Ember Inn

Poor service let down this pub, which had been highly recommended to me.

All of the staff I met were helpful, except for the one serving our dinner, who was tired, slow and uninterested.

Slapping down the cutlery on a dirty table was below par. Failing to courtesy check if the food was OK, or to smile, was embarrassing. But promising to return in one minute to take our dessert order, yet allowing us to leave the table without returning at least 15 minutes later, was just plain shoddy.

I guess this Ember Inn is like many other chain pubs I have visited, but I was hoping for more on our early Sunday evening visit.

The food is simple but varied, from traditional dishes like fish and chips to spicy chicken jambalaya.

My friend and I shared a mushroom and stilton melt starter, £3.25, which arrived on a garlic ciabatta bread topped with stilton cheese and was very tasty.

I then went for a mixed grill, £9.25, of rump steak, cajun chicken breast, gammon and pork and leek sausage served with mushrooms, onions rings, skewered cherry tomatoes, chips and peas. Yes, it was enormous, and it tasted even better with a pepper sauce, £1.45.

My friend chose the barbecue cajun chicken, £7.25, which was quite a generous crown of breast meat in a rich sauce, with chips, coleslaw and mixed salad leaves. As a connoisseur of the dish - she has it all the time - she was suitably impressed.

Friends have told me that my service at the pub was unusual and that I shouldn't be too harsh but I can only go on what I experienced.

In fairness to the manager, who did ask me if I enjoyed my meal, he listened to my complaint. And even though I insisted I should pay, he gave me the entire meal for free, assuring me it had been a "manic" day and my next visit would be much better.