River restaurant reviews

Chill

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Hi Everybody,
Many thanks for your continuing support, kind reviews and interest in Boulters.

I can confirm that the EA granted our license to dredge last week. Contractors have been appointed and we are expecting them to carry out the works before the end of August when they manage to get the plant to site.

We will be going to 2 metres but if anybody has any feedback on that depth and needs more please let me know.

I can only apologise that it has taken so long to get this sorted; there is no problem with the riverbed but Maidenhead locals may well be aware of the complicated scenario that we have been navigating our way through surrounding riverbank and riverbed ownership.

The new Brasserie menu is being very well received so I look forward to seeing you all very soon.
Warm regards
Paul Dennis
Director

PS - If the anti goose pontoon sprinkler is on when you visit call us on 01628 621291 and we'll send somebody out to turn it off!!!!


Thats great news Paul, be sure to post on here when the dredging work has been done. I am looking forward to visiting with our new boat

Chill
 

plumbob

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Try the OTT at Bourne End marina...............21 of us went on Saturday night, had great food 3 courses well presented, well served, hot plates(even the salad:), all for £19.65 plus service. Cant fault it . I know its a pain mooring there on a busy Saturday night, but we went up on 1 boat from Bell Rope Meadow...........some of you eagle eyed, or pie eyed, may have noticed us.
I must however, agree with Byron, Ashmount House, even in the wet and cold, is a very nice spot. Thanks goodness for Eberspacher !!:D
 

534l4rk

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swan hotel staines

Altho' we have used the Swan Hotel below Staines bridge for many years we strongly objected recently to being hassled on arrival for mooring payment irrespective of being told that the charge of £10 would be offset on our evening meal bill. Complaints to the Managing Director of Fullers resulted in semi-literate responses to the effect that our suggestion that they should have a notice identifying this commitment and that could be liable for damage to vessels as a consequence of their poor mooring facilities have never been followed through.
 

boatone

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Oakley Court Hotel Bar - Windsor

Noticed that the Oakley Court have live jazz in the bar on Friday evenings with food available from 7pm to 9:30pm so thought we would give it a try last Friday and drove down from Bray marina.

Regrettably we were not impressed. The jazz was pleasant enough - a keyboard/drums/bass trio - but the food was less than acceptable. Swmbo had a Crocqe Monsieur and I had the Oakley Court Club sandwich. Both seemed less than freshly prepared - the bacon in the club was more noticeable by its absence. Also, the club had some strange mash of egg, chicken and mayonnaise which was really not that nice. A bill for £30 including a couple of drinks was not unexpected but certainly didn't feel we had value for money.

Should I have complained?
 
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bradtarga34

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Altho' we have used the Swan Hotel below Staines bridge for many years we strongly objected recently to being hassled on arrival for mooring payment irrespective of being told that the charge of £10 would be offset on our evening meal bill. Complaints to the Managing Director of Fullers resulted in semi-literate responses to the effect that our suggestion that they should have a notice identifying this commitment and that could be liable for damage to vessels as a consequence of their poor mooring facilities have never been followed through.

We've stopped their a few times and I think the £10.00 charge is a good idea as it means that we can mostly get on the moorings now, instead of people parking up and either eating on-board or going across the bridge into Staines itself. The pontoon is very basic, but never had a problem there. In the end, the mooring is free if you are eating/ drinking there... We had been mobbed on one occasion but we just told them to wait until we got ourlseves sorted, and the last time we went we weren't asked to pay anything.
 

No Regrets

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The Ferry: Cookham.

Food still pretty tasty, and not bad value, but service seems to have gotten a little tardy to say the least!

I'll give them one more go in a few weeks perhaps....
 

tedkay

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PS - If the anti goose pontoon sprinkler is on when you visit call us on 01628 621291 and we'll send somebody out to turn it off!!!!

Hi There's a very good permanent solution to the goose poo problem - just been been done on the pontoons at Bargewalk with 100% success - give Geoff the owner of Bargewalk a ring
http://bargewalk.co.uk/index.php
Geoff Cook
020 8398 5995
info@bargewalk.co.uk
 

Brayman

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Chequers, Marlow

Spent two nights in Marlow last week and having read in a recent CAMRA magazine that the Chequers had re-opened thought we'd give it a try. It now tops our list for Marlow, especially as our second night was spent in our previous favourite, the Two Brewers.

The Chequers is a speciality steak restaurant where they have the meat on show and you pick which cut and what size before they cook it for you. The fish dishes were good too. It's only been open three weeks so some of the staff are a bit green, others are top notch.

Afraid Boulters lost out because their restaurant isn't open Tuesday evenings, just as well as we would have been even more drenched if we'd made it down there.

After the Chequers, the Two Brewers was disappointing.
 

Andrew_Fanner

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Spent two nights in Marlow last week and having read in a recent CAMRA magazine that the Chequers had re-opened thought we'd give it a try. It now tops our list for Marlow, especially as our second night was spent in our previous favourite, the Two Brewers.

