Simon (7 October 2008)

I think The Punchbowl is the most inept establishment I've ever eaten in. I'm a local resident, and businessman. I suggested to two friends, and regular dining companions that we tried the Punchbowl as an alternative to our usual haunts. To put it in a nutshell the booking was handled badly. Whoever answered the phone seemed confused by my request for ‘a table for three at 9pm please’. The dining area was barely a third full, yet our table had not been cleaned or set. The overpriced wine list had nothing drinkable at £30. The portions were laughably tiny. The wild mushrooms on toast were delicious, but more of an amuse bouche than a £7 starter, as also the fishcakes. Their service was totally inept, our waitress being strangely unfamiliar with the operation of a corkscrew. Finally our request for some coffee at 11.01pm was declined as the kitchen was closed. Don't pubs have last orders any more? We were however permitted to order another bottle of wine. To crown it all, the owner skulked in the back drinking with a pal, rather than working the room and chatting to the punters, which is surely what any diligent restaurateur ought to do, that too barely a month after opening, and especially when there were such few people. My summary – this is a very expensive, amateur place for a little snack.