The kitchen is in the process of being refitted. Tonight was the third night without cooking or washing facilities, so was the third night eating out. We are trying the different eateries around our local area.

Tonight is the Crooked B????. Strange establishment. It has all the looks of a place that should do well. Old world, plenty of parking. Gardens and facilities for the kids. On a main road, so plenty of passing trade. The place though seems to go from one management company to another, and never seems to do well with anyone. Years ago, like 15-20 years ago it was thriving pub. Now it seems to go through lots of mediocre management companies and short time managers.

Unusually for a pub/restaurant there is a split personality about it. It has two restaurants and a bar. I mean two totally differently managed restaurants.

There is the bar area, serving some real ale, in this case Hook Norton, and the usual lagers. Associated with this is the ‘basic” restaurant serving steaks, liver, burgers, fried mushrooms etc. Staple non adventurous food.

The other restaurant is in the function room. This is Angelo’s, originally from Waddesdon, and lately from Springhill.

When we entered I ordered our drinks, and asked for a menu.  We were taken aback, because we could not see any Italian food on the menu, and this rather basic fare.  Not to worry we ordered. While we were waiting we said how nice the function room looked, at this stage we were informed that was Angelo’s.  How do we order for food there we asked?  You walk in and order there we were told.  There was no signs advertising Angelo’s or anything else to intimate that this other restaurant existed in the building.

Our food arrived.  My mushrooms were good.  Not a lot to go wrong with possibly pre-prepared deep fried mushrooms.  My liver and gravy was OK, not special.  Rosemary’s pate looked ordinary and her risotto was the worst she has ever had.  It didn’t seem to be the correct rice, it had not absorbed any flavour from the cooking and was dry!  We are not going to eat there again, unless the next management change brings on an improvement. As for Angelo’s, it had the usual chicken served in five sauces.  Our previous experience at Springhill for lunch had been a real dissapointment, so we would be feeling rather desparate before we tried the place again.