I am a great fan of LivingSocial and have enjoyed some delightful meals and short breaks at bargain prices. Last year we went for an evening meal at a Country House hotel. It was about 24 miles away but well worth the drive, the meal was freshly cooked and all home made and the menu was interesting and varied.
When Hubby got an email directly from the restaurant offering half price meals he booked a table by return email and the booking was confirmed. Thursday 15th March at 7:30pm.
We arrived at about 7:35, the car park was empty. We went in to the small bar area and it was deserted apart from the young barman who seemed surprised to see us. When we said that we had a reservation he looked even more surprised and told us that there were no bookings for that evening. After chatting about it he said that it must have been his mother that had sent the email, and that she was out, but would be back soon. He also said that they had a wedding booked for the next day and that he was busy preparing veg in the kitchen.
We got drinks and sat down to wait, the TV was on and bizarrely it was tuned to an episode of Man versus Food, so we watched a man try to finish a six pound burrito!
When it got to eight o'clock the barman gave us menus, his mother had still not returned. The set menu started with Roast Turkey and finished with Christmas Pudding, so we guessed that was off! When we read the a la carte menu we were a bit taken aback, to call it ordinary would be an understatement, gammon and egg etc. We chose goat's cheese salad followed by pork medallions, we both chose the same things as they were the only two that looked even slightly interesting.
By now we realised that "Son of absent Lady" was the only person in the place! He showed us into the empty, frigid dining room where one table was laid up. We looked toward the fireplace where there was a slate plaque with the name of the House followed by the words "Charmed Monkeys"! On closer inspection I realised that it actually said, "Charmed Moments"! But by now we both had a fit of the giiggles. "Son of absent Lady" brought us our starters, we were starving, the lettuce was tasty, the goat's cheese a bit sparse and despite the bread plates on the table there was no bread. We felt sorry for the lad who was obviously doing his best. So when the main course arrived and the sauteed potatoes were only a shade short of burnt, the pork was overcooked and tough and the peas were dry we replied to his enquiry that it was all fine. There was a sauce too which was either out of a packet or a jar. He was amazingly polite cheerful and attentive and offered us more drinks and said something about no charge, we had some wine.
When "Son of absent Lady" had cleared away our plates he asked us if we wanted anything else, coffee, more drinks? I looked down at the spoon and fork still on the table, were they redundant like the bread plate? "You haven't got any desserts, have you?" I said in much the same resigned way as in the Cheese Shop Sketch. "No" he replied.
Hubby just resisted saying, " I'm afaid I'll have to kill you!"
As we got up to leave I asked him if his mother had come back, "No" he replied....."and a good thing too the way I am feeling, In fact it has been such a monumental cock up that there will be no charge at all. Would you like another drink, have whatever you like!"
We declined but I did ask if perhaps now would not be a good time to tell him that we were from the Michelin Guide. He replied that he couldn't care less as they were closing down next week as the house was being sold "from under them".
I forgot to mention that a man kept appearing asking if the mother had returned.... perhaps that is why she kept away. It would have made a good episode for Fawlty Towers.
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