Kitchen at the Wharf — Restaurant in England

I'd seen this restaurant many times and always wanted to try it so today I took two friends there for lunch. What a disappointment! We all had quiches and salads. As soon as the plate was put in front of me my heart sank. It just looked horrible. The plate was crowded with a selection of mushy looking cooked salads and I simply cannot believe they were freshly prepared. And the quiche was just not very nice, though I did manage to eat most of it- but only through hunger. I managed a few mouthfuls of the limp lettuce which was the freshest thing on the plate but avoided the couscous which my friend told me was hard and uncooked. Honestly, it was a hot day and I just wanted a delicious quiche and a simple fresh salad with cucumber, tomato and normal fresh ingredients. What I got a miss mash of school dinner type slop, beans, pasta and over cooked stuff and it was not fresh. And while I'm at it, I don’t like sharing a restaurant with barking dogs. The staff were perfectly nice and did ask if everything was OK - they obviously saw we hadn't eaten much - and I didn’t complain at the time cos I did want to make a fuss with my friends. It was only when we got outside that I realized that none of us had enjoyed the lunch and agreed it was pretty grim. So it wasn't just me. Why can't restaurants now focus more on freshness, taste and simplicity instead of cramming our plates full of poor quality food. I shall not be going there...

4 adults and a 5yr old for snack + drink - £50. £8 for a slice of quiche and a small salad. Pricey, but if the food & service is good, it's justified.

Only it wasn't in our experience. 50 minute wait for our food (with approx 30% occupancy). Simple food at that (sandwiches & quiches). Very inexperienced staff who demonstrated several times that they didn't know which table had ordered what.

When our food/drinks did eventually arrive, it was pretty underwhelming really (given the prices charged) - small portions, bland and under seasoned food, no salad dressings, very small coffees.

If you want to charge premium prices, you have to back that up. Kitchen at the Wharf didn't in our experience. At a half or two thirds of what we paid, I wouldn't have bothered leaving a review. At this price point they need to up their game significantly.

Positives: Lovely location & premises, nice pastry on the quiches, nice (albeit small) coffees, games for the children, dogs allowed.

Negatives: Far too expensive, inexperienced staff (obviously not used to the catering industry), short on stock - several items from their (small) menu unavailable, very long wait for simple food, not very inspiring when...

just driving around and wanted a stop for coffee and a snack till we went back home, we noticed 'the kitchen 'after we had passed it we said that looks interesting. so turned backI am disabled so have to find accessible places, so my wife parked up the car to do a reccy and found although busy there was a table and it was very accessible for my wheelchair. as we arrived at the table we were given menu's a few minutes another very pleasant waitress came up to us asking for our order for drinks and food. we were so impressed with the restaurant.and the staff. there was a delay in bringing the food and drinks to our table and we had to remind the staff we are still waiting, she was most apologetic and retrieved our order and put it through as urgent the order arrived within a few minutes and was cooked to perfection with more apologies, we were both asked after a couple of minutes whether our food was up to expectations, which it was.this is one of very few reviews I have done but all in all I cannot review highly enough and we will certainly visit the area again if only to visit the Kitchen at the Wharf. Thank you all...