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Lots more in our Food News Archive.

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Taste - New Wine Bar, Tunbridge Wells

Five Reasons Wine are proud to announce a new wine bar across from Tunbridge Wells Station entitled "Taste". Choose from a remarkable range of quality wines and pay a simple £5 corkage per bottle. Listen to why Taste is "the" current happening place to go in The Wells .

The Black Pig, 18 Grove Hill Rd Tunbridge Wells Kent TN1 1RZ

Address:
18 Grove Hill Rd Tunbridge Wells Kent TN1 1RZ

Review:

The Kentish Yeoman / Orson Welles has re-opened (just yesterday, in fact) - and although I can't speak for the quality of the food (but £28.50 for a T-Bone Steak and "Pommes Allumettes", anyone?), I'm afraid it's going to have to be REJECTED force majeure, all down to the nonsensical prices and particularly the following little ditty taken from the foot of the menu:

"10% service charge will be added to all bills, Thank you"

I really love the "Thank you".

This vile practice has now finally, inexorably and with grinding inevitability, made its way to our fair burgh.

Dear Sweet Holy Lamb of God on a Moped, this place has got me riled. "Pommes Allumettes"??! Just call them French Fries, Matchstick Fries, String Fries, or even better - how about "Chips"? How stupid do the owners think the dining-outers of Tunbridge Wells really are? £28.50 (sorry - shouldn't that actually be £31.35?) for Steak & Chips?

And just what sort person do they think will shell out £140.00 (sorry, £154.00) for a bottle of Sassicaia? ESPECIALLY when they can't even be bothered to spell the name of the blimming stuff correctly on the Wine List: it's "Tenuta San Guido", people - not "Temta". Fair enough, it's fabulous wine - albeit fabulously over-priced at the best of times - but come on, chaps. In a pub?! And one last word on this subject, the 2003 ain't even remotely ready to drink. Needs about, oooh, another 10-15 years to come into its own - so whoever does actually buy a bottle of this is just posing, plain and simple.

I think I can safely speak for all residents of - as well as regular visitors to - the Village and Grove Hill area, that we had high hopes for a decent, proper, honest, pub to rise phoenix-like from the ashes of the Yeoman / Orson. This ain't it. Truffle Pig