White Hart gave us meal of two halves (From Gazette)

White Hart gave us meal of two halves

8:50pm Wednesday 22nd February 2012 in Eating Out By Adam Cornell

EATING at the White Hart Inn, in West Bergholt proved to be a mixed experience best described as a tale of two courses.

Sumptuous and sophisticated starters followed by mundane and less than mediocre mains.

Walking into the warm and homely atmosphere we were greeted by the smiling staff who were a credit to the restaurant throughout.

The restaurant is in a lovely rural setting and looks appealing inside and out.

It has the right atmospheric mix for romance, friends or family and an impressive menu.

We began as you do with the starters.

The soft and fresh king prawns were a pleasure to devour and my companion got more mussels than Geoff Capes.

In the company of delightful staff and fellow diners we salivated with anticipation for the main course.

I wish we hadn’t.

I ordered a roast sirloin of beef with new potatoes and vegetables. I got steak and chips with some onion rings chucked on top.

The steak had more gristle and fat than an angry warthog.

It was like eating in two different restaurants.

I had to look around to check we had not been transported from the idyllic country pub we had entered.

The curry was no better.

Described by my companion as lukewarm, the naan was dry and poppadom greasy.

I ended up feeling bad for the staff, who were so nice, and frustrated because the chef can clearly do better – he had 20 minutes earlier.

I would have happily bet we could eat their every day for a month and would not again experience such disappointing main courses.

However nice a starter is, it is called the main for a reason.

The desserts were perfectly pleasant, but the experience had been spoiled.

Unfortunately the bill was also incorrect – we were charged more for the wrong main, although the staff were happy to change this.

If it had not been for the mix up with the order and the bill, the waitress and waiter were worthy of top marks for service, but actually getting the food you order is important.

The chef would have also been due top marks for the starters until the disappointing main courses.

I would return because they deserve another chance and I have every faith the same mistakes would not be made.

But next time don’t just start as you mean to go on, but follow it up with the rest of the meal.

What we ate

King prawns in a sweet chilli sauce on a sizzling skillet of pak choi - £6.95

Brancaster mussels steamed (marinier a la White Hart)- £6.95

Ordered roast sirloin of beef in a creamy peppercorn sauce served with new potatoes and vegetables £10.95 – got steak and chips - £13.95

Chef’s curry feast with naan, bhaji, samosa, poppadom, and rice - £11.50

Chocolate fudge cake with vanilla ice cream - £4.25

Lemon Cheesecake -£4.25

Our verdict

Atmosphere 4 out of 5; food 3 out of 5; decor 4 out of 5; value 3 out of 5; service 3 out of 5