Madhu’s at The Grove — Restaurant in Three Rivers

We visited Madhu's at the Grove, having been once before. We came with our son, for our wedding anniversary and we wanted an experience to remember.

Sadly it was an experience to remember, but for the wrong reasons.

Firstly, when we arrived we ordered, and we wanted to start by ordering our starters and our son's meal. The waiter was unwilling to allow us to simply order starters and requested that we order mains as well. We prefer not to do this as we don't know how full we will be after starters.

However we were not allowed to do this. The waiter also asked whether our son would be having a two of three course meal. I've never been asked anywhere, at the start of the meal whether I'm having dessert or not. We already felt rushed at that point.

Our wine and starters arrived, and after initially having our wine poured our waiter seemed unwilling or unable to continue to replenish our glasses. We had to continually make eye contact to access our drink.

Our main courses came , again as quickly as the starters arrived. After finishing and requesting that the food be packed for us we ordered dessert. The main course was adequate, but nothing special, and certainly not as expected bearing in mind the cost.

Throughout the meal my wife could see the hostess constantly asking the waiting staff as to which table was to be free next, and he indicated ours. This was before dessert had arrived.

We ate our dessert, gajur halva, which again was not of the standard that we would expect bearing in mind the venue and cost.

At this point we had been at our table for 1 hour and 25 minutes, and we knew we had it for 2 hours. As the waiter was clearing away our dessert (having again previously failed to replenish our glasses), he asked in an arrogant manner as to whether we wanted to order anything else as he needed the table back.

We still had 35 minutes and we wanted to enjoy the occasion of being there. He could have asked whether we wanted coffee or a digestif, but no, it felt like we were being turned out. We challenged him on this and he became very defensive, saying that no, he didn't actually need the table back. If that's the case, why did he ask? If we had been at the table for 1 hour 55 minutes that would have made sense.

But to have over 30 minutes left was very insulting. After a while we requested the bill, which was wrong. This was rectified and we paid and left.

We were so disappointed. This was meant to be a relaxing and enjoyable experience spent together as a family. Instead we felt rushed and stressed, and angry about how the waiter had treated us. If we wanted to go to a fast food joint we would have done that.

The food was adequate, nothing special and the service appalling, especially bearing in mind the cost. If you are going to charge the prices that you do they need to be backed up by the kitchen and front of house. Needless to say we will not...

One star experience at the five star “High chai” at Madhu’s at the Grove, Rickmansworth

Honestly, I’m struggling to decide where to start with the details of our evening! It was a nightmare experience! The food was extremely disappointing and didn’t give any vibe of a five star restaurant. Forget about five star, I’m pretty sure that a local cafe would have offered a much better afternoon tea than what we served yesterday. The tea was cold and tandoori chai had no flavour! Sandwiches were minuscule and the wrap felt dry with minimal filling. I should have actually taken a picture of my friend’s wrap, it literally had NO FILLING - it seemed as if she was served edges of a long wrap in which the chef recklessly forgot to fill out the edges and didn’t bother checking that there we were served empty shells made out of wraps. The desserts were revolting! Dry, tasteless and lukewarm mango sundae that seemed to have been left out of the fridge for a long time before they were served to us. The chocolate cake bites felt stale! There were no flavours in any of the items of the afternoon tea. The only saving grace was palak patta chaat that seemed to have some flavour, although I’ve eaten much better chaat in other places.

Another low point of the evening was our table which was next to a window - the breeze wafted the stench of a sewer which made a few of us really queasy! The food had left us so disgruntled and had quashed our hopes so much that we had no interest in mentioning the stench to anyone! We just wanted to eat whatever little was edible and leave!

When my sister complained about the dirty ladies room, she was confronted by one of staff members about the washroom being spotless when the staff member had checked straight after my sister had used the facilities. She also challenged my sister by inviting to show her why she felt issues with the cleanlines but my sister blatantly refused to accompany the staff member because clearly, their standards of cleanliness were way lower than what we would normally expect in a good restaurant. So we just felt it would be vain to get into any unnecessary squabble with a discourteous staff member! By then, we’d already made up our minds that we weren’t ever returning to the restaurant.

All in all, it was a second-rate experience and I don’t think I would recommend to any of my friends or family.

However I would want to mention here that the busser/server assigned to our table helped with ensuring that our dietary needs were met but he couldn’t have made the food and ambience any better for us. I would give one star rating because of the service otherwise I would give zero rating to the overall...

My wife and I recently had the pleasure of experiencing the Madhus tasting menu at The Grove Hotel, and I must say, it was an unforgettable culinary journey. What truly elevated the experience was the exceptional service provided by Hind and Salma.

From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with warmth and professionalism. Hind and Salma went above and beyond to ensure that every aspect of our dining experience was perfect, from their attentiveness to their extensive knowledge of the menu.

Now, let's talk about the food. Each course was a masterpiece, showcasing the richness and depth of Indian cuisine. The journey began with the Avocado & Mango Chutney accompanied by Poppadoms & Dips, setting the stage for what was to come.

The second course featured a delightful array of Tandoori Salmon, Murgh Malai Tikka, and Lamb Chop, all served with a refreshing Minted Mango Salad. The flavours were vibrant, and the presentation was impeccable.

Next, we were treated to a palate-cleansing Passion Fruit Sorbet before indulging in the Royal Thali. This quintessential Indian platter, featuring Murgh Makhani, Lamb Roganjosh, Prawn Moilee, and Dal Makhani, accompanied by Raita, Rice, Pickle, Salad & Mini Tandoori Naan, was a true feast fit for royalty. It was fascinating to learn that Madhu’s Royal Thali was commissioned for HRH King Charles's event at Windsor Castle, adding a touch of regality to our dining experience.

To conclude the meal, we savored the Gajar Halwa & Almond Kulfi. The sweet halwa made from carrots, milk & cream, paired perfectly with the almond cream and Indian ice cream, leaving us with a lingering sense of satisfaction. Oh yes, let's not forget about Dark Chocolate Cremeux I think it was what we had which was simply divine.

In summary, Madhus at The Grove Hotel offers not only an exquisite tasting menu but also a dining experience characterized by impeccable service and attention to detail. Hind and Salma's hospitality truly enhanced our evening, making it one to remember. I highly recommend Madhus for anyone seeking a culinary adventure infused with...