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The Pot Kiln, Frilsham, Yattendon, Berkshire RG18 0XX

The Pot Kiln, Frilsham, Yattendon, Berkshire RG18 0XX

Frilsham, Yattendon, Berkshire, RG18 0XX

01635 201366

The Pot Kiln already has a lot to live up to. It has been featured on UK Food in Heaven's Kitchen, and chef/proprietor Mike Robinson is a 'celebrity chef', though celebrity cook would probably be a fairer description. Unfortunately, it fails on too many levels.

It's location is simply beautiful, views stretching over some of Berkshire's most beautiful rural views, spotted with rare breeds. It is also next door to the West Berkshire brewery, an independent and traditional brewer with beers that really need to be sampled, and the Pot Kiln has two or three permanently on tap (including their own exclusive brew). The bar area is small, but then again, Mr. Robinson is probably trying to do as little trade as possible for drinkers in order to increase revenue through food sales. The last thing any diner wants is a background fracas. However, the Pot Kiln is a pub, and we should not forget that.

The restaurant in layed out to maximise covers but retain it's ideal of spacious restaurant style dining. However, the space is used poorly, meaning that if you lean back between courses you are met by the head of the diner behind you, and also constantly watched by those not eating because everyone does feel like they are on top of each other. Do not attempt to dine here for a romantic meal or to have a private discussion, for there is no intimacy or privacy.

The Pot Kiln prides itself on the quality and locality of it’s produce, stating that they try to source everything locally, but there are too many ingredients that are out of season, especially vegetables, and they need to embrace the seasonality of the fruit and vegetables in the same way they do their meats.

The real disappointing thing about the Pot Kiln is the meat selection. Mr. Robinson shoots all his own game, and the superb Vicars Game Supplier at Ashampstead make up the quantities and I presume, aids with the butchering process. This is why it is so confusing that there rarely seems to be anything but offal or the ‘cheap’cuts of meat. Don’t get me wrong, I love a well cooked pork belly, but not with three vegetables for seventeen pounds. There may well be a reason for this, but the meat tasted as though it had never met salt and pepper, and if you can’t season a piece of meat properly, then you really don’t deserve to cook it. Mother had guinea fowl with fondant potato and to quote “I got three bits of meat with some mashed potato.” And all this for almost sixteen pounds.

Desserts were all six pounds and the small cheese board ten pounds. The desserts were fine, if slightly over chilled, as served straight from the fridge.

In conclusion, don’t be fooled by their website’s ‘sample’ menu, as when you get there, it will be considerably downgraded with regard to the meat. Go for the beer and the views, but one hundred pounds for 3 courses and a bottle of wine between 2 is massively over-priced and just not woth it considering what else Berkshire has to offer (look at the Hind's Head in Bray for instance).

Remember Pot Kiln, you’re a pub, and to be honest, not a very good one.

Nik Pure


www.potkiln.co.uk
By Nik Pure at 04/09/2006 - 15:20 | 2006 | Berkshire | Rejected | Review | Traditional | Views | ££££/$$$$ | add new comment | 1638 reads

Pot Kiln Restaurant and Culinary Courses

Having been a fan of Mike Robinson's 'Heavens Kitchen' from the start I was obviously looking forward to tasting the food in the restaurant. I was ecstatic when I heard he was also planning to open a cooking school for those game food enthusiasts.

So off I went to one of his first cooking courses, which I have to say was fantastic as Mike obviously has a passion for imparting his knowledge about game onto others. The trip around Vickers was also incredibly interesting and I still travel there once a month to buy my meat (Although its a long trip - its worth it for the price and qualitiy)

My only critisms are the kitchen was too small and having to 'pair up' (I got stuck with a mad old housewife who obviously had no idea about cooking let alone game) with others meant you did not get as much hands on as I would have hoped considering the cost of the course. After this course I immediately booked my second course (a more advanced course) which was equally as good as the first, just without the mad old Berkshire housewife. I have now spent a small fortune on wares from the cooking school including purchases of books, Woll Pans, Knives, etc all on the advice of Mike Robinson!

However my biggest issue with the courses is Mike always promises the world to attendees in advice after you have attended the course ("always feel free to phone me or send an email over - I will always reply" were regular comments on both courses....), but in reallity you never get a reply from Mike or any of his staff. I have sent a number of emails asking for tips and advice, but not once had a reply.

PLEASE Mr Robinson... if you are going to offer something.... deliver on it. Broken Promises create bad advertising and therefore loss of custom.

With regards to the restaurant I have now had 3 meals there, all of which were for business lunches, travelling over 150 miles round trip each time. However each time the meals have been average (at best). Some of the food has been 'OK' but certainly not at the standard you would expect for the cost. However on each trip with have had issues with food being either cold, overcooked, over seasoned or just small portion sizes and not worth the money you end up paying. (I've now parted with over £1500 with the Pot Kiln including the cooking courses) Each time I have said 'One more chance' but no more.

