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

[Thornyroshbush]

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?

I'd be livid if an egg was served in a shell on a plate with asparagus. A crispy egg doesn't mean "find bits of shell in it". I'd expect a whole mini scotch egg type thing with a lighter batter and at least five asparagus tips, perfectly cooked, with a tiny amount of bite still in the asparagus and the middle of the egg to be cooked but slightly runny. I mean, I can cook eggs and asparagus perfectly at home so I'd expect a restaurant to be absolutely on point with it.

I don't actually like crispy egg white so I'd actually be a bit disappointed as I'd be expecting an egg in batter, and something better than I could rustle up in five minutes in my own kitchen. And certainly not something considerably worse.

did you not complain?

Is it worth (politely!) complaining to the restaurant?

I understand if you’d rather not, as it is awkward and could make things more awkward, especially if you love it and go there a lot.

To be honest though, complaining to the restaurant would probably be more productive than posting a thread on here and giving the restaurant bad publicity, as the restaurant is clearly named in the photos on this thread.

We stayed at the hotel pub in the village and looked to eat at this restaurant there but decided is was far too full of itself!

We did eat at the Hoste which was nice but the added a 'Water charity donation' to the bill which we were not expecting and then to add insult to injury added a service charge which included the Water donation charge! (and there were too many dogs.

@HomelessAngua I've tried all the restaurants in BM and I have to say up until now this was the only one I wanted to go back to (hence the repeated visits). The other two were alright, but not worth it for the price.

Although nowhere will ever beat the place in the Cotswolds in Stow that served me a rancid steak. It was actually green inside. That was about twenty years ago and I still think about it now and shiver.

Did you complain when you were served the steak?

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.
The price is fine but the egg should not have been cold and hard, the hollandaise should have been fresh, and the asparagus should not have been woody.
YABU.

It's such a weird decision to only serve half the egg though, the other half must be wasted (or scoffed in the kitchen) and it just makes the whole thing feel super stingy. It's not like half a lobster where the other half is a portion for another dish FFS.

I can see a case for cutting into it before sending it to ensure the cook was right, ie. runny to squidgy, but what's the point of checking to see if it was dry, serving it anyway and still robbing the customer of the rest of it! The menu says crispy egg, not egg fraction.

Maybe the other half of the egg was used - like the lobster you mention - as a portion for another dish?

Only if someone else ordered at exactly the same time surely? It can't hang about once it has come out of the fryer?

Or maybe the OP did get the past their best leftovers from someone else's moist and hot egg fraction...

Glad you're having a good year, I feel a ride out at the weekend is needed!

Like with the current afternoon tea thread, the cost of eating out is not just the cost of the food. If the cost is not value to you, then don’t go.

Whatever the price point of a restaurant dish and whatever type of food is provided, food being properly cooked/prepared and served with at least politeness if not friendly should be an absolute basic minimum. That isn’t about value for money food, its the basic offering.

My local truckers' caff can manage that much - simple food but properly cooked and excellent service. A restaurant charging 15-50 per plate for a 5 plate meal plus cost of drinks should be able to do that much the very least.

I am thoroughly offended that we are OK with imported asparagus all year round. The British season is a highlight of my food year, no imports thanks 😹

@Davros , the imported asparagus is to be avoided. It's slimy bits of wood with an odd taste. Wait for it to be in season here.

I ate out the other evening with friends. The food was OK - not brilliant and not bad. It was priced at what I thought was perfectly OK, wine expensive but it was actually nice when I had expected it to not be. The service was good but not exceptional. The venue and company were excellent.

I just had my veg box delivery this morning and inspired by the thread, had eight (8) spears of locally-grown asparagus and some hot smoked salmon for my lunch, and very nice it was too! Then strawberries and vanilla yogurt.

One of the problems for hospitality is that people can have very nice food at home now for a fraction of the price, especially things with good quality ingredients which are simple to put together, so they have to offer something different/better/a very pleasant experience.

@AndrewMountbattenWindsor er, did you read my post? 😳

Yes. There is no way I would ever buy asparagus from Peru or wherever else they are imported from.

Always buy British asparagus - tastes amazing - when cooked properly.

Yes, thanks. Why are you struggling with my reply? Just avoid it unless you know it's British and in season.

You should have said something to them at the time, that price is outrageous … where on earth are you going?!?!

@champagnetrial the asparagus has been incredible. I've been buying it in Holt and cooking it at home to go with salads as it's been so hot.

Sharrington strawberries have also been particularly juicy and sweet this year. Norfolk produce in late May/June/July is the highlight of my holiday every year.

My guess is £8

(it looked a bit like a scotch egg, but no runny centre).
You mean it looked like a scotch egg minus the pork and breadcrumbs.

I thought that the joy of the dish was in dipping the succulent spears in the runny yolk.