Been to The Greyhound yet?

The place for serious discussion, announcements and breaking news about Sydenham
admin
Site Admin
Posts: 2575
Joined: 20 Sep 2004 21:49

Re: Been to The Greyhound yet?

Post by admin »

You are entirely correct, Parker1970!

admin
Pally
Posts: 1492
Joined: 2 Aug 2014 05:38
Location: Sydenham

Re: Been to The Greyhound yet?

Post by Pally »

Outside the Greyhound at the front ...tables are being well used in the sunshine. Nice to see!
JGD
Posts: 1234
Joined: 5 Feb 2018 11:39
Location: Perry Hill, SE6 (free-transferred to Perry Vale Ward, next to Bell Green; distinct from Sydenham).
Contact:

Re: Been to The Greyhound yet?

Post by JGD »

Whilst we have visited for a few beers over time, we had not tried the evening menu.

A mix-up and a lost reservation was efficiently managed by Donnata on a very busy evening and we took our table within ten minutes of the planned time. Donnata had taken care to offer us nibbles if we were to be delayed.

The menu offering was superb.

The dishes served to all three of us aced it - both starters and main - and across a range of crab, fish and steak.

Looking very mature and settled now and the food offerings are of very good quality and the service was excellent..
JMLF
Posts: 631
Joined: 12 Dec 2013 19:41
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Been to The Greyhound yet?

Post by JMLF »

Last time we were in (for some very tasty food) I was told the upstairs is hoping to be finished by mid October and is said to be for 2 private rooms that can be opened out into one for large dinner groups/ functions. I wonder if they might use upstairs more for regular dining when the rooms aren’t booked and expand the relatively small drinking area downstairs..

Just a thought!
topofthehill
Posts: 137
Joined: 16 Jun 2012 09:21
Location: london

Re: Been to The Greyhound yet?

Post by topofthehill »

That would prejudice disabled customers. I have to say that they are exceptionally considerate to the disabled.
mosy
Posts: 4111
Joined: 21 Sep 2007 20:28
Location: London

Re: Been to The Greyhound yet?

Post by mosy »

topofthehill wrote:That would prejudice disabled customers. I have to say that they are exceptionally considerate to the disabled.
You say as if it's a given: "That would prejudice disabled customers." Wouldn't it be an advantage if pressure were to be eased on the ground-level floor since there's no lift?
Ghlpc
Posts: 363
Joined: 2 Aug 2013 14:02

Re: Been to The Greyhound yet?

Post by Ghlpc »

topofthehill wrote:That would prejudice disabled customers. I have to say that they are exceptionally considerate to the disabled.
Is this a serious comment??
topofthehill
Posts: 137
Joined: 16 Jun 2012 09:21
Location: london

Re: Been to The Greyhound yet?

Post by topofthehill »

What part of the comment do you think is not serious and why?
topofthehill
Posts: 137
Joined: 16 Jun 2012 09:21
Location: london

Re: Been to The Greyhound yet?

Post by topofthehill »

Mosy, my understanding of the suggestion was that the upstairs rooms should be used for dining when not in use for functions, while the downstairs drinking area should be extended.(for people who only want to drink)
If my understanding is correct, and I may well be wrong, those disabled people who cannot do stairs would be precluded from dining at all.
JMLF
Posts: 631
Joined: 12 Dec 2013 19:41
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Been to The Greyhound yet?

Post by JMLF »

I wasn’t suggesting the entirety of downstairs become drinking only, just thought could be nice for the relatively small drinking/bar area to be extended to a degree if there is room upstairs being unutilised at various times. Equally they could advertise the upstairs as an extension of the bar/drinking area if not booked out too. Who knows how often it’ll be booked out etc but with the weather getting worse and less people wanting to sit outside it may be difficult to get a seat most nights (as consistently appears pretty busy :) ) if upstairs is solely for large bookings/functions.
topofthehill
Posts: 137
Joined: 16 Jun 2012 09:21
Location: london

Re: Been to The Greyhound yet?

