The Clarence, Balham

I've been to this pub a couple of times & always been very impressed the food was excellent & the budvar Dark decidedly moreish. However after my most recent visit on Sunday my opinion has distinctly changed. Our food when it appeared after a 45 min wait (nothing wrong with this it was half two on a Sunday) was entirely unimpressive. The slow roast pork was fatty, greasy & somewhat undercooked which is not generally my opinion of 'slow-roast', One of our parties main meals did not turn up & it wasn't until we managed to flag down one of the staff (a feat in itself) that anyone went off to look for it (remarkable as it was the same staff member who had brought the other three peoples food) & a missing side order. At the same time we also ordered another glass of wine. Well eventually the missing meal turned up but we had to flag down another member of staff 15 minutes later to re-order the glass of wine (the staff member we had ordered from was stood behind the bar polishing glasses). A sad disappointment from a put which until now I would have rated as the best in Balham, it's as if now they've won their award they just don't care anymore.

21 Aug 2006 17:13