The Warwick Castle, Maida Vale

Following a walk along the canal, we popped in for a Sunday bite and a drink.

Everything started off well, but rapidly descended........

I'll get the plus points in first, or shall i say POINT - the Doombar was in good nick and is obviously kept well. However, that's where the positives stop.

After ordering a starter to share and a main course each, we were then brought all three dishes at once, which obviously wasn't ideal. Instead of realising the mistake, the waiter just wanted to know if we had ordered three meals, dumped them on our table and then scampered off. We then went up to the bar to ask if they could keep the two maincourses warm for us, to which we were met with utter rudeness from what we thought was the landlady. Instead of obliging and politely taking the plates back into the kitchen, she left them on the bar and basically said it was our fault as we'd ordered three maincourses!

We had the charcuterie to start which was pretty horrible - meat was warm, then the chicken burger and beer battered cod. They weren't too bad but certainly nothing to write home about.

Before settling up the tab, I went to the loo and my girlfriend wandered over to the bar to get the bill. The landlady obviously saw me walking past the bar to the loo and then asked the barman if we'd paid (loudly), inferring that we were doing a runner! Couldn't believe it! When the barman then pointed to my girlfriend at the bar waiting to pay the landlady looked quite rightly embarassed.

To be perfectly honest, we did feel like walking away without paying - which would most definitely have been a first!!

If you like a good pint, whilst sitting in dated, dirty surroundings whilst listening to the rude and grumpy landlady then this is the place for you!

2 Aug 2010 15:26