The Chequers is a speciality steak restaurant where they have the meat on show and you pick which cut and what size before they cook it for you. The fish dishes were good too. It's only been open three weeks so some of the staff are a bit green, others are top notch.

Afraid Boulters lost out because their restaurant isn't open Tuesday evenings, just as well as we would have been even more drenched if we'd made it down there.

After the Chequers, the Two Brewers was disappointing.

Now there's interesting. I wonder how they would cope with my propensisty for eating my steak raw if I can get it that way. Failing that, break its horns off, wipe its backside and walk it through a warm room. The best steaks I have ever had were cooked at, indeed on, a forge.
 

boatone

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The Chequers is a speciality steak restaurant where they have the meat on show and you pick which cut and what size before they cook it for you. The fish dishes were good too. It's only been open three weeks so some of the staff are a bit green, others are top notch.

After your earlier recommendation we tried to book a table for last Saturday night but at noon they were already fully booked unless we were prepared to eat after 9pm so will have to wait for another day.

Finished up going to Thai Square but not impressed - since when has Pud Thai been made with orange/red noodles ?

On the way back down river on Sunday passed through Boulters at lunch time and was interested to see Louis Philippe (Bates StarCraft 40' long with a draft of 3'10" ) turn out of the lock into the weir stream and then make a longish turn back onto the Boulters jetty so there is obviously more water there than I had appreciated. Looking forward to seeing what its like after the dredging has been done later this month.
 

Akers_like

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On the way back down river on Sunday passed through Boulters at lunch time and was interested to see Louis Philippe (Bates StarCraft 40' long with a draft of 3'10" ) turn out of the lock into the weir stream and then make a longish turn back onto the Boulters jetty so there is obviously more water there than I had appreciated. Looking forward to seeing what its like after the dredging has been done later this month.[/QUOTE]

We go in there regularly with Louis Phillipe. There is a shallow spot extending about half way up the jetty ( from the downstream end ) and say 30 feet into the weir stream. Coming in on a longish turn proves no problem. However, also looking forward to being fully dredged.
 

rosssavage

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Mixed review for Oakley court hotel. The setting is beautiful, the service is excellent (they even moved one of their posh hire launches so we could get in - a large portion of the riverfront is quite shallow. They'll let you use the jetty if draft is an issue, too) but the food was terrible. The ingredients seemed very good, but it was slow in arriving and stone cold. Didn't send it back cos we were starving after waiting so long. The jazz band were good, and the staff accomodating, even tho we are blatantly not posh (jeans and t shirt). It's a superb place for afternoon drinkies on lawn watching the river traffic meander by, but I won't eat there again.
 

Chill

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Shillingford Bridge Hotel

We moored here Wednesday night and payed our £10 mooring fee to reception we were able to plug into the electric but not all the points were working so a long lead may be required.
We ate in thr Riverside Restaurant which was not very busy (only 4 other tables) the food and service was excellent the three of us had starters mains and two had pudding including drinks at the bar before, a round during the meal and a bottle of red the bill came to £94. I was pleased to see on the bill they had taken off our £10 mooring fee.
I asked if they still do a dinner and dance but this is off at the moment due to lack of trade but if we could make a booking of 20 people they would lay on music.

Chill aka no name
 

Gavi

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We ate in The Bull at Sonning last night. One of the best meals I have had in recent times.

Loch Fynne in Henley was impressive on Tuesday.

The Green Olive in Windsor is a cracking Greek place.

All the above are short walks from public moorings.

Tonight we are being brave and sampling the Bray Brasserie.... Or at least, my wallet is being brave!
 

bradtarga34

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We ate in The Bull at Sonning last night. One of the best meals I have had in recent times.

Loch Fynne in Henley was impressive on Tuesday.

The Green Olive in Windsor is a cracking Greek place.

All the above are short walks from public moorings.

Tonight we are being brave and sampling the Bray Brasserie.... Or at least, my wallet is being brave!
How did you like Bray? We've eaten their a couple of time and been superb both times
 

Gavi

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Bray was very good and great fun to be moored nearby. I thought The Bull was better though, and half the price!
 

Jaysay

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Restaurant reviews an excellent idea jecuk.

Just had a very good lunch at The Partridge Inn at Wallingford - good 'fine-dining', with two courses for £13.95 and 3 courses for £15.95. Must go back some time to try the a la carte and dinner. Very civilised, and a much easier option now that Wallingford has made boaters more welcome.

Can also recommend the the Perch & Pike at South Stoke - very good pub food and friendly atmosphere in a lovely quiet village, about 10 minutes' walk from the river.
 

byron

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Restaurant reviews an excellent idea jecuk.


Can also recommend the the Perch & Pike at South Stoke - very good pub food and friendly atmosphere in a lovely quiet village, about 10 minutes' walk from the river.

I rarely eat at the Perch & Puke even though it is my local. I have found the only thing worth having there is their Fish 'n Chips. Their quantities, especially on Roast Dinners - child's portions and they never offer Bread. Brayman eats there frequently.

My vote in this area is the Beetle & Wedge. Or if in Wallingford and you want plain value for money, The good old Hungry Horse at Crowmarsh.
 
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