Lavenderblue2
17-May-05, 09:24
A couple of weeks ago on a ‘dreich morning’ my daughter and I were off to Wick and being as we were early and had plenty of time to spare we decided to go to Bord De Leau for coffee, cream and chocolate croissants, decadent I know. By the time we had parked the car and walked to the restaurant we were wet and windblown. We went in and were greeted by the warm and welcoming smell of coffee – there were maybe half a dozen folk in afore us. We sat down and the waitress hailed us from about two tables away saying – ‘Yes?’ To which we replied ‘Two coffee’s with cream please and two chocolate croissants’, only to be told still from two tables away ‘None left!’ It was only just after 10am!! ‘What nothing at all?’ I said. ‘Nothing’ she replied and disappeared into the back!! Could it be that we were too wet and windblown? What if we had been tourists? Good job that the smell of coffee was warm and welcoming…………..we were amazed and left.
I know’, I said, we’ll go to No.1 – my husband and I had taken the grandchildren there for Sunday lunch a couple of weeks before that and although the service on that day was painfully slow (we waited ¾ hour for our meal) the food was good.
So off we went to No.1 – we were the only ones in there – it was lovely and warm and the surroundings are so stylish. I gave our by now well rehearsed order……. ‘We don’t have cream’ came the answer. No cream!! This is a hotel………………..? So we each decided to have one of these coffee’s with the flavoured syrup in – bad move – the waitress was obviously not awake yet as it took her an absolute age to make these coffee’s and when we finally got them, served in a smallish glass from which you would expect and Irish coffee to be served after a meal, they were barely warm and synthetic tasting. When I came to pay for these two coffee’s and two croissants it came to £9!! What a rip off – I think No.1 are letting themselves down, it has such great potential.
This week we went to the Portland Arms – hadn’t been there for an age. Well, we were served a pot of coffee, which yielded 4 good cups and 4 huge slices of tray bake - bliss. We enjoyed this at a leisurely pace in sumptuous surroundings all for £4.80! And with a fast and courteous service, how can you beat that?
I couldn’t miss out the Pentland Hotel when speaking of morning coffee’s, this is consistently good, last time we had the usual coffee, cream and three small pieces of tray bake for £3.15 – and the service is good and very friendly indeed.
LB
I know’, I said, we’ll go to No.1 – my husband and I had taken the grandchildren there for Sunday lunch a couple of weeks before that and although the service on that day was painfully slow (we waited ¾ hour for our meal) the food was good.
So off we went to No.1 – we were the only ones in there – it was lovely and warm and the surroundings are so stylish. I gave our by now well rehearsed order……. ‘We don’t have cream’ came the answer. No cream!! This is a hotel………………..? So we each decided to have one of these coffee’s with the flavoured syrup in – bad move – the waitress was obviously not awake yet as it took her an absolute age to make these coffee’s and when we finally got them, served in a smallish glass from which you would expect and Irish coffee to be served after a meal, they were barely warm and synthetic tasting. When I came to pay for these two coffee’s and two croissants it came to £9!! What a rip off – I think No.1 are letting themselves down, it has such great potential.
This week we went to the Portland Arms – hadn’t been there for an age. Well, we were served a pot of coffee, which yielded 4 good cups and 4 huge slices of tray bake - bliss. We enjoyed this at a leisurely pace in sumptuous surroundings all for £4.80! And with a fast and courteous service, how can you beat that?
I couldn’t miss out the Pentland Hotel when speaking of morning coffee’s, this is consistently good, last time we had the usual coffee, cream and three small pieces of tray bake for £3.15 – and the service is good and very friendly indeed.
LB