Food - Park Hotel, Thurso

[Bobinovich]

A while back the food at the Park - our regular haunt for quality scoff in a warm atmosphere - lost it's direction, so the missus and I stopped going. However, we overheard someone recently comment that they'd found the food nice so we though we'd give it another go.

Woohoo!!!

My other half started with a roast vegetable soup, and I had a chicken spring roll with sweet chilli dip. The soup was smooth, flavoursome, and with a slight spice, and while the spring roll by itself was OK, with the dip it came alive.

For the main course we both had cajun chicken with side salad, chips and some spiced onion rings. There was plenty of tender chicken covered in that wonderful cajun coating, heaps of salad (including an unusual, but welcome, separate dish of grated cheese and coleslaw), and a good quantity of chips & onions. Although the dish didn't come with the curried mayonnaise it used to, they were more than happy to whip some up for us.

In the end it was too much for either of us to finish - not even enough space for pud which is MOST unlike us! Best of all with the popular discount card system they have at present, we managed to get one main course off the price, taking the bill for 2 starters and 2 main courses (including a total of 5 soft drinks) to just over £21!

Well done Park, you've won us back!

[connieb19]

I have to agree with you about the food, it is A+ but the last couple of times i've been the amount of time we had to wait for our foor was ridiculous. I was lucky I had a day off as there is no way you could have been served n your lunch hour. We had just been swimming and were starving, my mate had to go to the bar for a bag of crisps while we were waiting and we had to ask how much longer were we going to have to wait !! Not to be recommended unless you have lenty spare time on your hands!!

[Rheghead]

I also rate the Park very highly, their food always seems to be professionally cooked and presented.

Waiting for food longer than your regular spots can often be a sign that they are not microwaving pre cooked food, defrosting in a hurry and spending the time to cook something thoroughly for our enjoyment.

[Don Quixote]

After reading these recommendations my wife and myself went to the Park for lunch today. We used to go quite often, lunch and dinner, but it has been a while since we have been.

We were very disappointed.

The soup was good but the main course left a lot to be desired and the service wasn't too hot.

Pity, maybe it was just an off day and we were unlucky.

[Katy]

Me and my partner were there last night and have to say it was lovely! And hot wasn't the word, had to leave it to cool to start with! So no complaints here will defo be going back there for sure!

Had to wait a wee while but as you said at least then you know it is fresh cooked, we both had steak and it was a very large size of steak!

Kx

[angela5]

I had a delicious meal there last night, waited a while but well worth the wait.
Freshly made you can not beat it.

[flam]

Can any one explain as to why food establishments are so unpredictable with the quality of the food they produce?

I for one have been to most of them with family and friends for over 25 years, and only a couple of them have ever been able to produce a regular standard of food throughout the year.

It would appear that most of them find it hard to keep a qualified chef, and are constantly using part-time chefs / home cooks.

I think it’s time for another quality establishment to open up in Caithness, with enthuses on consistency, quality and reasonably priced menus, as I feel that Caithness is definitely overcharging for the food they produce.

[Doleve]

Idisagree with that.Most local eateries(?) I have been too provide good or excellent quality food at reasonalble cost.You can pay £7 for what is supposed to be a steak in weatherspoons, but it is at best just passable. Any fault found with food by anyone in my company at any place in Caithness (other than spoons)has been apoligised for and replaced or at the end the offending item has been removed from the bill.I will always quiet happilly pay a sensible amount for good Caithness produce(no matter how much farmers and fishermen moan they are hard done by)I have never had any cause for complaint with the food i have received (or minor faults have been rectified) at
The Portland Arms
Ulbster Arms
Bord De Leau
Mackays
Castle inn(Mey)
Northern Sands
The Park
The Pentland Hotel
The Upper Deck
Forss House

[flam]

Doleve,

You have just proven my point. The list of eateries you have mentioned apart from the Ulbster & Portlands all produce inconsistent food. If everything was to standard, they would save time & money if food was served to standard on every occasion. It would appear that you expect people to tolerate poor quality of food, when all they want is a nice quiet evening with family and friends without enduring the embarrassment of complaining.

The Portland Arms (Good Bar Food)
Ulbster Arms (Tasty & Consistent)
Bord De Leau (expensive, but good)
Mackays (Don’t visit Wick all that often, but I found it basic)
Castle inn(Mey) (poor menu and expensive)
Northern Sands (Only good thing is the Sunday lunch)
the Park (Poor, with greasy chips, bad mannered French man?)
The Pentland Hotel (not very constant)
The Upper Deck (Nothing special, steaks not all its cracked up to be)
Forss House (been 3 times and found it expensive for what you get)


Regards.