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The Swan Stafford: Brasserie & Restaurant
- Thread starter Andreas Rex
- Start date
Withnail
Well-Known Forumite
Quick question... is it necessary to book a table for this, or is it possible to just turn up and nosh?
Considering coming on the morrow but there are variables at play that preclude prior arrangement. Also - is the above menu still 'current' or does it change depending on whatever might make it change?
ChrisLewis
Well-Known Forumite
Always a good idea to book, however Tuesday following a Bank Holiday will possibly be quiter than normal, so you'll get a table if you walk in.
We change the menu every couple of weeks, we're not a vegetarian / vegan restaurant so we have to do a lot of research & testing on the office staff before we change the menu - no humans are hurt during the testing!! Or animals - depends what the staff call me!
We change the menu every couple of weeks, we're not a vegetarian / vegan restaurant so we have to do a lot of research & testing on the office staff before we change the menu - no humans are hurt during the testing!! Or animals - depends what the staff call me!
flossietoo
Well-Known Forumite
Hello Chris, could I ask for some advice?
A group of us are due to eat out in celebration of a special occasion on Tues 28 May. Two of us are veggie and I have suggested The Swan because of your veggie nights. I said that I thought there were other, similar-but-meatish offers on the same night.
I am not sure which of the special menus are also available on Tuesdays. Could you possibly clarify so that, armed with full details, I can encourage my friends to choose The Swan?
A group of us are due to eat out in celebration of a special occasion on Tues 28 May. Two of us are veggie and I have suggested The Swan because of your veggie nights. I said that I thought there were other, similar-but-meatish offers on the same night.
I am not sure which of the special menus are also available on Tuesdays. Could you possibly clarify so that, armed with full details, I can encourage my friends to choose The Swan?
ChrisLewis
Well-Known Forumite
Hi Vegetarian and Vegan night is Tuesday - 2 course, 2 people & a bottle of House wine £26.95
for your group I can also extend the service time of our Early Evening specials menu which features two courses from £11.50 - copy of which is on our facebook page (Swan will be posting it hopefully as I reply to you)
Our full Brasserie menu with plenty of carnivores delights is also available on the night
Hope we see you next week.
Chris
flossietoo
Well-Known Forumite
Thank you so much Chris. I will put it to the birthday girl. I can't be tooooo persuasive as traditionally in our group, the celebrant picks where to eat. But what's not to love about The Swan, especially if it just happens to be vegetarian/vegan night?
ChrisLewis
Well-Known Forumite
Well spotted Vegetarian and Vegan Night £23.95 - sorry!£26.95? It's gone up!!
(Edit: although in fairness, it is good value)
Gramaisc
Forum O. G.
ChrisLewis
Well-Known Forumite
Yes normal menu is available
flossietoo
Well-Known Forumite
Big disappointment! Persuaded the group to choose The Swan on the above basis. Booked for 7.30pm and was assured that a note would be added to the booking to the effect that the Early Bird menu would be extended to be available as an option for the meat eaters.
Got here to be told that we had been booked in at 8pm because of two large groups. Also, that the Early Bird menu would not be available because "We have two menus running and would never have honoured that."
Result: embarrassment all round, I feel guilty and the evening has got off to a horrible start. And it's my best friend's birthday and I should just have shut up and let her choose somewhere.
Got here to be told that we had been booked in at 8pm because of two large groups. Also, that the Early Bird menu would not be available because "We have two menus running and would never have honoured that."
Result: embarrassment all round, I feel guilty and the evening has got off to a horrible start. And it's my best friend's birthday and I should just have shut up and let her choose somewhere.
Bob
Well-Known Forumite
Ooooh I hate that.
I've done it before when you think a place is brilliant, tell people it's great and when you get there it's not up to standard. We raved about the Littleworth/Littleton (or whatever the hell it's called) in Penkridge to some friends a couple of years ago after having a few good meals there, took four people with us and it was pretty poor food and service that night. Now I tend to keep my mouth shut when choosing a venue although a couple of months ago we recommended The Moat House to some friends and it didn't disappoint.
