The Prae Wood Arms — Restaurant in St Albans

We came here at lunch time for a Sunday Roast as I’ve got 10 family members coming over from the USA in the summer and they of course want to try a British staple; so my partner and I went to try the Roast see if it hit the mark.

The Prae Wood Arms had good reviews, although a 45 minute drive away from where we are, we were willing to make the trip for a good Roast!

We were seated, the young waitress who served us seemed a little bit cold, not warm friendly and inviting. She also seemed like she was in a rush; when we said we needed more time to look at the menu etc. she was back within a couple of minutes. It felt like she was trying to get us served and out asap when we wanted to relax and have the time to talk and enjoy our time there.

We opted to have some Starters from their ‘Nibbles’ section on the menu. We had the calamari and the prawns. Both were exceptional dishes, full of flavour; so we were really looking forward to and had the same level of expectation for the Roasts.

I ordered the lamb roast & my partner chose the mixed roast (beef & pork). We also ordered a side of pigs in blankets and stuffing.

Unfortunately, the roasts completely missed the mark and the pigs and blankets came out lukewarm; not hot! The stuffing was hot and did actually taste amazing, it’s a shame that the same couldn’t be said for the rest of the Roast.

My lamb was dry in places, chewy in others and somehow any heat was instantly lost when I cut into a piece of the lamb. Some bites were tasty and had that lovely lamb and depth of flavour, but other bites were bland.

My partners beef was supposed to be served pink in the middle but it was barely pink, parts of it looked grey, I tried a bit of it and again, it was incredibly bland. His pork tasted nice but parts of it were too dry; I tried some of that as well.

1 out of 5 of my potato’s was actually crispy and hot, the rest were a bit hard, soggy rather than crispy and just so bland.

My veg were al dente which wasn’t to my liking, I definitely prefer my veg a bit softer but this is personal preference. I guess the texture wouldn’t have mattered so much if the veg were actually tasty. Again, the veg were bland and lacked any real flavour.

The gravy again, offered some relief to the dry lamb and dry pork, but again, lacked any real flavour.

After trying each element of my roast separately, finding out how bland it all was, I grabbed the salt on the table and seasoned it, but salt can only enhance flavours that were there - as there were not real flavours there it didn’t really add much to the dish.

It’s such a shame as those starters were beautiful.

So, expensive and overpriced for a plate of food that lacked in quality and taste.

I’ve had roasts before that have been exquisitely tasty, fresh and flavourful; it’s a shame those places are 2+ hours away - I had hoped for something a lot better from such a well established and highly rated gastropub. We bitterly left...

It's a really nice old building. Probably haunted, too. Haunted... by the ghost of customer service! Oooohh!

Now, I normally go of a weekday evening, due to the location being central to my chums and I. Whenever I step in at around 8PM, there's no-one behind the bar. Fancy that! A pub with no-one serving drinks!

Generally I have to wait a couple of minutes, which is not really that big of a vexation when you think about it, but watching staff walk past and not really do anything about it is a bit annoying, but I believe I have divined the reason as to why:

Y'see, waiting staff are generally just out of their teens. No-one wanted to wait on middle aged men in a pub when they were at school, (eminently understandable position if you ask me) so naturally everyone working there doesn't want to be there. Again, totally understandable - I've worked with the public myself so know the score.

The trick is, when hiring pretty young people to wait on an elder generation, to not make sure you hire someone great at fetching drinks, but to make sure you hire a really great liar instead. The hospitality industry is having a bit of a staff crisis post-pandemic, so the folks that work there are ordinary people like you and I. But, what is good customer service if not lying that you care about someone you'll never see again?

Therefore, should you read this, Prae Wood management - hire professional liars. You know the type, the ones that you'd normally turn away because you think someone telling you that they have a passion for waiting hand and foot on fat balding men with wandering hands is far too beyond the dimensions of possibility.

Anyway - food's far too overpriced. £7.25 for four meatballs each the size of a depressed golf ball. Buns for children's burgers that are the black sesame seed coated ones you get at Tesco (even got the rip marks on them from the batch). Staff that have the order accuracy of Stevie Wonder playing darts.

So if you can't do table service well, just don't do it. No-one wants to do it, it's an extra burden on staff, and it's adding an extra failure point to the line of communication.

Two stars because I walk out of there less sober than when I walked in and the building...

I recently had the pleasure of dining at the Prae Wood Arms in St Albans, and I must say, it was a fantastic experience. From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with a warm and inviting atmosphere. The decor was charming, with a mix of modern and traditional elements that created a cozy and comfortable vibe.

The menu was filled with a variety of dishes, but I was particularly impressed by the local and seasonal offerings. The food was expertly prepared and beautifully presented, and it was evident that the chefs took great care in sourcing high-quality ingredients.

I had the roasted chicken dish, and it was one of the best I've ever had. The chicken was perfectly cooked and incredibly juicy, and it was accompanied by a delicious range of seasonal vegetables. And the bread pudding for dessert was a true highlight, with its rich and decadent flavors that left me wanting more.

The staff was friendly and professional, and they went out of their way to make sure our dining experience was enjoyable. They were knowledgeable about the menu and offered suggestions on the best dishes to try.

Overall, I highly recommend the Prae Wood Arms to anyone looking for a fantastic dining experience in St Albans. The food is delicious, the atmosphere is warm and inviting, and the staff is top-notch. Whether you're looking for a romantic dinner for two or a night out with friends, the Prae Wood Arms is the perfect...