Third time unlucky

So I've thought long and hard about posting this but I decided I needed to be balanced because I had such brilliant visits previously but unfortunately it was third time unlucky for our visit to L. Mulligan Grocer. 

My fiancé chose here for his 40th birthday celebration with his parents and brother after we had been twice and enjoyed the food and drinks. 

We arrived about 15 minutes before our booking but that wasn't an issue and we were brought to our seats but after that? Well the best I can say is that service was chaotic. 

Here's the food menu for that night... 

The birthday boy's drinks were wrong, firstly he ordered a saison beer that didn't arrive. He asked another server who initially said they were changing the keg and eventually then told him they didn't have it anymore! 

Then after our meal he tried to order whiskey (Ardbeg Uigeadail) that was on their menu. First it didn't turn up and then we asked for it again he was brought a cocktail we didn't order before another server came back to query what the order was and he was finally told that they didn't have it anymore!!! 

When we got the bill the wrong drink that arrived and returned was still on the bill. I got that removed pretty sharpish!! I was a little disappointed with the number of jellies that arrived with the bill - also it didn't turn up in the Oxford maths tin like on previous visits. We asked for the bill and then we had another server come over with a bit of an attitude to ask for the table back. 

Unfortunately all of the little touches I loved on previous visits weren't there this time. What a let down! 

I have to admit that we left a crappy tip and told the manager on our way out. We got a bottle of wine as an apology which was something but honestly it wasn't a great night for my fiancé's 40th birthday celebration.

With that being said the only reason I haven't been so harsh is that I absolutely loved my food!!! 

To start I had the black pudding with almond crumbed sweet potato and apple croquette, goats cheese, pickled beetroot and balsamic syrup. 

Sean chose the hake and haddock scotch egg served with samphire, grapefruit, crispy capers and charred lemon. 

Sean's mum chose the black pudding as well. His dad had the butternut squash soup and his little brother chose the scotch egg. 

For my main course I ordered the chicken Kiev which came with a drumstick, charred corn, beetroot slaw and twice cooked chips.

Sean ordered the pork belly which came with a bubble and squeak potato cake, pear and star anise purée, roasted carrot and crispy sage and gravy.

His mum and dad both chose the rib eye and his brother had the boar burger. 

Finally I was the only one who ordered dessert. I chose the smoked caramel brownie which came with blackcurrant purée, candied popcorn, apple chantilly cream and an apple crisp.

I ordered 3fe French press which unfortunately was very weak. 

To sum it all up everyone loved the food. It is still amazing but I'm sorry to say we were left feeling a little like an inconvenience. There was an air of complacency or dare I say it just a little air of carelessness about the staff this time. Such a shame!