I've done it before when you think a place is brilliant, tell people it's great and when you get there it's not up to standard. We raved about the Littleworth/Littleton (or whatever the hell it's called) in Penkridge to some friends a couple of years ago after having a few good meals there, took four people with us and it was pretty poor food and service that night. Now I tend to keep my mouth shut when choosing a venue although a couple of months ago we recommended The Moat House to some friends and it didn't disappoint.
ChrisLewis
Well-Known Forumite
Thanks for your feedback & can I firstly apologise for any confusion on the night.
However if you follow the thread of the forum above, I did do everything I offered - I also notified my team last week about the forum conversation, unfortunately I didn't connect the relevant booking with your name, I suppose this is the only downside of the forum.
Apologies for any embarrassment caused.
flossietoo
Well-Known Forumite
You had talked to them as we'll? Between us I don't know what more we could have done! I mentioned the Forum discussion on booking and asked the person taking the reservation to put a note by the booking.
I think the Bistro had been thrown a bit, by having two big groups last night. So when it came to the time of our booking, either the person taking the call wrote it down incorrectly or someone realised that they would be very busy and moved it. It would have been absolutely no problem if they had come out and apologised - we were fine waiting. Unfortunately the manager just said we were there at the wrong time and they "Couldn't possibly have taken that booking".
That was compounded when she denied all knowledge of the menu offer. I knew I HAD made a correct booking - I hold down a job and remember to put my shoes on in the morning - but short of triumphantly producing a covert recording of the call, I just had to accept the assumption that I was an idiot and a nuisance.
There was another vegetarian in the group and in the end the others went veggie for the option, too. I'd've been working my way through the vegetarian menu during visits with other friends and knew I would have a great meal. Fortunately, they did too, which meant that I started to chill a bit. The waiting staff were very good and the birthday girl got to take home half a bottle of wine, so she was happy.
Incidentally the other veggie, who hadn't tried The Swan before, was blown away by the menu and intends making it a regular Tuesday haunt. He is also blissfully unbothered by any kind of social discomfort and couldn't understand what I was worrying about. Is that a bloke thing?
I think the Bistro had been thrown a bit, by having two big groups last night. So when it came to the time of our booking, either the person taking the call wrote it down incorrectly or someone realised that they would be very busy and moved it. It would have been absolutely no problem if they had come out and apologised - we were fine waiting. Unfortunately the manager just said we were there at the wrong time and they "Couldn't possibly have taken that booking".
That was compounded when she denied all knowledge of the menu offer. I knew I HAD made a correct booking - I hold down a job and remember to put my shoes on in the morning - but short of triumphantly producing a covert recording of the call, I just had to accept the assumption that I was an idiot and a nuisance.
There was another vegetarian in the group and in the end the others went veggie for the option, too. I'd've been working my way through the vegetarian menu during visits with other friends and knew I would have a great meal. Fortunately, they did too, which meant that I started to chill a bit. The waiting staff were very good and the birthday girl got to take home half a bottle of wine, so she was happy.
Incidentally the other veggie, who hadn't tried The Swan before, was blown away by the menu and intends making it a regular Tuesday haunt. He is also blissfully unbothered by any kind of social discomfort and couldn't understand what I was worrying about. Is that a bloke thing?
ChrisLewis
Well-Known Forumite
Flossietoo, yes I confirm I had discussed the offer to extend our early doors menu, so I do take responsibility for this shortcoming, unfortunately at this time in the morning I need to just await the relevant people getting into work to get a full picture and then will respond accordingly.
On a brighter note I'm happy to see we got it right for the vegetarians in the party, just to help me out, what name was the table booked under? As I haven't got a table booked under ""Flossietoo"
Many thanks - Chris
ChrisLewis
Well-Known Forumite
Flossietoo - sorry for not getting back to you sooner, but unfortunately we simply didn't have a booking for you last night that connected to our Stafford Forum conversation,so it was a case that the team at The Swan just tried to rescue the situation. The relevant staff at The Swan were fully aware of my offer to extend the early doors as per Stafford Forum conversation, but unfortunately were unaware of this actually becoming a reservation, linked to the Forum conversation.
Withnail
Well-Known Forumite
My boss has been known to just say stuff is possible that his staff are in no position to make possible as well.
I can assure you (both) that it is quite embarrassing on this side of the fence too.