Star rating: ****
It was with mixed feelings that my friend Lucy and I left the Station Grill in Llansantffraid after a two-course meal; Lucy hadn’t been overly impressed with the restaurant, but I on the other hand, could not find much to fault it.
We’d announced our arrival at the bar, ordered drinks then taken a seat while we waited to be shown to our table; a custom I’m fond of, and one that not many restaurants seem to observe any more.
While we sat and drank and perused the menu, our waiter for the evening came over for a friendly chat; it turned out he was new to the area, so we gossiped about nearby places, and I thought how nice it was for the waiter to take time to become acquainted with us, rather than just take our orders and fly off at the speed of light, not to be seen again until the food arrives, as is so often the case.
It was also nice that our waiter checked to see if we needed more drinks, rather than us, or rather me who guzzles diet Coke at an alarming rate, having constantly to ask for more, which again is unfortunately often the case.
When we ordered the food he was really helpful too; I’d decided to go for a steak, which I rarely eat, and in my ignorance I didn’t have a clue what sort of sauce to have with it, so he explained to me what the different sauces would be like and suggested one to go with my meal.
When it came to ordering, there was quite a selection of starters and main courses, but we decided to save room for a dessert and skip the starter.
There was also a special deal, where there were two courses from a set list of options for a cheaper price.
So I went for a sirloin steak, and Lucy went for a pasta dish with salmon and prawns. I was sorely tempted by a chicken tikka masala breast with rice, but I decided to try something different.
Soon enough, we were shown through to the restaurant, and this is where mine and Lucy’s differences of opinion started to show. I thought it was warm and cosy, and appreciated the way the restaurant was made to look like the inside of a train (in keeping with ‘the station grill’).
There were railway signs on the wall, and some of the tables were arranged as the seats on a train might be, opposite large bay windows, which added to the feel.
Admittedly, it was a little dated with full tablecloths, and old-fashioned pictures on the walls, but still rather charming, I thought.
Lucy thought the decor was dated, and said the place needed a facelift!
One thing we both agreed on was that it was slightly too chilly, and slightly too quiet; there was background music, but I felt conscious that the other couple couldn’t help but hear our whole conversation, and us theirs.
When the mains arrived, I was pleased with mine; I’d got a generous amount of diane sauce, in a jug rather than on the steak (which was good, as I was worried I might not like it, having never tried it before!) tomatoes and mushrooms.
I’d rather have had the tomatoes and mushrooms grilled than fried, but I suppose traditionally, they are fried when with steak.
I was also really excited to see three of four large onion rings on the side, but disappointed to find that they was too much ‘ring’ and not enough onion; once you got past the batter there was barely any flavour there.
However, the meal came with an enormous portion of chips, which looked like they may have been home-made, and a platter of potatoes, carrots, cauliflower and creamed leeks, these being a delicacy I had not enjoyed before. The carrots and cauliflower were cooked to perfection, but the potatoes, although I enjoyed them, were really, really salty.
Overall, apart from the few minor gripes, I thought my meal was good, and would recommend it to someone else.
Lucy’s meal wasn’t so impressive; I’m fairly ignorant when it comes to fish, as I don’t eat it, but she said she expected to have bigger, juicier prawns and larger pieces of salmon, rather than the small pieces she got, and she ended up leaving half of her meal.
Whatever qualms we might have had with the main meals, the table was cleared quickly after we’d finished, and when we were shown the dessert menu we struggled to make up our minds.
I went for the cheesecake, and Lucy had one of her all time favourites; sticky toffee pudding. And they were divine.
Lucy’s pudding was hot and rich, and she said it was the best sticky toffee pudding she’d tasted.
My cheesecake was fluffy and light, yet tasty with a rich, soft base. Cheesecakes are so often a disappointment to me, with not enough filling, that I barely order them anymore, but this one failed to disappoint.
Lucy and I both thought the ice cream the puddings came with was delicious too; creamy and tasty.
The Station Grill offered fairly good food, brilliant service and fun, themed surroundings, and while I might not choose to host a party there, I think it would be a nice place to take my grandparents to on their next visit.
By Abigail Bates
MENU SAMPLE:
Starters: Prawn cocktail (£5.25); Gala melon with sorbet and ginger syrup (£3.95)
Main courses: Breast of chicken tikka masala with rice (£11.95); Lamb shank with redcurrant and rosemary sauce (£12.95)
Desserts: Bread and butter pudding with ice cream or fresh cream (£4.95); Chocolate roulade filled with rum and cream (£4.95)
Atmosphere: Cosy, but too quiet, and the music was a bit too dated.
Service: Really friendly, polite and swift
Disabled facilities: Restaurant was very spacious and staff were helpful
Contact: The Station Restaurant, Llansantffraid, Powys, SY22 6AD. Telephone (01691) 828478
14 Comments
Lucy’s meal wasn’t so impressive; “she said she expected to have bigger, juicier prawns and larger pieces of salmon, rather than the small pieces she got, and she ended up leaving half of her meal.”
BUT WHY? - did Lucy expect more food, but left half her meal… Doesn’t Lucy know that some less lucky folk are starving.. whilst she is wanting bigger portions - to just leave. I don’t understand.
John.
Abi, can you recommend anywhere that does boiled sausage?
Right on John. Leaving half the main dish and then ordering dessert? Bizarre. Where do these reviewers come from, basing their judgement on steak and chips, a pasta dish and drinking Diet Coke??
Not only is the value of the review limited, the “reviewer” admits her lack of experience with even the very simplest of dishes.
If she has not eaten well how can she pass a value judgement on what she eats? Yes she might like it, but how good is it in comparison to others?
A restaurant critic, as a theatre critic, of necessity must be a person of experience, not a junior out on a meal paid for by the Star.
These will be the same people who castigate and impact the livelihood of others with their criticisms not founded in experience.
This is a very, very basic piece of writing. I would hardly call it a ‘review’. No colour to it, no stimulating language, no adequate food descriptions, it reads as though a child wrote it.
What’s the point of describing the chips? And how can a FOOD reviewer openly admit to being “ignorant of fish?”
“cauliflower and creamed leeks being a delicacy I had not enjoyed before” THAT SAYS IT ALL!!
You cant beat a battered sausage anyday of the week !!
i would have preferred a description of the old railway station, far more interesting and more easily digested
“the meal came with an enormous portion of chips, which looked like they may have been home-made”
“the potatoes, although I enjoyed them, were really, really salty.”
What insight.
Seriously, what’s the point in having these reviews when the people writing them are simply not up to it?
I feel compelled to voice my agreement with the comments above. This ‘review’ is from someone who doesn’t eat steak, or fish, or indeed, errr, vegetables. Nor can she distinguish between ready made and homemade chips. It is worrying that such ignorance may form the basis of people’s decision not to try this place for food.
Does any one really read this piffle. Surely the Shropshire Star is wasting its time publishing rubbish articles like this.
Oh and also:
“I was really EXCITED to see four onion rings”
Has this person ever been out of the house before??!
My wife and I went for a meal in a pub in Bridgnorth after reading a ‘glowing’ review about it in the Shropshire Star last year. The meal was very mundane and disappointing and we could have had a better one for less money in the High Street further up the road. We take no notice of the Stars reviewers comments now and stick to friends recommondations.
Before I continue, Im not the person who wrote the review - just unfortunate enough to have the same name!
This review quite literally had me in stitches and then left me really confused!
So did she like the food or not? I have to agree wholeheartedly with Ruperts comment above. When you are writing a review about someone elses business, surely you need to consider that there will be an impact!
What a confusing review!