Chequers Steakhouse - Marlow reviews

Review added 17/04/2016 18:44 by Jenny R

Fabulous food good ambiance good service a definite must for a visit

Review added 09/08/2010 21:29 by aj

The plastic hedge that caused so much controversy appears to have been replaced by real plants, but I'm not sure about the staff, who smile at you in an oddly disconnected way that reminds me uncomfortably of The Invasion of the Body Snatchers. That said, it's a new venture and some nervousness is understandable.

The decor is pleasant enough with the building's exposed wooden beams; it's been nicely and fairly sensitively refurbished.

After the usual bread rolls, served, as is the fashion, with olive oil and balsamic vinegar (and, oddly, a little plastic foil-topped tub of butter, not quite the touch of elegance you might expect), we moved onto main courses.

My partner's Asparagus Risotto was, she said 'perfectly serviceable' and my chicken breast with parma ham cooked nicely, although the accompanying mashed potato (piped in rosettes - a style that maybe qualifies as 'retro' given how long ago I've last seen this in a restaurant), was rather watery, and the sweet potato and ginger which accompanied it was rather heavy on the ginger. Portions are adequate but perhaps a little light by pub meal standards, so be aware you might want to supplement your main with a side dish of some sort if you are a hearty eater.

We might have sampled dessert but after waiting for ten minutes after the main courses were cleared, with no sign of any inclination for staff to attend the table, we decided that we might defer that for another day. Drinks orders were likewise a little slow, but clearly it takes time for everything to settle down (although this was a Monday night and not exactly packed). Our food did arrive fairly promptly, however.

We'd booked on the kind offer of a half-price meal (as part of their settling in period) and understood that in return, we should fill in a questionnaire at the conclusion of the meal. When we enquired as to this, we were rather airily told 'oh, the dry run's completed now, we don't have any more questionnaires'.

We did mention the rather slow service; hopefully things will get sorted in due course. Certainly nothing wrong with the food or the ambience although of course there's stiff competition in the area. Worth checking out, they are strong on steaks and you choose the cut and weight, so this might appeal. Wish them the best, anyway....