This page will contain critiques of places I (and probably my husband) have eaten, that I would at least consider eating at again. I think I'll use a star rating system, so if readers are looking for particular aspects of an eatery, they can see how it scored in my opinion. Any where that scores 3 stars or more for the Overall Experience will be included on this page ... unless the food was inedible, of course!
My Star System
***** Pretty near perfect!
**** Very good
*** Okay, but nothing special
** Very disappointing
* Oh dear ... in serious need of improvement!
The Vintage, Wellington, Somerset
I ate here yesterday (28/08/11) with my husband and son and have mixed feelings. The pub is located in the middle of Wellington, making it a convenient place for local shoppers and visitors alike; the frontage is traditional and quite attractive, although a bit grimy from the road traffic and ruined by the cigarette bin, which looked unsightly and encouraged one of the regulars to stand in front of the entrance door to smoke his cigarettes. It's not a huge entrance, so we had to slip alongside him to get in.
The large interior of The Vintage is divided into 3 or 4 smaller areas: a "snug", where locals were chatting and drinking; a larger bar/seating area, where more locals were drinking and chatting and also bottle-feeding their babies (clearly a family-friendly pub, then); and a dining area with around 4-5 tables, laid and ready for diners. This is where we sat. The pub also had an "award winning" garden, but it was too chilly for us to venture out there yesterday - check out their website for photos.
My wine (Pinot Grigio) was very nice and perfectly chilled, my husband's pint of Fuller's London Pride was ok, but he says he wouldn't have ordered a second, while my son enjoyed his pint of Cotleigh Brewery's Barn Own, but again was not eager to have another. Perhaps it was the sour expression of the barmaid that made their beer less palatable than it might have been ... after consistently smiling and speaking politely to her, I eventually received a half smile and a mumbled term of endearment that might or might not have been "lovey"! A friendly welcome is NOT how I would describe her service!
We sat at the table in the window, which was good for people-watching, but not so good for breathing, as the air conditioning unit above the window (not switched on) leaked in smoke from the cigarette of the man who was again puffing away at the front entrance! Our food arrived fairly quickly (maybe 15 mins?) and was presented to us by a woman who, in all honesty, made the barmaid look like the epitome of genial hospitality by comparison! Maybe it was at that point that the beers went off?!!
Turning to the food, however, we were pleased to find that the Chicken Jalfrezi (mine and hubby's) and the Beef Lasagne (son's) were clearly home-made and were actually very good. There was plenty of meat in both dishes, well flavoured sauces and quite generous portions ... only the limp salad garnish and overall presentation left something to be desired. We all pretty much cleared our plates (which were eventually cleared by someone different, after both sullen women had scowled their way out of the pub at the end of their respective shifts!), and felt satisfied - both by the flavours and the quantities of the food.
The prices (food and drink) are average for town centre pubs in rural areas and the overall atmosphere is relaxed, but undeniably favouring locals and regulars over unknown visitors. As former landlords/owners of two pubs, my husband and I are aware of the need to look after your "bread-and-butter" trade, but also recognise that a lot of revenue can be made or lost by the way you treat strangers and newcomers.
Ratings for The Vintage, Wellington
Food ****
Drink ***
Cleanliness ***
Atmosphere ***
Welcome *
Overall experience ***
