"I made a reservation for Mother's Day at this restaurant for a 3-course set menu for three people. We have visited this restaurant twice before and the food was excellent on those occasions. However, we were disappointed with our experience yesterday. The kitchen restaurant itself was very cold and we waited for a while to be served. As we predicted, we were given a table near the door, which made us request to move tables for the second time due to the freezing temperature. Many diners were even eating with their coats on. It seemed that a couple of large groups of tourists arrived at the same time as us, causing the restaurant to quickly fill up. There seemed to be too few staff members for the number of customers, although they were all very pleasant but clearly overwhelmed. We had made the reservation several weeks in advance for a lunchtime slot at 1:30, but not all menu choices were available. The lentil broth was bland and unappetizing, possibly the worst we have ever had. Despite this, we were so cold that we ate it for warmth. My mum ordered a prawn salad, which had nice prawns but a minimal amount of dressing. For the second course, we had roast beef dinner which was tasty with a good gravy, but the beef was overcooked and tough, as were the Yorkshire puddings. The vegetables lacked flavor as well. The highlight of the meal was the dessert. Unfortunately, the log burner went off halfway through and the staff did not have time to refill it, causing the room to become colder. The restaurant has a beautiful setting and the drive up to the castle is lovely, particularly in summer. However, we will not be returning for a meal anytime soon."
