Comfort – good. Sedate – definitely not. But with “Crazy” in the name would one really expect a calm atmosphere? The quirky, miscellaneous décor is exceedingly busy and music was not background, though in no way did it interfere with our conversation. Having dined in the Thai section previously concluding that it was not good enough to repeat, it was time to visit the English restaurant, enticed in knowing that they now breed their own livestock and fowl.
Being a hotel, food in some form or another is served all day, so there is a lot to read. Even skipping breakfast list and lunch, appetisers will be found, followed by salads or starters and an extensive main course list, making it impossible to take in desserts til later. From a promising start for all four of us, we happily munched on Tuna tartare, an excellent classic French onion soup and equally good chicken liver salad with fabulous bacon pieces from home reared Gloucester’s with super fresh salad and a perfectly poached egg. Two bottles of Douro were excellent. Onwards to two different pies and a mixed grill of pork meats, and this is where discontentment set in. Three different complaints about pies, one having bacon to chicken ratio out of kilter; one with bone and some gristle and then the beef cheek not having been cooked down properly, so though it was soft it was also chewy. Dry pork chop and a cement-like rosti didn’t please one guest, but side orders were cooked correctly and most impressive of all, the tender young broad beans were devoid of skins.
Service, whilst pleasant and attentive enough, distinctly lacked knowledge. Good ingredients were used but sadly the treatment didn’t afford them justice, which is a shame because the prices are definitely City.