I now use a great little pub down the road from the Pot Kiln (5 minutes from Vickers Game & Casey Fields Farm Shop), over half the price, better beer, better service and great local venison.

I obviously won't be trying the Pot Kiln again, if I want to go to a Pub and have 'Pub Grub' I will do just that...go to a pub that is reasonably priced. I certainly won't be paying £50/head for a 3 course lunch at the Pot Kiln Pub again. If I want to spend £50/head on lunch I will head off to a decent restaurant / gastro pub where I know I will get £50 worth of food, drink, service and a great experience.

Sadly the Pot Kiln does not fit into either the category of either a pub, gastro pub or a restaurant.

By PJ2000 at Fri, 11/04/2008 - 18:56 | reply

Pot Kiln Cookery School

I attended the Pot Kiln Cookery School on Saturday 12th April for the Advanced Game course and was greatly impressed by what I found. I have just found a review on this website that I feel does not do justice to the standard of course that was provided by Mike Robinson and his staff. As a result I would like to tell you about the fantastic day that I and my fellow attendees had there. Firstly the set up is fantastic, the kitchens are well equiped with everything that you could want including some exceptional knives. One tends to find at other cookery schools some pretty shoddy equipment but not here at the Pit Kiln! I was pleasantly suprised at how open and airy the kitchen was. It was well lit and ventilated with a good array of ovens and hobs. There is also a seperate dining room and sofa area where you get to take breaks and discuss the progression of dishes and most importantly get to taste the fantastic creations! The way the day was structured insured that you got the most out of the course including some great new techniques and insludes recipes that are on the Pot Kiln menu. It is nice to get to observe and participate in getting dishes up to resteraunt level. All of us on the course were competent cooks however even if you were not a foody or seriously interested in cooking game these courses (having looked at the others on offer, I realise they cover a myriad of techniques and cater for all levels )are a fantastic insight into Game and wild food cookery that inspires you to take it further. Mike Robinson himself is one of the best reasons to go on one of the Pot Kiln courses. His enthusaism for cooking is infectious and he is truely intent on showing you exactly how to get the best out of local food. A refreshing change! He shows you the basics as well as advanced techniques, takes a dish apart and shows you how to replicate it as well as showing you how to make seasonal changes or how to end up with a totally different dish. His knowledge of Game and foraged food is second to none. He is keen to further your knowledge and suggests that if you need any help to contact him or his fantastic assistant Cat with any queries. The day was both relaxing and stimulating, the course was imaginatively planned and the kitchen set up conducive to enjoying cooking. So would I go again, definitely. Would I recommend others to go, absolutely! Whether you are a novice or an acomplished cook looking for something different to test your skill sets this is the place to do it. With Mike at the helm and backed up by his wonderful crew in a superb location what better way to spend a day immersed in food. Their enthusiasm for cooking is infectious, how anyone could not enthuse about this place is beyond me. All I can say is book a course and see for yourselves. I for one will definitely be returning! studiocook

By m at Thu, 17/04/2008 - 15:17 | reply

in defence

I've read this review once too many times and feel I really need to clarify one of your comments in particular. Your opinion that we do as little as possible to attract drinkers is frankly ridiculous. You obviously haven't been here at the weekend when the small bar area and large garden is full of people enjoying the excellent real ales and the substantial choice of bar food. In fact we get many comments from diners on how nice it is to see the public bar used by the locals and what a lovely atmosphere it provides with the chatter from the bar. We could have made the bar into dining only but unlike many other places I know, we never considered this as we recongnise the need for somewhere for people to be able to come and have a drink without having to eat. We would certainly make more money by turning the bar into dining as there is far more money to be made from diners than drinkers but we will never succumb to this. The Pot Kiln is still very much a pub but also now a renowned restaurant as well, this being an economic necessity and the only way way to keep these old pubs open in the current climate.

By potkiln at Mon, 17/03/2008 - 21:00 | reply

Pot Kiln, Berkshire

I visited this last night with a small party. The serice was assiduous if intermittent. Our waiter answered all requests with the remark 'No problem'. When we decided to eschew the hors d'oeuvres a waitresss immediately circled the table and noisily removed the unwanted cutlery.

I ordered 'garlic free-range chicken' from a menu rich in game but totally devoid of beef. While waiting our ladies had quite a nice white wine, while we sampled to local beer: very hoppy and quite weak. It was as well it was strongly flavoured because when two quite large pieces of white substance were put on my plate they proved to be completely without flavour. If these were produced by 'The Television Chef' his taste buds were not just turned to minimum. They were disconnected. And my green beans were so rubbery that they defied all attempts to divide them using the cutlery supplied. Quite good coffee was served in pottery tea-cups, with my brandy in a tumbler.

Our meal cost about £28 per head, including drinks and 10% service charge. We escaped the hors d'oeuvres and desserts. Truly a night to remember. CW

By m at Thu, 26/04/2007 - 14:47 | reply