Tetbury - where should we eat

[Soapy Joe]

Now that the Bedfords have left the Trouble House where does one eat well in Tetbury?

My wife and I are there on a Friday evening in a couple of weeks and don't really fancy Calcot Manor, although I guess we could end up at the Gumstool Inn (same kitchen) if anyone knows it is good.

Anyone got some better suggestions? All help much appreciated.

[Gary Marshall]

Always quite fancied trying the trouble house but never made it , shame it has gone.

I think the last article i saw on them was a big spread in the telegraph extolling the great lifestyle that running a country pub was, oh how i laughed

Website mentions they are opening a deli and that the trouble house was a tennancy - would suspect their success brought them a whacking great rent rise, often a problem if you do well in a tennanted pub.

Wish them all the best in the new venture

www.troublehouse.co.uk

[Scottf]

Why not try the new chef?

Edited September 12, 2007 by Scottf (log)

[Gary Marshall]

indeed, looks interesting

[erica graham]

Why not try the new chef?

←

Visited Trouble the week after Michael left (our timing immaculate as always!!), and there were only three tables there. Don't know if the new chef had started, but IMHO it wasn't of the same quality as Michael, although the welcome was just as warm. Interestingly the prices hadn't changed at all. Looking forward to trying the Bedfords new Deli and Bistro in Tetbury, that we understand is about to open on Monday- can't wait!!

Edited September 12, 2007 by erica graham (log)

[Soapy Joe]

Well, we did end up at the Trouble House.

I will write a full report when I can find a bit more time but the highlights were:

1. The cooking was very well executed and show real flair. It was a cut above what I was expecting.

2. The cooking needed to be that good to make up for the fact that the room is unwelcoming and cold. We were initially sat in a small wooden table by the far escape and just next to the window leading to the front. It was raining outside and lorries whoosed past at what felt like 10 metres from our heads. The room was about 5 degrees colder than it should have been (perhaps the onset of autumn had caught them out) and no one had thought that closing the curtains might keep the temperature up and the noise down. We moved to a table next to the bar which was better (not so near the road) but was very drafty indeed.

3. If you're charging £18 for a main course I am not sure that ordering at the bar is the way forward. In my opinion, you either pay top notch prices and get great service as well as great food or you drop your prices a bit and people put up with it. At London prices in the middle of Gloucestershire, it is pushing it.

4. One of our fish dishes arrived with ham in the accompanying vegetables. As one of our party did not eat meat, they were a bit surprised by this (the menu is very short on non meat dishes as it is). When they pointed this out to the waiter he said "we can't put everything that's in the meal on the menu". If he had said "It's Yom Kippur [as it was] so we didn't expect any Jewish diners" I would have at least seen the logic but I think this was very sloppy.

5. On a hot summer's day sitting in the garden, I think I would have been a lot more impressed. Good food saved the day but total lack of ambience (and rather amateur service) would put me off going again.