Topic ID 4741
Opening on Wednesday 14th October & wishing them luck. Met the new owner of The Grandison today & am looking forward to giving their dinners a test run on Monday [:)] Good to hear of new businesses opening up. -P-
Reply ID 67830
What great news! I thought we'd lost it forever, it's been shut for years. I used to love the Grandison and a good walk. [:D]
Reply ID 67842
Looks lovely. Will be trying this out next weekend.
Reply ID 67850
Glad to hear it back up and running.. DQ used to do part-time bar work there in the early 1990's... fond memories of locals, cricketers and country folks.. happy days [:D]
Reply ID 67853
Good luck to the Grandison - I used to work in Bramfield and dropped in many lunch times. Although I've only dropped in on the odd occassion I would also like to congratulate the locals in keeping the community centre open and maintaining their fight to get back the pub. I hope their efforts are rewarded and the new owners work with the locals and make the pub an asset to the community.
Reply ID 67856
[url]http://www.thegrandisonbramfield.co.uk/grandison.html[/url]
Reply ID 67860
Maybe the locals will have to slum it at Coltsfoot if they want a cheap night out then?
Reply ID 67944
quote:Seems somewhat expensive to be honest?
Originally posted by Leo Densian
[url]http://www.thegrandisonbramfield.co.uk/grandison.html[/url]
Reply ID 67949
quote:That's what I thought!
Originally posted by Deverauxquote:Seems somewhat expensive to be honest?
Originally posted by Leo Densian
[url]http://www.thegrandisonbramfield.co.uk/grandison.html[/url]
Reply ID 67954
Scampi in the basket it ain't
Reply ID 67979
I look forward to some reviews to see if it's worth it. I can't see many ramblers dropping in for a pint and a cheese and tomato sarnie (about £8). The drink prices aren't too bad but would the muddy boots be permitted?
Reply ID 67981
Cant see a mention of sunday roasts....
Reply ID 68005
I think this is owned by the same people that own the Vine in Ware and Brookmans in Brookmans Park so they should know where they are pitching themselves price wise. Might be worth a visit as Brookmans is always good for a meal
Reply ID 68014
quote:Good! it's becoming almost impossible to go out on a Sunday for lunch unless it's a "Sunday Roast with all the trimmings" deal, The best Sunday roast is always at home, why go out for the same thing?? MoJo
Originally posted by Sister
Cant see a mention of sunday roasts....
Reply ID 68024
nice to have the option!
Reply ID 68032
quote:That really is my point, on Sundays there is no option other than "roast and two veg"
Originally posted by Sister
nice to have the option!
Reply ID 68036
quote:In the Mill Stream yesterday the Sunday Roast was just one of the options along side all the other usuals on the menu.
Originally posted by MoJoquote:That really is my point, on Sundays there is no option other than "roast and two veg"
Originally posted by Sister
nice to have the option!
Reply ID 68052
quote:Think Sisters point is it's nice to have the option of either going out or cooking it at home.
Originally posted by MoJoquote:That really is my point, on Sundays there is no option other than "roast and two veg"
Originally posted by Sister
nice to have the option!
Reply ID 68074
quote:It is actually the people who have the Fox and Hounds at Barley. http://www.foxandhoundsbarley.co.uk/
Originally posted by jjr
I think this is owned by the same people that own the Vine in Ware and Brookmans in Brookmans Park so they should know where they are pitching themselves price wise. Might be worth a visit as Brookmans is always good for a meal
Reply ID 68164
I went to The Grandison with three friends on Monday evening. We all had a lovely time, liked the decor & thought the atmosphere was nice. Considering it was the first night for some of the staff, we thought they did well. Our meals came in good time & were delicious, portion size was just right, good quality & cooked well. At around £33 per head, for a three course dinner & glass of wine I would say that it was good value for money for what it was. I will be recommending The Grandison & would go back, despite it not being "on my doorstep". It will be interesting to see what other people think about it..... -P-
Reply ID 68227
Does anyone know who the property developer was who wanted to turn it into houses. PS.. Many good memories from years ago too.
