Suckered in - A most expensive ham sandwich!

We recently made a vlog at Downderry, near Looe. We knew it was going to take us a long time to film because we had 10 stories to tell and a 2.5 mile walk on the SWCP to Portwrinkle to complete. Our plan was to arrive in Portwrinkle, abandon the car, and catch the 10:11 am bus to Downderry. Once arriving we planned to film most of our stories and then have lunch in the local pub.

We are all aware of the decline in the number of pubs, with higher costs causing closures and we like to ‘do our bit’ to support our locals. We had explored Facebook and Instagram, and found the Inn on the Shore in Downderry. The photos on their social media showed mouth-watering delights, colourful plates that were a feast for the eyes and we were suckered in! Being ‘suckered in’ by beautiful photos is not always a bad thing; indeed it can help us find previously undiscovered gems to pop in the back pocket for future visits. So we decided that the Inn on the Shore would be our preferred lun

ch destination.

We looked at the menu and it read like something written for Dawn French to read over a M&S advert. Andrew chose ‘beer-battered fish and chips, minted mushy peas, homemade tartare, curry sauce, lunch size’ and I chose ‘pulled ham hock, hot honey, green apple, egg mayo in a sourdough bun’. Not being partial to eggs, I asked for gluten free bread, minus the egg mayo. Both meals were £12.50.

Not sure if you happen to have a similar weakness, but I like to see what other people have ordered as it arrives on their tables, gauging whether I have made the correct choice. However, we were early and, being the first to arrive, I could not indulge my weakness! Our food took ages! Half and hour passed and a table near us was served, even though they came in about 15 minutes after us. However, the food looked good and there was plenty of it! Other orders were being taken, and ours still had not arrived! Apologies from the staff were bountiful, but the noises from our stomachs were beginning to rival a volcano! After nearly an hour, the long-awaited food arrived but gosh! The portion sizes were woefully different! 

Andrew’s fish and chips were a sight to behold! The crispy batter looked tempting and the various pots to accompany his dish looked like alchemy! Unfortunately, my meal was less than mouth-watering! Being a seasoned coeliac, I know that the gluten free bread substitutions can look meagre when compared with wheat-based offerings, but my meal was so disappointing! The bread roll was small, no butter or spread, no hot honey either! On the plus side there was plenty of watercress and ham with five, small sticks of Granny Smith apple beneath! But that was basically it - a ham sandwich! Staggeringly, I was paying the same price as Andrew for his plate of delights! 

We then had a dilemma because the staff had seen our cameras - do we include the meal in the vlog? And what do I say about it? It was clear that I would have to say something to the waiter if we were to include it in the video. I asked for some butter, and queried the absence of hot honey and general imbalance in our meals. He delivered some butter and hot honey, saying that the ham was honey-glazed when cooked, rather than being served with hot honey. He apologised but said that portion control was managed off-site. As I paid £12.50 for my meagre ham sandwich, I had a strange feeling, then I realised it was hunger pangs! Is it because I am gluten free that I had a bad experience or am I expecting too much?

Our son’s girlfriend is vegetarian and her attitude is that if a venue provides a vegetarian option she is lucky. I try to adopt that attitude too - I think its a healthy point of view! However, my resolve was seriously challenged by this experience and I do not think I will be returning anytime soon.