Hawke The Public House - Wickford

When we placed our orders for the first course and main, we were informed they were out of cauliflower cheese, parsnips, and bread sauce, and this was communicated to us in a rather surly manner. We ordered carrot and coriander soup, followed by roast chicken and roast pork for our mains. The soup lacked texture and density, almost resembling a consommé. We sent the soups back, and the waitress, upon inspecting them, agreed with us and arranged for them to be removed from our bill. When our main courses arrived, we were disappointed to find that all but two of the pigs in blankets were undercooked and inedible. Service was quite inconsistent; when we requested a bottle of water, we had to ask again for glasses, and there was a delay in getting another bottle of wine. On a positive note, one waitress recognized that things were not up to par and was very apologetic throughout the ordeal. When we received our bill, we noticed that we had been charged for three soups instead of two. Upon questioning this, we discovered that we had initially been charged for nine soups. After the waitress returned with a revised bill, we were still charged for the soups, but this was eventually resolved, and we left feeling relieved that the experience was over. As for dessert, we ended up enjoying a couple of chocolate bars we picked up from the local Spar, which were quite nice. In my opinion, unless you hear that this establishment has improved its service, it's best to avoid it.