The Kimberly Inn Findhorn, Moray

We visited the Kimberly early on a Friday evening (6.30pm) with a party of 10 people. We all ordered off the 'blackboard' on the wall. One of us ordered the Quorn chilli. The barman said that it had sold out but recommended the 'ordinary' (ie meat) chilli, which my friend said yes to.

When it came, it was so hot that it was truly inedible. The barman happened to come through to ask everything was OK (we didn't ask him to) and my friend very politely - and apologetically really - told him that the chilli was too hot for her and asked if he could do anything else.

He immediately became 'confrontational' and said "Well, I asked if everything was alright but I can't take the food back just because you don't like it - If you don't like hot food, don't order chilli". A few of us protested at this and said that this chilli really was exceptionally hot. He said "Well it says that it's really hot on the menu - I can't take it back, all I can do is to bring you some mayonnaise, I can't eat it myself without three sachets of mayonnaise". My friend said thank you, but she hadn't seen a menu at all, we all ordered off the blackboard, and it didn't say anything about it being exceptionally hot on the blackboard, and she had asked for a different chilli dish anyway and been told that this was the same.

At this point the barman became loud and 'shouty' and positively aggressive. He said "Look. The chilli is known for being very hot. RAF airman come here and challenge each other to eat it. If you don't like hot food you shouldn't have ordered it." My friend tried once more to explain that she had not knowingly ordered a hot chilli, and asked if she could just have a jacket potato or something; and a few of us interjected and showed our surprise at the very 'abrasive' and unhelpful service. By this time a stony embarrassed silence had descended over the whole room. He then left shouting over his shoulder at us at this point. He said "You don't know my boss. He would be really angry. I might have tried to get you something else without charging you but I just won't if you're going to be rude about it' and stormed off.

A few of us just cut up what was on our plates and shared it with my friend, who was by now close to tears. We ate what we needed to but the 'meal out' was completely spoilt for all of us. Then a jacket potato with cheese was brought through with no explanation. One of the younger bar staff apologetically asked if the chilli had been too hot and when we said yes, said two other people had said it was too hot earlier that day.

This is a couple of weeks ago now but we are still upset and angry about the incident. Needless to say none of us want to return, and we also want to warn other people about the possibility of rudeness and being shouted at!

When we pay for a meal out it's not just the food we're paying for, it's the ambience, some reasonable service, a nice time with friends. This was embarrassing and almost like being 'told off' like children. It wasn't cheap, and the food wasn't particularly good either. Really, go somewhere else!!