Post by topofthehill »

Thank you for the clarification.
The Clown
Posts: 401
Joined: 8 Apr 2005 14:04
Location: Sydenham

Re: Been to The Greyhound yet?

Post by The Clown »

Really good meal again last night. Very fresh and tasty.
Service however was not so. Very friendly, but very unprofessional.
There really is little point in trying to upsell wines if you cannot pronounce them, and don’t actually know what they are.
Poor chap was obviously well meaning, but desperately out of his depth.
It was slightly awkward, and he was also slightly over-familiar.
Had brilliant service the other weekday lunch, so likely an issue staffing a busy Sat night shift.
witchesrave
Posts: 11
Joined: 17 Sep 2018 09:54
Location: London

Re: Been to The Greyhound yet?

Post by witchesrave »

The Clown wrote:Really good meal again last night. Very fresh and tasty.
Service however was not so. Very friendly, but very unprofessional.
There really is little point in trying to upsell wines if you cannot pronounce them, and don’t actually know what they are.
Poor chap was obviously well meaning, but desperately out of his depth.
It was slightly awkward, and he was also slightly over-familiar.
Had brilliant service the other weekday lunch, so likely an issue staffing a busy Sat night shift.
:roll: :roll: :roll:

What an excruciating post. I hope to the high heavens none of the staff read this forum. Yet again the Sydenhamites are out in full pretentious force lambasting the efforts of a local pub. I mean...'very unprofessional' for not being able to pronounce the bottle of merlot you wanted? Oh please. You make it sound as if he spat the wine on your face!
stuart
Posts: 3635
Joined: 21 Sep 2004 10:13
Location: Lawrie Park
Contact:

Re: Been to The Greyhound yet?

Post by stuart »

witchesrave wrote:Yet again the Sydenhamites are out in full pretentious force lambasting the efforts of a local pub. I mean...'very unprofessional' for not being able to pronounce the bottle of merlot you wanted? Oh please. You make it sound as if he spat the wine on your face!
First welcome to STF. Sorry it was a negative that made you make your first post.

Lambasting a fellow poster for lambasting The Greyhound is fair enough. But did they? I read it as a balanced review that had many positives, the food (which is the really important item) and the friendliness of the staff. It did criticise the training, or lack, of in putting those staff in a position where they were under-equipped to do the job of upselling French wine.

As the poster said it might have just been a particular issue with staff availability. I really think that such criticism, if honest, is very important. First that The Greyhound, if as I hope, read this in understanding a perceived problem and working out if they want to do something about it. A first rule of management is to treat a complaint is a gift. Only bad businesses ignore them.

We wince when we hear government politicians glossing over government failures. Honesty is good. I want to hear about where I go, what I eat and what I drink warts and all. Its the all too sugary reviews I get worried about.

Stuart
JRobinson
Posts: 1104
Joined: 5 Jan 2010 12:40
Location: De Frene Rd

Re: Been to The Greyhound yet?

Post by JRobinson »

I'm only guessing here, but the waiter in question probably didn't realise that he couldn't pronounce the wine name, and maybe didn't realise he was being overly familiar, and probably wasn't embarrased about it.
or that's how I read it from the information given in the post from TheClown. maybe I've got that wrong, maybe it was obvious to him and the Clown that he couldn't pronounce the wine, and maybe he was embarrased about it, and maybe his over familiarity was his way of coping with the stressful situation. maybe it was his first shift?
who knows? who really cares? the food was good, and it doesn't look like the bad experience is going to put you off going there again.
being overly familiar with customers you don't know is a normal and common sign of inexperience of service staff.
Sideofham
Posts: 50
Joined: 10 May 2017 05:50
Location: Kirkdale village
Contact:

Re: Been to The Greyhound yet?

Post by Sideofham »

Bit confused about the slightly over-familiar comment, are we talking "alwight mate how ya diddling" or are we talking '"Your wife, does she go, eh, does she go, eh?, bet she does, I bet she does, say no more, say no more, know whatahmean, nudge nudge?"
Post Reply