Canteen, Crosspool

[medicgirl]

£10 for 2 courses, £12 for 3 courses is the offer.

 

To me that is excellent value, it's much cheaper than Thyme Cafe

[AYBABTU]

Went on Friday Lunch and was unimpressed.

This after reading Lesley Drapers gushing review in the Telegraph (is she related to Richard Smith?)

 

Was very busy and had to wait a few mins for a table.

Guy in charge was very nice and on the ball but the younger staff were wandering around like zombies and we got asked by 3 different people if we had ordered drinks/ starters.

 

Decor is the same as Catch (i.e. feels a bit drafty and , well , like a canteen , not really my cup of tea).

I dont think they changed anything.

 

At first view the menu seems OK (especially when hungry) but then when you read a bit more everything was a little heavy / hearty.

e.g. yorkshire pud , deep fried fish goujons , posh cheese on toast , beans & black pudding as starters, fish and chips , fishcake & chips , spaghetti & meatballs, rump steak etc as mains.

Not very inspirational.

 

Complimentary roll to share on the table (not a "loaf" as some reviews have reported) which tasted ever so slightly stale. Rock hard butter.

 

We both went for an Asian beef salad which was strips of marinated beef on leaves with sesame seeds and a soy type dressing. Was tasty but the beef was a cheap cut (which could have been OK) but had loads of fat untrimmed, as the beef was cold it was a pretty unpleasant sensation and I had to faff cutting off the fatty bits. Should have been more salad leaves too , was quite a tiny portion.

 

For mains , my wife had meatballs and spaghetti which was OK but no better than something you could create at home and I had fishcake which was admittedly quite nice.

 

No vegetables / salads even as optional sides and looking round the room nothing came with vegetables at all which seems a bit weird considering the current climate with regards to healthy eating and sure veg doesnt cost a lot?

 

Didnt bother with puds as fairly full.

Came out smelling of fried food as the open kitchen may look wonderful but makes the place pretty fuggy.

We both wish we had gone to Crosspool chip shop next door.

Might only be £ 10 for 2 courses but even a cheap price can make you feel cheated if doesnt feel like good value.

 

Contrast this with a wonderful lunch we just had at Piedaniels in Bakewell.

Fresh warm french bread (with butter that spread), great friendly unobtrusive service. Nice decor and tables with tablecloths/ napkins etc.

Pea and ham soup & warm smoked salmon around asparagus to start.

Toad in the hole & salmon roulade as mains (both with vegetables) and then a kind of lemon posset and (the crowning glory) lovely light profiteroles with chantilly cream and hot chocolate sauce for pudding.

Price - £ 10 for 2 courses or £ 12 for three - i.e. exactly same as Canteen.

 

Far nicer surroundings and the cooking knocked Mr Smiths venture into a cocked hat.

 

I think someone at the Telegraph is either getting brown envelopes or they havent a clue - or else they need a proper restaurant critic who isnt afraid of actually putting the boot in occasionally.

Funnily enough , Lesley Draper herself reviewed Piedaniels back in Feb 08.

She must have had too many free lunches since and forgot all about it.

[Natnat]

Me and my boyfriend turned up on aTuesday evening and there was only one couple in and we got told we could wait and come back however after the waitresses spent 5 mins trying to figure out if we could have a meal in this empty resturant they turnd around and said that they were to busy that night and the resturant was fully booked even tho it was 6.30 and the resturnat was empty was disapointed however im glad because i saw the menu and it didnt look good at all just baasically cafe food so they did us a favour really. I wont be going back.

[ieveens22]

Me and my boyfriend turned up on aTuesday evening and there was only one couple in and we got told we could wait and come back however after the waitresses spent 5 mins trying to figure out if we could have a meal in this empty resturant they turnd around and said that they were to busy that night and the resturant was fully booked even tho it was 6.30 and the resturnat was empty was disapointed however im glad because i saw the menu and it didnt look good at all just baasically cafe food so they did us a favour really. I wont be going back.

 

Well if it was only 6.30 might be that there where bookings at 7; 730 etc, becouse 5 and 6 PM is the quietest time, so if you would turn up at 7 or 7 30 that would be packed. Unfurtunetly u need to understand that people who have booked are priorate becouse they have made that little effort and would not be happy if they would need to wait till you finish your meal!

[Natnat]

Was just stating my opinion unless your one of the waitreses there.......

 

As i said i was glad in the end the menu looked rubbish!

[mrsmills]

To me that is excellent value, it's much cheaper than Thyme Cafe

 

Lunch offering at Thyme is broadly similar.

 

It's disappointing that Catch was closed, it was not perfect but it had something about it. Artisan was a consistent disappointment, a pretty joyless place with cloying staff and far too much emphasis on being "Michelin aspiring," which seemed to manifest as a bloated, pretentious wine list. Be interesting to try Canteen...but it does seem to be very similar to Thyme which has always got the balance of cost/food/service/atmosphere right when I have been.

[abe79]

3 courses in 46 minutes - a bit quick for me. Nice though but more lunch quality, hence price. Won't be rushing back.

Edited March 15, 2009 by abe79
I can't spell

[dski]

I went last night with my girlfriend and really enjoyed it, a lively atmosphere, good food and excellent service, good value too. We booked out table for 7 and we're told they didn't need the table after us so it was well after 9 when we left, will definitely go again...

[medicgirl]

I am going tomorrow with a friend who's been before and was impressed enough to want to go again which says a lot (he's hard to please!) I will be interested to see how it compares to Catch/Thyme Cafe etc.

[medicgirl]

Well, I quite enjoyed it. I did not think the choice and quality was anything like as good as Thyme Cafe and not even close to Catch standards, but then what do you expect for £12 for 3 courses?! It was buzzy and busy when we arrived, to the extent that we had to wait 10mins for our table (a little irritating since it was already 9pm, but perfectly bearable). We got 2 'rolls' which I thought were quite nice and certainly didn't taste stale. For starters I had creamed mushrooms, which needed a little more seasoning for my taste but otherwise lovely. My friends had fish goujons and smoked mackerel pate and both thought they were very good.

Our mains were fishcake, pork belly and fish pie. The chips that came with my fishcake were a little overcooked and greasy but otherwise no complaints. My friend's fish pie looked delicious!

Dessert was chocolate pot (x2) and creme brulee. My creme brulee was lovely and the others commented favourably on the chocolate pots.

For the 3 of us and with a bottle of wine too it came to £55 which was certainly excellent value for what we had. I still prefer Thyme Cafe, but would go to Canteen again.