Ye Olde Coach and Horses Inn, Melton

My fiancee and myself stopped in this pub for a bit of lunch one Sunday afternoon around 1 o'clock. We should have been put off from the moment we walked in, as the pub was empty. (we were the only people in the pub). This was not due to the weather as it was very sunny and around 22 degrees. None the less we decided to order from the vast menu(s). There must be around 150 options in the place for different meals. Way to much to choose from or to be prepared fresh. My fiancee ordered a 'Steak burger, with salad and fries' and I ordered a mixed roast of Lamb and pork. We asked for the 'Steak burger to be well cooked as my finacee is pregnant. After being told that everything is cooked fresh and we may have to wait for the food we settled down in the pub garden and waited for the food. Around 10 mins later our food turned up. (Obviously not fresh cooked). The plates was for some reason covered in Paprika around the outside in a manner to try and present the food. My finacee's burger was undercooked, the bread was a part bake and was wet from the grease out of the meat, and her fries was undercooked. The saled was chopped onion and lettuce and completely filled the plate. No tomotoes, cucumber or anything else. The roast came out with a large portion of lamb and pork, the pork was not even cut into slices and again the plate was covered with paprika. The gravy was so runny it almost ran straight of the plate when the waiter served it. My roast potatoes was out of a packet and hard in the centre, and the veg was so over cooked and out of season you would struggle to remove enough water out of it to make some soup.

At no point was we asked if the food was ok, so when we complained to the barmaid (Owners wife) she said she was very surprised and that they never get complaints about the food. So she called the Chef to the front of the bar to discuss it. The Chef (also the husband and owner) had quickly removed the food from the table (so as no-one else would see it) and told us this was the best quality food you could get and that nothing was cooked badly. At this point they insisted we pay for the food (in full, even though we had not eaten more than a couple of bites), and was quite rude in thier manner. They didn't like the fact that we had complained. If this is the best quality food you can buy then perhaps they should find a good chef to cook it. If you are thinking of going to this pub I suggest you don't. You would be better of at McDonalds.

8 Jun 2008 15:20