Firm closing

[BriT]

30 minutes ago, jackwhite said:

I've had it and don't agree but everyone has their own tastes.

I'm quite fussy when it comes to eating out here tbh so I wouldn't judge it solely on that.

I have to say I don’t like the Front Porch idea. I’ve tried it and sampled the food at lunchtime but I just didn’t like the place. It’s dark and dingy and the pool room stinks of the bogs. It’s nice outside on a nice day though. 

[The Phantom]

4 hours ago, The Old Git said:

I don’t know which business you are, but I had a delivery from one restaurant I like going to occasionally and the delivery food was bloody awful and nothing like you’d get in the restaurant. I didn’t bother with meal deliveries from them again. 

I found Wine Down meal deliveries quite good as you finish cooking them yourselves. I note they’re still doing meal deliveries. 

Well that's the whole reason for it being bad.  Some food (especially crispy stuff) just doesn't deliver well.  I don't think it's really the fault of the restaurant, more the medium of transport.  I actually had a chat with the Manager at Enzo's about exactly that.  Lockdown they did deliveries of their usual food, but quickly realised that they'd have to change the dishes to something a bit more 'travel-friendly'. 

If you finish yourself then it probably something crispy? 

[alpha-acid]

21 hours ago, Non-Believer said:

H&B

H+B is not a Brewery, Okells is the Brewery

[Non-Believer]

7 minutes ago, alpha-acid said:

H+B is not a Brewery, Okells is the Brewery

It was a generalisation, I'm sure you get the gist?

[0bserver]

19 minutes ago, alpha-acid said:

H+B is not a Brewery, Okells is the Brewery

Holland & Barrett

[The Old Git]

All of Wine Down’s food was finish it yourself as far as I could see. Worked quite well. Soufflé, scotch egg, etc all worked well.  

[BriT]

If a lady asked me if I’d like to eat out on her front porch I will admit I’d be tempted. But the whole concept of the venue is pretty poor. 

[jackwhite]

12 hours ago, BriT said:

If a lady asked me if I’d like to eat out on her front porch I will admit I’d be tempted. But the whole concept of the venue is pretty poor. 

Not disagreeing with your opinion, but curious being in the trade.

What specifically about it do you think is 'pretty poor'?

[manxchester]

1 hour ago, jackwhite said:

Not disagreeing with your opinion, but curious being in the trade.

What specifically about it do you think is 'pretty poor'?

I’ve only been in once to watch the football. Place seemed a bit scruffy and the stream for the football was awful, so bad we had to leave after one pint, wasn’t great considering it’s meant to be a sports bar. Does always seem busy so I must be in the minority  though.

[jackwhite]

2 minutes ago, manxchester said:

I’ve only been in once to watch the football. Place seemed a bit scruffy and the stream for the football was awful, so bad we had to leave after one pint, wasn’t great considering it’s meant to be a sports bar. Does always seem busy so I must be in the minority  though.

I think it's appealing to a certain demographic. Age and status primarily.

Likely if you're over 30 and not happy with the factors you mention, then it's not for you.

What I find interesting in bars around the island is the distinct interest they have in the actual product sold. 

There are loads of places doing cocktails etc and others who claim to have unique products (Front Porch - 'craft beer' which is most certainly isn't and the moonshine which I doubt many people buy as an example) but actually know very little about drinks in general. I worked in the US for a while and bartending is a proper profession but, in fairness, with tips, in a half decent bar you'll earn $500 a night minimum so you can see why. This is NY so everything is inflated in case you're thinking it doesn't sound right.

Maybe should start another thread but I'd be curious to know what people would like in a bar, or restaurant for that matter, that we don't have at the moment.

[Passing Time]

4 minutes ago, jackwhite said:

I think it's appealing to a certain demographic. Age and status primarily.

Likely if you're over 30 and not happy with the factors you mention, then it's not for you.

What I find interesting in bars around the island is the distinct interest they have in the actual product sold. 

There are loads of places doing cocktails etc and others who claim to have unique products (Front Porch - 'craft beer' which is most certainly isn't and the moonshine which I doubt many people buy as an example) but actually know very little about drinks in general. I worked in the US for a while and bartending is a proper profession but, in fairness, with tips, in a half decent bar you'll earn $500 a night minimum so you can see why. This is NY so everything is inflated in case you're thinking it doesn't sound right.

Maybe should start another thread but I'd be curious to know what people would like in a bar, or restaurant for that matter, that we don't have at the moment.

I'd be interested as well. Feedback (of the sensible kind) is always welcome. Again with it being an anonymous (of sorts) forum, people may be happy to share their experience be they good or bad.

[jackwhite]

Any business that takes feedback or wants of a customer base into account is always a good starting point. Know of an operation that's coming that's had a few ideas about how it was going to work only to shift their focus according to feedback to where, I think, they have a solid concept and potential regular customer base now. 

Had they gone with their original plan it likely would have failed but I don't think that will be the case now. 

Sadly it's rare here for people to take such an approach.

It's likely the only way businesses will survive though as there aren't exactly many, if any, visionaries on the island from a hospitality perspective.

[hissingsid]

OK Jack as an oldie that still gets around, a bit, what I would like is somewhere that produces a menu with items on it that I don’t cook at home, the brewery pubs are all the same so predictable that you can decide what to order before you see the menu.   Then there is the hit and miss aspect whether this is down to different chefs working I don’t know.    I have never had a bad meal at the Barbary Coast in fact this is one place I would recommend but it gets very busy and sometimes it is difficult  to get a reservation.    In the past year I have eaten in all the restaurants/ pubs on the Quay and this is the only one that gives value for money in my very humble opinion.   I believe the Thai restaurant in Market Hill is good must try that soon.

[BriT]

4 hours ago, jackwhite said:

Not disagreeing with your opinion, but curious being in the trade.

What specifically about it do you think is 'pretty poor'?

I said above I just don’t like the format. Unless you’re sitting outside it’s dank and dingy and the pool room smells of damp and the bogs. I’ve eaten there at lunch sometimes and the food ain’t that great either. But equally I don’t like sports bars as generally they’re full of drunken assholes. 

[Passing Time]

35 minutes ago, hissingsid said:

OK Jack as an oldie that still gets around, a bit, what I would like is somewhere that produces a menu with items on it that I don’t cook at home, the brewery pubs are all the same so predictable that you can decide what to order before you see the menu.   Then there is the hit and miss aspect whether this is down to different chefs working I don’t know.    I have never had a bad meal at the Barbary Coast in fact this is one place I would recommend but it gets very busy and sometimes it is difficult  to get a reservation.    In the past year I have eaten in all the restaurants/ pubs on the Quay and this is the only one that gives value for money in my very humble opinion.   I believe the Thai restaurant in Market Hill is good must try that soon.

you should really expand your eating horizons...