Reply ID 68357
We walked from Hertford to Bramfield on Wednesday, got to the Grandison just after the ribbon was cut. The real ale was in good nick and the lunchtime food was good, not outstanding, pretty much what you'd expect for the price round here. Hot steak sandwich, chips and a pint, just over a tenner. Anyone who remembers the old place will be impressed by the refurb. I'd say it's worth a visit if you fancy a nice village pub that's easy to get to, but don't expect to be blown away by innovation or exceptional value for money. http://www.thegrandisonbramfield.co.uk/grandison.html
Reply ID 68367
A group of us ladies went for a champagne breakfast to celebrate a birthday on Friday. It was fabulous. Fresh food, beautifully prepared and in lovely surroundings. Great staff and a really good latte too. A great addition to the local restaurant scene and the breakfast was far superior to the Hertford House Hotel offering [:)]
Reply ID 68440
Stopped in the Grandison for a pint on Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately did not have time to eat, but the food looked pretty good from what I could see on some customers plates. All tables were taken, so its clearly popular from the off. Nicely decorated but the feel of it is more restaurant than traditional village pub.
Reply ID 68446
DQ will need some fortification after a marathon week of doing "Anything Goes" in the castle hall. I think I will check this out.. I can still pull a good pint if they let me!!!
Reply ID 68803
Well thanks to everyone that has posted reviews - living close by, we decided to try this place out this evening and very pleased we did. Having talked to the owners they are the same people that run the Fox and Hounds in Barley (off the A10 between Buntingford and Royston). I wouldn't go so far as to say this is the new Hillside, but it as as near as I have found since the Hillside closed. They have only been open a couple of weeks, so still building up the business and have further plans to expand the building with the addition of a conservatory next year and also the opening of a Deli next door in November. So - cheap local boozer - this is not - you can tell that from the menus showing on their internet site anyway. But good food and good service it is. We booked a table in the fine dining area, but when that fills up, tables are available in the main bar - I believe the menu is the same for all, except our area was quieter. It was certainly busy this evening, and if we hadn't booked, then we would have been in for a long wait as the place was full. The food was excellent - imaginative without being overly fancy, and great to get our main courses served on hot plates - a failing of far too many restaurants. The portions were decent and whilst we had a desert each ( scoff, scoff) I noticed the couple next to us had one to share as they were too full. The only complaint I had was that there was no custard with the crumble (just ice cream or cream) even though it was advertised on the menu - I don't do crumble without custard!! (so went for the chocolate tart instead - yummy). With pre dinner drinks, 3 course meal and a bottle of wine, it came to £80. OK so this is not Pizza Express prices, but we paid near to this for similar at the Hillside and pay not far off at Tewinbury, so I would rate this as fair for the type of food on offer here. Certainly we will be back and great to see another good restaurant opening locally - good luck to them.
Reply ID 68804
Re my above posting, if not clear, there were 2 of us - so that made £40 a head.
Reply ID 68881
We had breakfast/brunch there last week, very good, my wife who is one of the fussiest b, um who has excellent taste in all things , declared her scrambled eggs and smoked salmon as 'perfect' .Service was warm and friendly. I'm going back to try their lunch menu soon. Highly recommended!
Reply ID 69079
We went here for lunch today. Food was good, reasonably priced, with many items seemingly being 'homemade' as opposed to the usual Brake Bros tripe. Service was friendly and well-meaning, but quite inefficient (eg, a side order was not brought with our food - we had to remind them twice before it was eventually delivered to our table and still appeared on the bill). Overall a positive experience - will definitely go again.
Reply ID 69385
Went for lunch on Sunday, arriving un-booked at about 2-30. Got a table no problem, and keen to try the menu as I feel that there is a distinct lack of character pubs serving good food locally. I have tried as far out as wheathamstead and up to Datchworth - but to be honest,have been disappointed and struggling in Hertfordshire. I digress. Anyway, I found the interior bland and practically sterile. The service was fine, if anything, they were trying a little too hard. The food was mediocre, sadly; I opted for the roast which presented with under-cooked potatoes, lovely vegetables but all swimming in a strange tomato-based gravy (?). The set-up with tables up to the bar left the room seemingly undecided as to whether it was a bar or a restaurant, with an unconvincing mix of both. Not bad value for money, but lacking in character and atmosphere. Odd situation at the end when a waitress came into the dining room with a bucket of ? vinegar ? dirty dish water full of cutlery and proceeded to wipe each piece of cutlery with a cloth and place in the cutlery rack. Seemed that the room at that point became part of the kitchen as well. Probably wont bother to go back, and left wondering where next? Have been looking at reviews here for a year or so now, and finally bothered to sign up.
Reply ID 69387
SLK - Try the Tally Ho in Barkway!
Reply ID 69389
Went here for brunch on Sunday. I had mushrooms on brioche toast with hollandaise, and husband had eggs benedict, both were very good. Bill for two, including the food described above, 2 fruit juices and coffee/tea was £22. Didn't feel unreasonable value, and will definitley go back. Have to say I enjoyed the brunch more than the lunch we had the previous week.
