The Palmerston (Lounged)

[????]

100

[lenk]

If the owner is not wearing a hair shirt and facing bankruptcy then I am outraged.

[katied]

IMO, this thread is not a good advert for the forum, or the monthly meetings ......

[????]

it's not an advert it's a thread....you should see the football one

[*Bob*]

Whether it's a good advert for the Forum or not is irrelevant really - it's always packed with people who are more than happy to read the threads. If you don't like it - don't read.

[Mark]

and the irritating people tend not to go to the monthly drinks, so you're fine there.

I've always liked the Palmerston, the service and its food, in fact it's my favourite of the "nicer places to eat round here" but I haven't been for a few months, so I guess I'll have to try it again soon and see what the fuss is about.

[*Bob*]

It's the closest 'proper' place to eat from my house.

I'd love it to be really, really good, instead of just 'decent.. a bit pricey'.

That's all. It's not a slag-off. It's feedback.. encouragement.

Encouragement helps you to avoid going to bed owning a 'Palmerston' and waking-up owning a 'Chardon', wondering at what point it all went wrong.

[RosieH]

I have drunk Pepsi at Chicken Cottage, rum and coke at any number of seedy dives, cider in beer gardens, port in various gastropubs, the tasting flight at several michelin starred joints and even on occasion (well once) a 1945 Chateau Mouton Rothschild in a very swanky pants restaurant. And I bloody well like The Palmerston. And I don't even work there.

Now PLEASE will someone bring me my chateaubriand.

[Loz]

Now PLEASE will someone bring me my chateaubriand.

You've got it already. It's hidden behind the three rocket leaves.

[The Palmerston]

An interesting read FoodStories.

With any business in our industry there will be good and bad reviews, it's par for the course and we welcome all feedback good or bad. I'm glad to say that fortunately for us the professional critics tend to have a different opinion to you. They also tend to ask if they can publish pictures of our food before they make their reviews available to the public.

I've only skimmed this thread and I certainly don't want to put people off making honest comments, good or bad, regarding The Palmerston.

I'd like to address a couple of points brought up though.

Our prices are clearly advertised both on the front and side of the pub and at the tables where our menus are placed. This obviously doesn't mean that everyone will agree that what they get is value for money, but we can't be any more transparent with what your meal will cost.

Our service charge is optional (this is stated), and set at 10% rather than the standard 12% you'll find many places.

I've posted this on here before, but, our beer prices are governed not so much by tax increases but more the fact that as with most of the drinks industry we are tied to a pubco for our supply. Please check http://www.fairpint.org/ for the latest information on the fight to get beer prices down.

I can assure all that we strive to maintain the high standards that The Palmerston has become known for. Our customers are the most important part of our business and making them happy time and time again is our goal.

Occasionally people have a bad experience with us. If they come to us directly we can resolve the problem. Mostly our customers are happy.

Feel free to contact me, Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm.

Will

[email protected]

[FoodStories]

Thanks for your feedback Palmerston. I would however be careful about the line you are drawing between bloggers and 'professional critics' as some bloggers are now moving on to become professionals, e.g for The Times and The Guardian. I am not sure what you mean by this anyway. Are you saying that my opinion is somehow less important to you? I am a paying customer. That makes my opinion important.

As for the photos - it seems you are not at all familiar with the London food blogging community! There are hundreds of blogs out there which do the same and are well respected. There are also many restaurants in London which recognise and actually take advantage of this fact rather than being defensive like yourselves.

I know that the prices are advertised outside but I can't see the portion sizes before I eat can I? That is what I had a problem with. Nice one on the service charge but I didn't even mention it.

[CheeseAndBiscuits]

Two points, Will:

1. If she's paid for the food, why the bloody hell should she have to ask your permission to take pictures of it? She's not selling the damn things in an art gallery.

2. The issue isn't that she didn't know how much her dinner was going to cost, it was that the portions were too small.

It seems like this cozy relationship with the traditional media has worked very well for you in the past. What can I say -welcome to the 21st century.

[hat282]

What a disppointingly defensive response to this thread. I'm sure that once you have purchased the food it is yours to do with as you wish, including taking photo's of it. I am in agreement re both price and portion size btw.

[Jeremy]

Will - I'm a fan of the Palmerston and I'm glad you posted to put your point across!

However, what's the problem with people posting photos? Is there actually a legal issue here? I ask because my girlfriend often takes photos of grub in restaurants, now and again puts them online. And the camera never lies... so what's the issue?

[schmoofaloof]

Wow - what a patronising response.

So, because FoodStories isn't a 'professional' you don't care? Unless I've misunderstood, that is what it sounds like. Nice to know you're really catering to the locals there.

You might like to bear in mind that food blogs get many, many hits a day. Also, many bloggers become professionals.

I'm afraid CheeseandBiscuits has hit the nail on the head - get with the times.

(By the way, no one was contesting lack of signage for the menus; its the meagre portion sizes that are the issue).

