St Petroc's Bistro — Restaurant in England

I really rarely leave reviews, and yet I rely on them. I decided to review this restaurant for various reasons, but mainly because I have been a Rick Stein 'fan' for years and have been looking forward to making a trip down to "Padstein" for a long time, and we have finally made it this week!

Booking was easy and straightforward on Rick Stein's website. It did mention that they are dog friendly, and if we want to bring our four legged friends, we need to select the 'Snug bar' area for dinner. We have two lovely cocker spaniels so we followed the instructions.The 'Snug bar' sounded cute and thought this would be lovely knowing that Rick is a dog lover (reminds me of lovely Chalky, the star of Rick's cooking shows). On arrival our dogs were greeted with love, but we were ignored for about 5 minutes. After a while we thought we should mention to the staff who were rushing around that we are there to eat and not just standing around while our dogs get attention - we all laughed it off, wasn't an issue.

We were then taken to the 'Snug bar' and that was the point when I went into a small shock and seriously considered leaving. This area is a small dungeon with appx. 3 or 4 tables for the 'outcast' people who happen to have dogs. This dungeon is the area where the restaurant bar is located, not the one for customers, but where all drink-related action take place - i.e. where all the drinks are prepared for the entire restaurant. So as you can imagine, it wasn't a very relaxed nice little place to be, it was rather awkward. We almost felt guilty asking the barmaid to take our order after 20 mins of waiting, who by the way was extremely busy getting the drinks prepared for the waiting staff to serve to the 'non-outcast' customers in the main restaurant area.

She was friendly, but you could tell that she was exhausted and that she had to rush back to the bar to prepare more drinks.

I ordered the mussels and clams on bread for starters and my husband ordered the prawns. I cannot describe the excitement that finally I get to try Rick Stein's restaurant for the first time so I was really looking forward to it. This may sound childish; we are actually well travelled people, have been to many Michelin star restaurants around the globe and have many amazing culinary experiences, but this was simply special to me having always been a Rick Stein 'fan'. Well.. the starter...it just wasn't good. Prawns were overcooked and very blend. Mussels were full of grits and the tomato sauce was something that you have out of a tin. We ate it, but weren't enjoying it. Under normal circumstances we just send the food back, but the barmaid was so blooming busy that we just didn't want to put her through having the 'deal with' unhappy customers, and there was no sign of any other waiting staff in the dungeon.

For main I had the sole and my husband had the sea bass. They were both okay. Nothing special, just okay, something that I cook at home on a lazy Monday evening. The kale and onions as a side was way too overcooked, the chips were the scraps of the bottom of the bowl, the best thing of the whole dish was the crushed potatoes, which were really tasty. Overall, we weren't over the moon.

When our plates were collected by the barmaid, she asked how everything was. I couldn't hold back my disappointment and very quickly explained that this wasn't up to our expectations, to say the least. She seemed a little confused then concerned and offered to take at least something off the bill (this was after I had already paid) and I said no, but we are happy to accept a couple of drinks. This was arranged instantly and we had two amazing margaritas in the basement bar (highly recommend the cocktails there - so something positive).

So after having paid circa £130, we left disappointed and as we walked out we had a quick glance at the bubbly main restaurant area that people with dogs can only dream of entering.

We will not return.

Tonight, we are giving Rick Stein another go and will be dining at The Seafood Restaurant (without our...

St Petroc

Where to start? We arrived on time and the table wasn’t ready…fair enough. Things started badly as the next table were clearly unhappy as they had asked for a dessert wine menu some time before and it had not arrived. When it did the member of staff failed to open the bottle, not once but twice.

We were given a menu, wine list and drinks menu. Around 15 minutes later a member of staff came to take our order and we attempted to order cocktails. However, the overly confident and inept staff member decided we had to order our food at the same time, not ideal. We also ordered a bottle of wine.