Reply ID 69391
SLK - have you tried the Rose and Crown in Tewin? Locally sourced food, good prices, and great service.
Reply ID 69395
Went here for brunch too on Sunday and we both had the traditional breakfast. It was very good as was the friendly service.
Reply ID 69536
Mr. Jc and I and some friends had a most enjoyable meal in the Grandison last night. Food was well cooked and presented, and tasted delicious! However, one slight criticism was that we were rather disappointed our starter was not accompanied by the option of either a roll or a slice of bread. (to mop up the juices! mmmmm!) When bread( or similar) was requested as we received our starters (scallops) we waited – and waited and it did not appear despite several reminders to the waiter. So, when after consuming the scallops he finally returned and asked if we still wanted our bread – and apologized for a *glitch* in the kitchen for the reason it did not appear….we told him not to bother! In the meantime, we had noticed on another table nearby, the couple eating their starter was offered bread – and it appeared almost instantly! The mystery of the bread remains! [img]http://www.langkawi.dk/smileys/r49.gif[/img] In summary, the meal was very nice, but would like the waiters (or ours) to be a little more accommodating or at least be on the ball) and we have no hesitation about returning . It was fully booked and most of the customers looked happy and the atmosphere had a nice ambience. The restaurant décor itself was however , in our opinion elegant, if a little bland (although minimalism is the trend) – and thought (again in our opinion) that the walls could have been slightly enhanced by a picture/print or two. Overall view 8/10 [img]http://www.langkawi.dk/smileys/r49.gif[/img]
Reply ID 69795
Had lunch here today, best dining pub within 3 miles of Hertford by far i think. Food, service, atmosphere were excellent. Will try for dinner soon.
Reply ID 71607
I went to the Grandison for the third time this week in as many months and now feel able to comment on the standard of food, beer and service and whether there is any consistency. Each time I have visited it has been to catch up with old friends and former work colleagues so I used their thoughts too (as well as their cars so I could sample the ales). 4: Food quality 4: Service 2: Atmosphere 3: Facilities 4: Value for Money Special mention should go to the steaks (evening menu), which are absolutely divine - real melt in the mouth and full of flavour. No smothering sauces required because the taste of the meat is there. I wish they were on the lunchtime menu too. In addition, their soups are filling, flavoursome and fresh, and their chips and poor-mans potatoes look and taste fabulous - definitely home-made and not frozen. I have found the quality and the freshness of the beers top notch too. Having an early beer on a Tuesday lunch-time could have been troublesome if the first pint had been left sitting in the pipes overnight. I shouldn't have worried and enjoyed a nice pint of Side-Pocket this week. The service on each occasion has been attentive, though discreet and at an appropriate level and timing. The atmosphere, sadly, is not of a country pub. Well, what did I expect when it has been refurbished and everything is new, though the atmosphere is more restaurant than pub so I don't think it will be on the list for a session. The facilities are adequate - sufficient parking, plenty of tables with sufficient space to not have to listen to your neighbouring diners conversation, a beer garden (nicely kept too) for the warmer months and clean, modern toilets. Value for money - well, £65 for a 2-course lunch for 4 this week including a round of drinks and we all came away with a favourable opinion. Overall, a consistent and pleasant experience without being pretentious to anything other than a good, country dining-pub.
Reply ID 71613
[IMG]http://www.millan.net/minimations/smileys/chef.gif[/IMG] Four of us had lunch there today. Our second visit. Very nice meal, nicely cooked and presented... very attentive waiter, lovely wine - just the right temperature! I have to agree with Woody - the atmosphere is not Pub-like and more restaurant and it was not overly busy - but it was ok, and a good time was had by us. I have to also agree, those poor-mans potatoes are scrummy! We will return again.. *J*
Reply ID 78867
If you are thinking of a trip out to Bramfield this week, please note that there is a sign advising that the Grandison is closed for 7 days for a refurbishment. It re-opens on 17 January 2011. I hope that they are having a re-think on the polished steel fittings at the bar - it always reminds me of an AllBarOne style as opposed to a country pub.
Reply ID 78876
Very soon for a refurb, is it not??
Reply ID 78877
quote:I was thinking the same. Isn't it about 18 months old?
Originally posted by villager
Very soon for a refurb, is it not??
Reply ID 78883
the cowper arms did exactly that - but after about 6 months after the initial refit - initially they went all restauranty - but people complained, so the 2nd refit restored a more normal bar area at the front of the pub. It seems that the benefit of getting it perfect far outweighs the additional cost and time wasted.
