BITE user comments - SheikhInvakh
Comments by SheikhInvakh
Absolutely delightful setting with a gentle little beck running alongside. Gorgeous views from the elevated terraced garden. Pleasant also inside, and the Hopping Hare on a Summers' day is pure nectar. Eastern European female staff are friendly, (but what is it with these black uniforms everywhere these days?) and service experienced has been fine. Interesting mix of customers; mountain bikers, striped casual shirted BMW convertible drivers with trophy g/f in tow, local types and tradesmen (mainly weekdays). Only niggle is that drinks and food appear to carry a premium for the sylvan setting. Warning: the narrow sunken wooded road that descends steeply down to the pub should be regarded as one way only.....
23 May 2010 23:38
The Abinger Hatch, Abinger Common
A funny place. Looks from the outside like it should be a lovely old country pub, given its setting - but it isn't. A pub that's tried too hard to be a restaurant. Atmosphere when not busy can feel rather desolate (..erm - are you open?). On Summer weekends the garden can be overrun with kids hyper on Coke and crisps. The Fortyniner beer however is excellent. I fully concur with the rancid fat smell inside reported by other posters - a massive disincentive to sample the food there, which I have never done for that very reason. It's in a good spot for walkers and is a pretty location. It needs some tweaking.
23 May 2010 01:26
Tried on three previous occasions (Sundays) to get a table in this pub - each time its packed, so a good sign anyway. Shere's popularity puzzles me. Yes, it has a river with ducks, quant cottages, quant church, antique shops and the like, but it's invasion every weekend by tourists seems disproportionate - its pretty, but but no means the among the prettiest English villages. Most weekends will find the place littered with 4x4s and Audi estates. What is the big deal with Shere? That said, the White Horse fits in with the rest of the quant olde England image that Shere sports. We finally got lucky squeezing into the White Horse a couple of months ago on a dull chilly Sunday mid afternoon. It had a somewhat 'morning after' feel to it. The empty tables were in need of a clean, and required the discreet removal of the previous sitters' detritous to the nearest empty neighbouring table. There were only two before me at the bar, but it seemed to take an age to serve them, as there only appeared to one weary staff serving and the man in front of me was ordering a dozen different drinks for a large family party, with the usual checking back to the gang having to be done - want ice & lemon/diet or regular/pint or half/dry or medium etc. etc.. (the will to live ebbs away) When I was finally served, the beer was just ok. The atmosphere was somehow lacking for such an old pub - maybe it looked better a couple of hours earlier rammed full with 4x4 drivers and their entourages. Overall, a rather disappointing experience - we weren't moved to return another day to try the food and I coudn't face the wait again to get bag of Nobby's nuts.
23 May 2010 00:35
Appears to have changed hands again. First visit a couple of weeks ago left good impressions. Food prices are excellent value. Good portions and good food. Same lovely olde worlde charm, beams, candles etc. Lovely ambience. Good mix of clientele. No oiks. Would like to see a few more beers, but great to see notice at the bar saying they are happy to top up after beer has settled. Beer remains in reliably good condition. Big thumbs up continues from me - have been using for a few years now.
22 May 2010 21:37
A delightful setting in the lovely Surrey Hills. Such promise. What a shame. Here is my little experience of this pub: my partner and I visited during the winter. A bitterly cold day with driving sleet. The pub looked so inviting and such a pretty location. We entered, it was doing a decent trade but not frantic. We approached the bar and waited. Eventually the Landlady peered disdainfully at me over her glasses and fixed me with a glare hard as granite. Undeterred, I asked for two pints of beer and packets of crisps. These were sullenly produced and cash tendered without comment. The bar was barely lit, spartan seating and no evidence of heating. The adjoining room on the other hand was more cheerily lit and nice open fire was in evidence. I motioned towards this direction, only to be stopped dead by the sharpest bark I have ever heard (including those of canine origin) which fixed us to the spot, like escaping prisoners caught in a searchlight. The source was the Landlady, who made quite clear that we were not welcome in the "dining room" (which was half empty) and that we should, on pain on death, remain where we were, in the unlit, uncomfortable and cold bar area. Clearly a sharply segregated regime. I don't mind indifferent service, but that received from the Landlady was outrageous. We wasted no time in finshing our drinks and leaving, avowed never to return The Plough is one of the few pubs that has moved me thus. The Landlady should perhaps review her customer care skills.
22 May 2010 19:07
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The Stickle Barn Tavern, Great Langdale
A jolly decent cup of tea served here. Everything very friendly and helpful. Good value food. Plus you can see the weather report to confirm why you couldn't see beyond 2 metres on Pike O Stickle...
23 May 2010 23:46