This was borne out by our starter arriving with no cocktail or wine, totally unacceptable, and we complained. The manager arrived with our cocktails, explaining that they were out of an ingredient for one of the cocktails and had to send out to another restaurant. Maybe telling us that would have been good?

When we finished our cocktails we poured our own wine as no member or staff was in attendance.

The starter was good but we noticed we both had redundant side plates; should we have been served bread? We were told they were there in case we ordered a dish with bread, which sounds rather odd.

Shortly before the main course arrived we were given half our cutlery, our forks arriving after. When ordering my fish I noted that no potatoes were mentioned so asked if I should order some and was told I should. I was therefore surprised that it did.

We sat with dirty plates for around 20 minutes as tables were set around us and, when they were finally cleared we were asked if all was OK. On saying that service was non existent the member of staff was extremely sarcastic and also spilt food on the floor and made no attempt to clean it up…totally shocking.

We spoke with the manager, who was quite accusatory saying this staff member claimed I swore, which was totally untrue and I presume him covering himself. I explained the whole experience was far from fine dining but was corrected, saying it was “relaxed dining” and the other restaurant was fine dining, implying we should have gone there if we actually wanted good service.

She said they were short-staffed and the staff member in question usually worked in the cafe and knew “some of the menu”. Goodness knows how they will cope with the season?

As we left another couple were being apologised to for the “mix up on food and drink” and I now see reviews are going downhill. I last visited St Petroc’s over ten years ago and remember it fondly, although a visit a few years ago to the restaurant in Falmouth was far from good, and a number of places, such as Porthleven, had closed, maybe a sign of the direction they are taking.

There is only so far you can go with a name, as Jamie Oliver found out, you do have to deliver, and this place really isn’t.

We are on a tour of the UK coast be motorhome and have spent the past month dining out. This is by far the worst experience...

I have been so embarrassed and disappointed with this that I’ve not been able to leave a review since visiting in May. Where do I start?

I understand a bistro is one up from a pub but my goodness have I been to some brilliant pubs compared to this.

First of all, I booked this over a month in advance. In the booking section it asks for an occasion. I specified it was my partners 30th, please make it special.

The tables are not fully set, the atmosphere is one of a funeral/ wake, the candles are battery operated, and for this high street chain type of setting, the prices are astonishing.

My partner had the seafood stew which cost somewhat £40? Consisted of literally an oxo stock cube, 2 prawns, a few mussels and one langoustine. It was disgusting, and how a chef could ever be ok to send that out is beyond me. The fish soup starter was great.

Not to sound tight, but here we go: ordered the oyster/ sausage starter (minus the sausage) but we’re charged full price. That’s almost £15 for 3 oysters… with the sea on your door step. I’ve had oysters for less in London at Michelin star restaurants (nowhere near the sea)

We were also charged an extra £5 for changing over the croutons for 2 slices the size of a child’s palm of ‘sourdough’ gluten free bread. Once again, how the chef could send that out as sourdough when it was practically a savoury Victoria sponge is beyond me.

My partner was so upset with his meal he didn’t even want any more drinks or even a pudding and frankly it was really embarrassing that this was a meal he was having to celebrate his birthday and all he wanted to do was leave. Sat at a table with kids behind us, no music, no atmosphere listening to the slurping of soup.

Also big coffee dispensers left out at the back from breakfast service. Appreciate it’s a hotel but let’s have some modesty?

The toilets were filthy with chips (!?) and empty loo rolls on the floor.

I sat in through the meal waiting for something special but all we received is “we’re going to need your table back in 15” but took over 20 minutes to bring over the bill. Why bother asking what occasion the booking is for when you’re not going to deliver?

Almost £200 down the drain and left feeling embarrassed.

I honestly don’t understand how this is operational with the seafood restaurant only a stone throw away which gives you the same food for the same price with the best atmosphere and second to none service in comparison. We went there days later which made up for such a rubbish birthday celebration but was days too late.

We thought a bistro would be ‘cute’ but it wasn’t far from your high street chain restaurant vibe which we would avoid at all costs to begin with....