Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
How intriguing Carole, I have just tried the same through 'ixquick', all seemed well:tripadvisor, hotels, hotels & B&B, fanyapint and the underused blakes.com
Bazaar, more like, for me.
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 767- Registered: 30 Aug 2012
- Posts: 458
Last evening my wife,Jo, and myself went out to eat at Cullins Yard. Bill Barnicle was laying down the jazz and the both sides of the restaurant were full. Jo enjoyed her fillits of red mullet while I tucked into a ribeye steak with all the trimings. The service was prompt and cheerful with all the useual banter from Jim and Richard. We enjoyed a wonderful white wine, called Faultline something or other, number 7 on the list,great stuff!
All in all a really good evening, Dover may not have a lot of restaurants to shout about, but Cullins doe's it for me!
So sorry to hear about Blakes, what a shame, not like the old days when I enjoyed devilled kidneys and the best belly pork I've eaten anywhere!
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
We do have some very good restaurants, a surprising number given the demographics.
The Allotment (my favourite)
Cullins Yard
Hythe Bay
Dino's
To mention just four that spring to mind. If you go just outside Dover then we have the Marquis, if you are feeling flush with a few bob that is!
Guest 744- Registered: 20 Mar 2012
- Posts: 412
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
Yes, yes Carole. I did mention, " the underused blakes.com".
I suppose there is real, actual, pressure to register the domain name and less pressure to do work upon it.
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
sad that blakes has gone the way it has
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 717- Registered: 16 Jun 2011
- Posts: 468
Not to forget La Scala also excellent food in Dover
A bit further away but has anyone tried The Five Bells Inn at Brabourne? By far the best place I've found in Kent. Ticks all three boxes; food, atmosphere and service....the wine is local too!
Keeps politics to myself
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
Try Du Vignoble Au Verre in the Place d'Armes in Calais. Brilliant old-fashioned French country cooking with a list of 400 wines, many of which affordable and all good. Run by a couple of nice boys called Eric and Damien. Damien is the chef, Eric is the head waiter and wine expert and speaks excellent English.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 716- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 4,010
# 68.....Peter we have family staying with us and are in Calais tomorrow...is the restaurant open on Mondays? If so we need to
find out if its wheelchair friendly.Do you have phone Nos etc?..Thanks....
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
Closed Mondays Reg.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
Not many places in central Calais are wheelchair friendly as mostly the loos are in the basement. Les 3 Brasseurs in Cite Europe is a good place with home cooked food and beer brewed on the premises. Lots of ramps and disabled facilities.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 716- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 4,010
Thanks Peter.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
Monday isn't a good day to visit Calais as so many eateries are closed.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 694- Registered: 22 Mar 2010
- Posts: 778
I would say as someone who does eat in the establishment a little bit more than i probably should (its pretty close and the phone works down there) that i think Jacquis experience is the exception and not the rule.
I even had my birthday gathering down there where some fantastic food was put on including a cheese board which isnt on the menu because i love cheese. If its a busy night the service can be slow.
Lots of people eat there and I only ever heard good things about it, and the regulars are staying and eating and all swapping suggestions based upon what they have had and would recommend.
The question I have is, if it was that bad, why didnt you complain at the time? How can any business respond when you put it publically out there?
I used to run a small hotel , and its a nightmare if you are busy and mistakes do happen, but I am disappointed that a group of 16 not one of you felt the need to give feedback constructively to the manager at the time.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
interesting last comment
any reply jacqui?
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
not sure i would have complained, just decided not to go there again.
Guest 643- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,321
Exactly Howard which is how I felt.
I'm sorry but thses places only get one chance with me. If I waste my money on an inedible meal, that establishment won't get my custom again. Aprt from that it wasn't my party so it wasn't my place to complain. I have since heard from other people who have been there and vowed not to again, so it's not just me and my friends Jenni Sutton.
I just wish I had gone there when Peter and Kathryn had it as I understand their food was amazing.
Enough said I think.
There's always a little truth behind every "Just kidding", a little emotion behind every "I don't care" and a little pain behind every "I'm ok".
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
Well put Jacqui, that is exactly how I would have reacted.
From your opening post I guess they forgot the booking which is not the sort of thing any good small business should do.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
The last thing you want is a shouting match when out in group or family,so yes you just do not go back,last time this happen to us,I did go back next morning,told them I do not want my cash back,but last nights meal was bad.They said please come back and next time we will get it right,I said no that will not happen we will never come back, it was just outside Dover,and we have never gone back,they should get it right all the time.not just some of the time.
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
It seems to me that the error at the bottom of all this was their booking of two large groups on the same night. Had this been otherwise all might well have gone swimmingly.
Is the restaurateur to be dammed for this single misjudgement?
Might I make a suggestion? [Is there likely to be the slightest 'might' about it? No.]
(Albeit this rather depends on the party being local)
An approach could be made to the restaurateur that he offer half price deals (with one free bottle of wine?) for four groups of four, such an offer to be taken up over the next six months or so. With the pledge that the dining experience shall be wonderful.
We are each only human.
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.