The Longstore Charlestown — Restaurant in Great Britain

Given my previous review on the quality of steaks at the Truro branch of this company why isn't this a 5 star review for their Sunday Roast?

We first came across the Longstore at the Truro Food Fair a couple of months ago when we picked up some loaded yorkshire puddings - we took them home and re-heated them 5 hours later and the beef and veg were to die for - hence our visit a few weeks ago to try the steaks (which were excellent) and our desire to try the Sunday Roast.

We booked an early table at 12.15 as two of our party are hard of hearing and the place can get noisy with it's high ceiling and wooden floors - the staff were great and had put us on the quietest table in the place just by the log burner.

I repeat the staff were excellent and the waitress was friendly and attentive - we ordered a couple of glasses of red wine, a pint of lime and soda and three roasts - two beef and one small pork.

Service was fairly quick and the portions very generous so why the score?

The beef was nice – not as nice as we remembered from the Food Fair but good – the pork was delicious and the veg well cooked and generous but…….

Everything was served onto a cold plate and all but the potatoes were tepid when they arrived so, by the time we had worked through the meal, we were eating cold veg and cold meat. The yorkshires were similarly tepid and parts of the inside were actually cold – as if they had been stored in a fridge – not a problem but they should be properly heated through. The gravy was delicious but there wasn’t enough of it so my partner ended the meal eating cold and dry beef

Why didn’t we send it back and complain? Maybe we should have done but that would have meant delays and when one of your party is 93 years old there is a limited amount of energy available AND it shouldn’t be necessary – this is a restaurant with an excellent reputation so it doesn’t seem unreasonable to expect basic standards to be met

It came so close to being great and failed on the simplest of things -...

Everything from the front with its stylish planters that are beautifully maintained, the modern rustic style inside, (lift for those that require it) to the hospitality and most importantly the food leaves you feeling so positive... The tables are well spaced the staff are so friendly, I love the fact we had the same waitress from the moment we arrived to the moment we left, Georgina I believe her name was (bright coloured hair), came over frequently to check how our meal was, asking if more drinks were wanted as bottles began to run low, cleared the table promptly, though young she has been well trained in waiting, knowing how to serve, where to serve from giving a true touch of class. Finally and most importantly the food, from presentation to the taste, that has to be some of the best seafood I have tasted the rest of my family would agree, traditional foods given a modern twist, fish that melts in your mouth, such flavours, my full complements to the chef and all that cooked those meals, you brought a table in full conversation to silence and full food engrossment with how great those meals were... To those thinking of visiting, ignore the price, the food is to die for, the portions are great and the whole experience is truly amazing, dress up and make it a night to remember... Many thanks I shall...

Delicious seafood dishes, great starter options. Really recommend the char-grilled Monkfish - a meaty and flavoursome fish. The scallops were on the specials menu which was deliciously tender. The sauce was slightly tangy with freshly chopped tomatoes and capers, a nice balance with the scallops.

Seafood options were quite limited for the mains but the halibut on the specials menu was a great choice. The portions were pretty good sized, though it would cost a whopping £36 for the halibut dish alone. I like the tender whole grilled plaice with some crunchy pieces of fried samphire. Each main dish comes with a free side. I'd recommend the skinny fries with rosemary salt. The crushed new potatoes were not my cup of tea, it had a tangy flavour to it.

The Tonka bean donuts was an interesting dessert with a scoop of ice cream and dollops of chocolate spread.

Overall, the food were tasty with good presentation. Cocktail selections were large with some sweet and refreshing drinks. The service was friendly and attentive. Dining environment was nice, spacious and clean.

I would come back here for lovely meal if I visit Charlestown in...