The Windsor Castle, Carshalton

My local pub.
Good real ale, reasonable pub food.
Nice restaurant section with generally very attentive staff.
I would go there more often if the vegetarian food was more inspiring and less cheesy.

27 May 2010 13:07

The Benleva Hotel, Drumnadrochit

Top quality real ale. Really very good indeed.
Usually three different brews which change regularly. I have never, ever had a bad pint. They are always willing to give you a taste and offer advice.
As I am very picky I will point out that the cellar is not heated, so if you go there when its freezing outside and you like your beer at room temperature, you need to let it stand for a bit - but it sure is worth the wait. (In winter I usually start off with a pale ale which can stand a bit of chilling)
The price is pretty good too - the nearest pub charges 20% more for keg rubbish.

I highly recommend the beer festival each year in September - stay and sight see by day (but not the nessie museum, please!) and drink by night - lovely !

As a pub, I agree with the other reviews : good atmosphere, good food, friendly helpful staff, etc.

This is my favourite pub which is why I give it a ten.
Shame its in the Highlands when I live in South London.
Maybe I should move.

27 May 2010 12:47

Stein Inn, Stein

I have to confess to being a 'lurker' on here for quite a while. I have now registered just to give a bad review of the Stein Inn because of the appauling experience I had.

I went in and as I stood at the bar I saw that there were three beers on. The 'drunk' at the bar was offering advice and I was commenting back.
I said that I didn't like black beers and the bar man 'Donald' said that they were all dark except one. I said that dark was fine but not black. The 'drunk' suggested that the Monster Mash was a golden colour. Suddenly, Donald placed a pint before me. "What is this?" I said. "What you ordered, a pint of Deuchars" said Donald. "But I was just telling this gentleman here that I had tried Deuchars and I wasn't that impressed by it" I said. "Well you've got it now, that's what you ordered." said Donald.

So I paid, drank and left, bitterly dissapointed having driven 30 miles to get there to try something different. I suggest that Donald should stick to keeping the beer and not have anything to do with paying customers. I think he just lost patience with my indecision and at no time offered a 'taste' as per Cask Marque guidelines - who I'll be contacting next BTW.

In fact he probably did me a favour as, whilst I quickly drank the beer I realised my eyes were stinging from the amount of smoke in the room, which would have been much worse if I'd stayed for food.

27 May 2010 12:12