Victoria Inn Brewhouse B B

We ate here twice shortly before Christmas and got a VERY warm welcome both times. The atmosphere was nice, though I wish it had been busier for them at this time of year. The website is excellent, but better signs on the main road might help people find it. The curry on our first visit was very yummy, and the fish and chips were extremely good. We’ll definitely be back.

The barman told me they’d had lots of complaints about the curry, which probably explains it. Mine was disgusting, sweet and like baby food. It came out cold after 45 minutes, so we sent it back. Three minutes later it returned with overcooked vegetables. We ordered rice but got chips instead. At the till there was no discount, and when I complained, the barman said it wasn’t down to him. £41.25 for two curries and an orange juice. That’s no way to do business, especially with 13 of us. We won’t be back.

The meals were fantastic on both nights: Steak & Ale Pie and Madras Curry, followed by wonderful sticky toffee pudding. Mom and I were visiting Wales and spent two nights at Roch Castle, eating dinner at the Victoria Inn pub each night. Kieren at the bar was friendly and gave us generous tastes of different ales. Island Hopper was my favourite. We also had lovely interactions with Kieren, Ollie on his first day working there, owner Kate, and local transplants from Surrey, who gave us useful tips on places to visit and where to park without paying. Friendly staff, friendly locals and exceptional food. I wish this could be our regular haunt. Hope to come back one day. Thank you, Kate!

The front-of-house staff were lovely, polite and attentive. We hoped the food would match the pub menu’s fairly high prices, but it didn’t, even though it wasn’t horrific. My son and I both ordered the Gammon, nearly £20 for a piece. It was tough and overcooked, the chips were bought in, and the pineapple still had its skin and central core, which made it awkward to cut and seemed lazy from the kitchen. My partner’s Tandoori chicken burger was cooked so much that we struggled to cut it even with steak knives. My oldest said his Balti tasted great, but had been cooked back too much and had lost all its sauce. I’m happy to pay good money for food that merits the price, but this wasn’t close to the quality I’d expect for that cost.