Overpriced for what it actually is

“Overpriced for what it actually is”

Written on: 13/02/2012 by tommynette (1 review written)

I had heard good things about the Carousel, so I went down there to have a look for myself, with a friend for lunch. Beforehand, I had a look at their website to find the postcode, and was amused to see the website was still at design stage (with some placeholder text on the homepage, links not working, and pictures displaying images of animals and landscapes).

Arriving there we found the lady serving us friendly and attentive, but she left after 5 minutes and then things went downhill. Coffees arrived quickly but not as ordered, and the food wasn't as expected: the panini was basically a seeded breadroll, toasted and served with some salad garnish, and the jacket potato with chili con carne tasted like it had been soaked with vinaigrette. When we wanted to order a second coffee, we had to walk around the corner to get someone's attention and then again didn't get what we ordered. Also, looking at the menu, I was surprised to find them charging over £7 for a burger, and £4.50 for paninis and jacket potatoes. For that amount I expect the food and the service to be superior (restaurant-like) quality, to be honest.

The cafe's decor is brightly coloured, American diner style looking in the front, with booths, and old-lady cafe style in the back, with little tables and chairs. Do they have separate menus for the two styles? I don't know. Oh, and heating wouldn't go amiss. We actually had to put our jackets back on...

When we saw the owner, Bob, in there, I told him about the website. An hour later we came to the conclusion that he wasn't listening. Instead he raved on about how his approach is different and how the random website draws people in, and how he personally designed the restaurant and it's working really well, etc. etc.

In fact however, for most part of our visit the restaurant was empty, staff weren't availble when you needed them, food didn't live up to its price and the owner was - frankly speaking - delusional. Shame.