Severnshed Restaurant

Stephanie Hunter (30 November 2004)

Apprehensive due to the trendy reputation, and opinion not improved by interesting toilet design. However when the wine arrived all changed - wine a bit cool but deliciously quaffable. Food expensive - but rightfully so!! £17 for a fillet steak the size of a small cow seems bargain enough for me. Lovely atmosphere staff very friendly, if a bit over worked, and food absolutely delicious. Spot on in every respect, fantastic evening can't wait to go again. Perfect for a graduation celebration with parents. Couldn’t recommend it more!!

Steve (14 June 2004)

Read the reviews in Venue magazine; swanky location and food. Severnshed is definitely swanky but we came away disappointed. Drinks in the bar area on a sunny summer's evening were great, but the food fails to impress. Staff were friendly but from being seated at 8.20pm we had finished eating our three courses and were being sent out into the cooling night by 9.50pm, and £93 the poorer.

The cheese soufflé was nice, but over seasoned and appeared to have been cut form a larger soufflé made earlier (reminded me of school dinner portion control), the crayfish risotto was nice but under seasoned and only just warm enough. The sailfin main course was substantial but overcooked and dry, it was also served with only 2 spoons of puy lentils, hardly a full main course even in meat friendly France. The Breton soup had substantial chunks of unnamed fish in it but felt as if they had been cooked separately and then placed in a tomato broth which had seen no fish stock in it; hearty but not impressive give the £16 cost. The final course also failed to wow, the cheese was only out of the fridge for a few minutes and definitely not at room temperature, the Severnshed Jumble (or something similar) was meant to be a mix of cream, crushed meringue and fruit, for which read a small portion of under-whipped cream, some broken meringue and 1 half strawberry.

With coffee, a half bottle of wine and a bottle of water this came to a very steep £93. The venue is lovely, the opportunity to people watch is great, the staff were lovely but the food is mediocre and over-priced. Great location if you want to pose, but unless you go for their 777 option before 7pm of 2 selected courses for £7.77 there are far better places to spend your dinner money on.