Discover Hertford Online Forum

Reply ID 1386

Hi Newcomer I don't know anything, but it wouldn't surprise me if it were shut. It's always dead in there.. I've only been twice and each time vow never to return (I really mean it after 2 bad meals!!) - dreadful service, awful food - and I really mean awful. We went with some friends, and after telling them how great hertford was, we had to endure the worst meal on record...extremely embarassing.. so I won't be sorry if it's shut. If you can't get in at the hillside, try elburt wurlings, or the george at watton - by far the best restaurants locally that I've tried..

Reply ID 1387

> dreadful service, awful food - and I really mean awful. Sounds like a lucky escape then!! :) > If you can't get in at the hillside, try elburt wurlings, Thanks, I keep meaning to try Elburt Wurlings but as it was all a bit last minute last night (frantic mobile calls and all that!) I went and booked Paddyfields as it was on the way home.

Reply ID 1388

The owner is, i believe, selling it to his cousin. Shocking place. Edited by - Frenchie on 24 Aug 2004 09:19:16

Reply ID 1389

I was put off before they opened. I seem to remember them knocking on our door with a "special offer". It was soemthing like if I give them £20 cash they would give me a voucher for £25 off a meal there.

Reply ID 1391

The lease is currently up for renegotiation (at a much increased rate of course) and the new owners intend to re-open it as a fish and steak house. Whether this is fresh fish caught from the Lea navigation I am unsure. However, this site has always been a black hole for the catering trade on account of its inaccessibility and the fact that Bircherley Green gates are closed at night; and the lack of passing trade. I think you can still drop in for a drink or meal (depending on the stock cupboard) if you see any lights on.

Reply ID 1398

just as an example of how crap they are - when we went for lunch last time, we politely asked for mayonnaise, as the chicken sandwich we ordered was literally a lump of chicken between 2 slices of mothers pride. we were told they didn't have any mayonnaise (even though waitrose was open just round the corner). Bizarre...

Reply ID 1410

OK, we don't want Hertford full of laminated menu chain restaurants but neither do we want to put up with poor value or bad service in our quest for an original, eclectic, high quality, fairly priced place to enjoy good food and wine. I liked La Ciboulette; it could be bad but it could sometimes be brilliant with absolutely sublime food, friendly, slick service and a characterful ambience that I'm afraid I found lacking in this forum's fave local eatery, the excellent Hillside. There is, however, no room for inconsistency in today's market, and occasional brilliance is not good enough, hence La Cib's demise. And if you hit it on a bad night it was really bad, as BengeoBabe noted. No-one wants to pay a three figure sum for a meal for four and come away feeling unhappy. I've heard some tales that beggar belief and which I won't repeat as I don't fully understand how libel laws cover website chat forums! The new manager is, as Sloopjohn indicates, going for fish and steak so let's wish her luck and hope the curse of that particular blighted location does not afflict her. I know someone who knows her so I will ask her to please log on here and tell us about her plans. Meantime, I think it is still open as Sloop says and if you can get booked in for one of Raymond Hanna's (the chef's) Sunday Lunch specials, if he's still doing them, I'll stick my neck out and say you won't be disappointed.

Reply ID 1411

rachel, can you please eloborate on your experiances at the hillside,

Reply ID 1415

Rachel - everyone has off days, but the food and the service both times i've been to la ciboulette was truly dreadful. i'm not just talking about an average meal for those prices, i'm talking seriously sub-standard. mcdonalds is tastier, and believe me, being in the food business, i'm not a mcdonalds fan. justin - you have nothing to worry about. anyone who likes la cib probably wouldn't like the real food you produce!! but that's no bad thing- more for the rest of us!!