Maes Knoll Toby Carvery, Bristolback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Butcombe at £2.50 looked good, but could not see through it. Had flat Blackthorn instead!
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Above average Carvery Pub split 50/50 between restaurant and drinking area.
3 hand pulls, 1 for St Austell Tribune @ £2.90 a pint and 2 for Buttcombe Bitter @ £2.40.
I had a pint of the latter which was so nice I had another.
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This pub is actually a Toby carvery, so that straight away gives you some idea what to expect. For many years it was known as The Black Lion. Quite why it needed to change it�s name is not clear, but at least it�s changed it to something with a local connection (Maes Knoll is the name of an Iron Age hill fort a few miles to the south) rather than something entirely spurious as is so often the case.
There�s nothing an all wrong with it, but then again there�s nothing particularly right with it either. It�s bland but inoffensive, no character but clean and tidy. They�ve tried to make a bit of an effort but ultimately there�s only so much you can do once you�ve ripped out the original interior and are starting afresh. It�s carpeted throughout, with some exposed brickwork, flock wallpaper elsewhere, a pastel blue painted plaster in yet another area and some whitewashed wood panelling. A bit of everything it seems. A snug area off to the right is reminiscent of a hotel drawing room with it�s dark wood panelling, green button backed leather bench seating and drawings of old Bristol on the walls.
I didn�t check the menu, but there was a dominant carvery counter off to the left as you come in. How many of these they sell on sunny afternoons I�m not sure, but I guess if that�s what your brand is about, you have to persevere. There is another room at the rear with a couple of sofa�s and a plasma on the wall, although this had the volume tuned off.
There is also a small beer garden, although this is rather uninspiring being tucked away around the back of the pub, with just a blank wall and the car park for a view. That, together with the constant drone of the kitchen extractor fans, makes for a somewhat unappealing ambience.
Beers on this occasion were Butcombe and Marston�s Royal Union. There was a third pump that was in the process of being changed. This may have been Theakstons going on one of the meal deal promotions I saw chalked up. Ciders were disappointing, with just Bulmers and Strongbow, unfortunately.
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Yesterday at this establishment I had possibly the worst pub meal I have ever suffered.
I ordered fillet of salmon (not cheap at �8-�9). I was told it was 'on the deck', which seemdd to mean I had to go to the carvery to get it when it was ready. (I hadn't ordered from the carvey as it was 6pm and hardly being used - a group of 4 had done so and ended up leaving most of their meals). The salmon was on its own on the plate, looking very unappetising, and I had to get the (stewed) vegeatbles and (over-cooked) potatoes from the carvey. The salmon was tasteless and, to top it all, on ordering the trifle dessert, I discovered this too was tasteless and watery. Never again!
(I guess that if you go at a busy time and then use the carvery, things may be different but the food choice is so limited you have little alternative at whatever time you go.)
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I used to hate this place, but I needed to stop, and this was the only convenient place.
Spitfire @ �2-50, Butcombe @ �2-10!
Clean toilets, and cheap meal deals. Suits me.
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Standard Toby Carvery... good seperate bar area where you can sit before dining, or even if you're not planning on eating. Food is always the same, consistant good quality. Bar offers a great selection of pumps, spirits and wines as well as seasonal drinks, all at pretty low prices. Pub itself is always clean, staff friendly enough (although in busier periods getting their attention can be difficult).
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