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Original poster

4 bits of asparagus and half an egg - how much?

193 replies

Thornyroshbush · 29/05/2026 07:13

I went to my favourite restaurant in the world recently. Never had a plate of food I didn't love and I've probably been going 15(ish) times a year since 2018. It's 'tapas' style so you can easily have 4-5 plates in a meal. Just to give an indicating over the quality of the food.

One of the dishes we ordered to share was asparagus and a crispy egg. What turned up was four bits of asparagus and half a boiled egg in a shell (it looked a bit like a scotch egg, but no runny centre).

I'm wondering if I am being very unreasonable to still be absolutely gobsmacked over 24 hours later that anyone thought that was acceptable to send out of a kitchen at the price they charged for it. We're due to go back tomorrow night and I honestly want to cancel but DH thinks they deserve another chance...

So, can people tell me how much they would have thought that would cost?

OP posts:
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6
PeppyRosePoster · 29/05/2026 08:24

It does look beautifully presented.

JaneFondue · 29/05/2026 08:23

We have stopped eating out in London.
Even our favourite restaurants have shrunk portions and reduced quality.
Instead we go to the theatre or comedy or a gig. Much better value.

measuretwicecutonce · 29/05/2026 08:23

I love tapas or food served tapas style but rarely go for it now as we found the same. Portions very very small, not well cooked and expensive. I feel that customers are being expected to cut some slack to pubs and restaurants as it’s tough for them however they need to understand that serving edible food with good service is the absolute minimum. Going out to eat is a treat for many. When people can cook stuff just as good if not better at home then they’ll stop going out or stop eating out.

Choux · 29/05/2026 08:21

Here’s the mgmt provided photo in TripAdvisor. The asparagus looks fatter than the stuff I got in Sainsbury’s yesterday and it’s beautifully presented. but for that price why not give you both halves of the egg?!?

OP also says her egg was dry so it should have been sent back on that basis alone. The egg is supposed to be runny so you can dip the asparagus spears in it.

4 bits of asparagus and half an egg - how much?
Slightyamusedandsilly · 29/05/2026 08:21

Thornyroshbush · 29/05/2026 07:20

Location: North-East Anglia. Coastal.

Local asparagus. Chicken egg (not duck or quail which I would expect to be charged more for).

Should have said in the OP!

Edited

Ahhhhh posh coastal N Norfolk. £14.

Where I live it'd be half that. But I'm from N Norfolk. Quite over impressed with their own poshness that lot.

Original poster
Thornyroshbush · 29/05/2026 08:14

It’s very easy to look back and say ‘should have said at the time’ but I was genuinely speechless - I couldn’t actually believe it had been sent out, and other people were eating the same plate and enjoying it! It was only when we got home and I had my microwavable meal (meant to be the next days dinner but I was so hungry I had to eat it) that I sort of went ‘eh’? It was also the ‘owners’ chef in the kitchen sending the food out! So not a new chef…and as I said, never has a bad plate before so having an entire meal be awfully was just so shocking I didn’t even really think about it. Probably makes no sense, but I genuinely didn’t until after

Will ring today and cancel today and explain why. Were due back again in July so will give it another go then. Possibly because it was half term it wasn’t as good as usual?! But I just can’t get past half a hard boiled egg and four asparagus spears (if you go on their drip advisor page you can see a photo of it - only that person got six spears!!!!)

OP posts:
GeorgeMichaelsCat · 29/05/2026 08:13

Why didn't you send the dish back?

rwalker · 29/05/2026 08:13

Thornyroshbush · 29/05/2026 08:03

I’ll mail you some local asparagus from the petrol station nearby (got 10 thick spears for £5 yesterday!!!)

Show quote history

Food you normally go for 70% margin
so at
£5 for 10 spears £1.50 eggs £3.50 cost
thats £5 cost price and I think I’m being VERY generous £5 +70% =£8.50
You were had

DallasMajor · 29/05/2026 08:11

What turned up was four bits of asparagus and half a boiled egg in a shell

Just to say to others, it was de-shelled!

I need to know- so the egg wasn't it it's shell? The egg was in anothers shell?

SleepingStandingUp · 29/05/2026 08:09

Did you complain about the meal op? If its usually great but suddenly everything was awful, maybe a new chef? Out of loyalty I'd report the issues rather than just stop going

Northermcharn · 29/05/2026 08:08

Well if Starbucks etc can charge 6.00 for a cup of milk with a dash of coffee, and millions buy it everyday, this is where we are.

Eelge · 29/05/2026 08:07

Thornyroshbush · 29/05/2026 07:59

@susiedaisy1912 Presumably!! That’s what baffled me the most! Split between two people as their dishes are meant to be it was 1/4 of an egg and two asparagus spears each.

Just to say to others, it was de-shelled! But it was basically a hard boiled scotch egg (not what I had in mind). Half a hard boiled scotch egg.

£15 it cost. And sadly it was also completely inedible as the asparagus was very woody (they hadn’t but the ends off) and the hard boiled egg was…unpleasant. And very dry.