[*Bob*]

It seems the weight of blogdom is about to descend upon us.

Any more blogging buddies of Foodstories care to join in?

[The Palmerston]

FoodStories Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Thanks for your feedback Palmerston. I would

> however be careful about the line you are drawing

> between bloggers and 'professional critics' as

> some bloggers are now moving on to become

> professionals, e.g for The Times and The Guardian.

> I am not sure what you mean by this anyway.

I believe you described yourself as an aspiring critic? Apologies if I'm wrong. I took that to mean amateur.

> Are

> you saying that my opinion is somehow less

> important to you? I am a paying customer. That

> makes my opinion important.

I stated that our customers are the most important thing to us. I havn't implied that your opinions are not. I said that your review was an interesting read and that we accept feedback, both positive and negative. It's important for us to improve.

> As for the photos - it seems you are not at all

> familiar with the London food blogging community!

> There are hundreds of blogs out there which do the

> same and are well respected. There are also many

> restaurants in London which recognise and actually

> take advantage of this fact rather than being

> defensive like yourselves.

It is polite to ask to publish pictures and also give us a chance to read the review. It is not an obligation.

> I know that the prices are advertised outside but

> I can't see the portion sizes before I eat can I?

> That is what I had a problem with

I have addressed that in my original post.

> Nice one on the

> service charge but I didn't even mention it.

I also said that I would like to address some points raised in the thread. Somone mentioned about the price before service charge.

[schmoofaloof]

Bob - what does it matter if we're bloggers or not?

They're still valid points; if you think they're not then would you care to put an argument across?

[The Palmerston]

CheeseAndBiscuits Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Two points, Will:

>

> 1. If she's paid for the food, why the bloody hell

> should she have to ask your permission to take

> pictures of it? She's not selling the damn things

> in an art gallery.

I didn't say that she should. Most reviewers do, it also gives us an opportunity to read the review ourselves. Good or bad.

> 2. The issue isn't that she didn't know how much

> her dinner was going to cost, it was that the

> portions were too small.

Again, I addressed that in my first post. I was trying to respond to other posters in the thread, not so much towards foodstories in particular.

> It seems like this cozy relationship with the

> traditional media has worked very well for you in

> the past. What can I say -welcome to the 21st

> century.

We have an internet connection. The future is in our hands! ;)

[FoodStories]

Palmerston - Nope. I never described myself as an aspiring critic. Apology accepted.

You implied that my opinion was less important by saying 'I'm glad to say that fortunately for us the professional critics tend to have a different opinion to you.'

Bob - If they are bloggers then what is wrong with that exactly? Are you a troll? I ask because you only ever post comments designed to irritate people and yet never actually make an arguments of your own.

[*Bob*]

I think you should declare your interest.

I note three posters on this thread: schmoofaloof, cheeseandbiscuits, and (earlier) theboydonefood, all of you linked to Foodstories via blogdom.

I think if you're going to take someone's side over a restaurant review, you should at least say you're all pals.

[The Palmerston]

schmoofaloof Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Wow - what a patronising response.

I think you've misjudged the tone of the post and certainly the main focus of it. Which was not the review by foodstories, but more the other posts within the thread.

> So, because FoodStories isn't a 'professional' you

> don't care? Unless I've misunderstood, that is

> what it sounds like. Nice to know you're really

> catering to the locals there.

> You might like to bear in mind that food blogs get

> many, many hits a day. Also, many bloggers become

> professionals.

>

> I'm afraid CheeseandBiscuits has hit the nail on

> the head - get with the times.

It wasn't my intention to offend the blogging community.

> (By the way, no one was contesting lack of signage

> for the menus; its the meagre portion sizes that

> are the issue).

I have addressed this in my first post, and once more that comment was not aimed at foodstories.

[FoodStories]

I refer you to schmoofaloof's earlier point Bob - what does it matter if they are bloggers? They are making valid points. I am now almost certain you are a troll and I would suggest the moderator look into this possibility.

[The Palmerston]

FoodStories Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Palmerston - Nope. I never described myself as an

> aspiring critic. Apology accepted.

I stand corrected.

> You implied that my opinion was less important by

> saying 'I'm glad to say that fortunately for us

> the professional critics tend to have a different

> opinion to you.'

It would be unfortunate for us if critics from Time Out, Hardens, Restaurant Magazine, Zagat etc did agree with you. Your opinion is as valid as any other and I have stated that all feedback, good or bad is welcomed so that we may improve.

I feel that you've taken offense to comments within my original post that were not aimed at you. I did say that I would like to address some of the points raised in the thread. Not in the review.

I think it's fair that I am able to come onto these boards and address issues raised in the same way that anyone else can and offer people the option of approaching me directly if they have not had a good experience so that I can ensure that improvements are made.

[*Bob*]

FoodStories Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

I am now almost certain you

> are a troll and I would suggest the moderator look

> into this possibility.

Sure.. Ask them to check out the other 4100 posts as well.. just in case.