Reply ID 78889
quote:And I would say the Cowper Arms got it right after the refit.
Originally posted by codek2
the cowper arms did exactly that - but after about 6 months after the initial refit - initially they went all restauranty - but people complained, so the 2nd refit restored a more normal bar area at the front of the pub. It seems that the benefit of getting it perfect far outweighs the additional cost and time wasted.
Reply ID 78892
yup, absolutely!
Reply ID 89244
Has anyone been here recently? More recent reviews on other sites suggest it might have gone downhill a bit and I was thinking of booking for next week
Reply ID 89246
Was in last Saturday lunchtime, but only for a drink. There were quite a few others there eating so it is attracting customers but can't comment on the food specifically
Reply ID 89248
quote:Which sites pls ?
Originally posted by newgirl
Has anyone been here recently? More recent reviews on other sites suggest it might have gone downhill a bit and I was thinking of booking for next week
Reply ID 89253
http://www.qype.co.uk/place/1026082-The-Grandison-Hertford The alleged spitting on a teatowel is a bit alarming. This is more recent but doesn't mention the food! http://www.qype.co.uk/place/1026082-The-Grandison-Hertford
Reply ID 89300
We took the plunge and ate in there last night. I have to say we enjoyed the food, the service and the atmosphere and would probably go back sometime [^]
Reply ID 89628
Went here Friday night for dinner. Have to say I find the decor a little cold but the food was excellent. It was certainly one of the best meals I've had locally for a long time. Some of the town centre restaurants could take a lesson.
Reply ID 90683
We went back there for an evening meal on Friday a couple of weeks ago - place was really buzzing and the food excellent. Not the cheapest menu, but we really enjoyed the food with excellent service from the friendly staff. I notice they do a very reasonably priced brunch menu too.
Reply ID 90692
We went for Sunday lunch recently. We really liked the interior and the waiting staff and bar staff were all lovely. I like to try out different places in the quest to find a really good Sunday roast. I have to say that everyone else's meals [fish and chips, a chicken in sauce dish] were all very good but the roast dinner was very average. A few roast potatos that could have been frozen? but did not taste of anything, very few vegetables on the plate and a small portion of beef. It was a shame as it could be so good and it is not a difficult meal to cook. It was very busy in there with a nice buzz and I will go back but I would not order a Sunday roast again. The quest for a great Sunday lunch locally continues...
Reply ID 90693
ive given up on finding a good sunday roast in a pub - i think it's just not possible to do in that environment, done at home it'll always be better!
Reply ID 90702
quote:At the risk of an immediate red card from admin (as this is not a Hertford recommendation) - I have had an excellent Sunday Lunch at the Waggoners in Ayot Green.
Originally posted by codek2
ive given up on finding a good sunday roast in a pub - i think it's just not possible to do in that environment, done at home it'll always be better!
Reply ID 90707
I've never had a problem with the Sunday Roast at the Millstream and I am more than happy to return.
Reply ID 90708
The Millstream also still has a fantastic local pub atmosphere , which always adds to a Sunday lunch , whereas The Grandison just feels like a restaurant .
Reply ID 90712
quote:To be fair so does the Waggoners.
Originally posted by Donostia
The Millstream also still has a fantastic local pub atmosphere , which always adds to a Sunday lunch , whereas The Grandison just feels like a restaurant .
Reply ID 90720
So does the Waggoners what? Do you mean that it has a fantastic local pub atmosphere or that it just feels like a restaurant?
Reply ID 90723
quote:Option 2 - (but I think they serve the same fayre in the bar (or outside when clement)).
Originally posted by Ewoowar
So does the Waggoners what? Do you mean that it has a fantastic local pub atmosphere or that it just feels like a restaurant?
Reply ID 92771
we went last Friday. Nice location and interior as has been said before, and it was very very busy, yet the staff did a really good job. Good to see wherry on tap too. However; The food didn't quite do it for me. They seem to be really pitching it high, with all the "foam" and "emulsions" and all that rubbish, however the food didn't live up to those high offerings. The steak was nice but not the best I've ever had, and the pear pavlova desert wasn't really that nice at all. The ice cream on my wifes desert was watery and had no taste at all! We probably would give them the benefit of the doubt and return at some point, but given we only get to go out once in a blue moon it wont be any time soon! Dan
![http://www.langkawi.dk/smileys/r49.gif[/img]](http://www.langkawi.dk/smileys/r49.gif[/img]){kind=link}
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