And yes, north Norfolk. The other dishes we ordered (I’m guessing a few of you have rigged which restaurant it was), were equally awful. Acidic beetroot. Cold focaccia and cold prawns. Steak was grissly 😩as I said never had a bad meal before but this was inedible. But £15 for four hard asparagus spears and a hard dry scotch egg took the biscuit!

Edited

I bet the dogs would have eaten it and enjoyed it 😂

BrendaSmall · 29/05/2026 08:06

GCAcademic · 29/05/2026 07:41

For four spears?

Show quote history

Yes, you don’t get many, and the growing season is such a small window!

gingercat02 · 29/05/2026 08:06

If you go so often, why did you not complain at the time? A polite, this isn't the quality we are used to, is there a problem today?

TheBerry · 29/05/2026 08:05

Did you say anything at the time?? I'd go again if they've been good for 15 years but I'd definitely try to find out what happened that time... do they have a new chef?

butterpuffed · 29/05/2026 08:05

As it was a rare mistake [but how could they have done that!] and you love the restaurant so much , give it another chance .

But, didn't you say something to them about it ??

Monty36 · 29/05/2026 08:04

Thornyroshbush · 29/05/2026 07:59

@susiedaisy1912 Presumably!! That’s what baffled me the most! Split between two people as their dishes are meant to be it was 1/4 of an egg and two asparagus spears each.

Just to say to others, it was de-shelled! But it was basically a hard boiled scotch egg (not what I had in mind). Half a hard boiled scotch egg.

£15 it cost. And sadly it was also completely inedible as the asparagus was very woody (they hadn’t but the ends off) and the hard boiled egg was…unpleasant. And very dry.

And yes, north Norfolk. The other dishes we ordered (I’m guessing a few of you have rigged which restaurant it was), were equally awful. Acidic beetroot. Cold focaccia and cold prawns. Steak was grissly 😩as I said never had a bad meal before but this was inedible. But £15 for four hard asparagus spears and a hard dry scotch egg took the biscuit!

Edited

And they wonder why people don’t go to eat out more !
Two asparagus spears each and half an egg for £15.00 is taking the pee.
They would buy the produce at trade prices.
Hard to justify really.

TheBlueKoala · 29/05/2026 08:04

Clearly overpriced.

LizzieSiddal · 29/05/2026 08:04

Thornyroshbush · 29/05/2026 07:59

@susiedaisy1912 Presumably!! That’s what baffled me the most! Split between two people as their dishes are meant to be it was 1/4 of an egg and two asparagus spears each.

Just to say to others, it was de-shelled! But it was basically a hard boiled scotch egg (not what I had in mind). Half a hard boiled scotch egg.

£15 it cost. And sadly it was also completely inedible as the asparagus was very woody (they hadn’t but the ends off) and the hard boiled egg was…unpleasant. And very dry.

And yes, north Norfolk. The other dishes we ordered (I’m guessing a few of you have rigged which restaurant it was), were equally awful. Acidic beetroot. Cold focaccia and cold prawns. Steak was grissly 😩as I said never had a bad meal before but this was inedible. But £15 for four hard asparagus spears and a hard dry scotch egg took the biscuit!

Edited

Bloody hell that is shocking!

Unfortunately we’ve stopped going into our local pub to eat due to cost, they’ve just put out their summer menu, Fish and Chips £19, Steak and Chips £29!!!! Fuck that.

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 29/05/2026 08:03

PeppyRosePoster · 29/05/2026 08:02

Were you flippant or did you actually know it could be that? Well done 🥚🥒🥒🥒🥒

Show quote history

Just used to London prices...
£15 starters are not unusual now, even in chain restaurants.

Original poster
Thornyroshbush · 29/05/2026 08:03

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 29/05/2026 07:59

See my first bid of £14.50 😁
Can I claim an asparagus tip as a prize?

Show quote history

I’ll mail you some local asparagus from the petrol station nearby (got 10 thick spears for £5 yesterday!!!)

OP posts:
OvernightBloats · 29/05/2026 08:03

OP, you should have sent it back to the kitchen if the egg was dry. For that price, it should be perfect.

Bjorkdidit · 29/05/2026 08:02

Oh, I'd have complained at that - the prices suggest that it's a nice place with proper chefs, so you'd expect everything to be perfectly prepared and absolutely lovely. It's not like it's a cheap chain pub where you have people with minimal training throwing things in fryers and onto griddles for a stated time and sending it out whether it's cooked nicely or not.

PeppyRosePoster · 29/05/2026 08:02

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 29/05/2026 07:59

See my first bid of £14.50 😁
Can I claim an asparagus tip as a prize?

Show quote history

Were you flippant or did you actually know it could be that? Well done 🥚🥒🥒🥒🥒

OvernightBloats · 29/05/2026 08:01

PeppyRosePoster · 29/05/2026 08:01

Did you Google AI too? 😄

Show quote history

Yes! 😀