 for 4 drinks is more akin to the west end. The main food menu was extensive but as I remember, also expensive. But they were advertising two main meals for �8.95, although from a separate smaller menu. We tried these and I cannot fault our two meals of Vegetable Biryani and Fish in Beer batter with mushy peas which were good and also good value at under a fiver.
So with regards to beer and bar food, The Feathers was pleasant enough, and I can think of a lot worse places to be after traipsing 10 miles around the Hertfordshire countryside.
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I live very close to this pub, and have seen it change over many years from an excellent privately owned pub to what can only be described as a very average chain style pub.
The food is very mediocre, I ate there recently not out of choice I hasten to add, and chose a 'Wasabi Caesar Salad' I was thoroughly dissapointed. I got a few limp cos leaves, a scattering of rather dry chicken breast and a flavourless dressing. I complained that I could not taste the wasabi, and was told it was in the dressing (the flavourless one remember? Since when could you NOT taste wasabi??) I also complained that a Caesar salad should have anchovies, Parmesan, croutons etc and was told by the manager that 'we don't add those things to our Caesar Salad' I pushed the point that it shouldn't be sold as a Caesar without these classic ingredients, and got nowhere. Am I too fussy? I don't think so...not at nearly �10 for a starter sized salad I'm not.
The carvery used to be legendary, and I used to go as a kid for a treat on a Sunday. It's no longer good, and I would only recommend trying it, if you walk round and have a look at it first, usually, it's been dried out to death under heat lamps and is only good for the bin.
One last thing..the pub is a bit grubby, cobwebs in the toilets, flaking paint on the windows and just generally smacks of poor management and upkeep. Someone needs to get hold of it and give it a shake, hopefully restoring it to what it used to be, a well visited and all round good inn.
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Great carvery still in Dec 2007. Beer a bit pricy though. Greene King IPA & Old Speckled Hen available.
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Great carvery with great food. Lacks atmosphere as a pub though the beer is good. Have to be in early if you don't book on Sunday but never failed yet!
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We love this pub. Lawrence, you will still find it worth the drive from Enfield!
We've always found the staff to be friendly and courteous. Yes, you can only go up to the carvery once, but we're always replete after one heaped plateful.
The carvery is super, with lovely tender meats, and the other food excellent with ample portions, especially the steak and ale pie (proper pastry, soggy with rich gravy - mmmmmmm!). My only quibble is that the veg can be a bit overdone, but for good pub grub and real cosy pub feel it's a good bet.
Now that the A10 no longer runs through Wadesmill there is more of a quieter village feel to the area.
There's a no-smoking area and seats outside; also accommodation in a separate block, but we haven't stayed here.
Lesley - 14 Nov 2004 17:57 |
Used to go here with family on the '80s - it was an institution then and worth the drive up from Enfield on a Sunday morning. Hope it is good now as it was then....?
Lawrence - 20 Aug 2004 22:52 |
Very disappointing !
My wife had a tiny piece of beef at the carvery, as she is not a great eater, but as it was tough she approached the chef to ask for a small piece of turkey, only to be told "Sorry, only one visit per person" !!
When I asked for details of a Head Office address to which I could write with my complaint, an impertinent youth behind the bar advised me that he did not know it (!) but that it was "Somewhere in Luton, which is just up the road, you know" !!
All this unemployment in the country, yet he has got a job!!
The saving grace is that we won't have to go back !
Douglas Sutherland - 18 Feb 2004 14:31 |
fantastic carvery, best in Herts, just needs more tables!!!!
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great pub, great sunday carvery!
annon. - 5 Oct 2003 17:57 |
Good selection of real ales, lagers, bottled beers, alcopops, spirits, etc..., excellent food, large bar, good quality bar food, excellent atmosphere, friendly staff.
Roger - 14 Nov 2002 00:26 |
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