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Miller & Carter

So for Mother's Day Eve myself, my brother, my sister in law and my parents went to our birth town of Harlow in Essex to meet out Nans and cousin for a lovely lunch. Having some family time and treating them to a slap up meal. Of course, eating out with so many people who have different needs, diets, preferences and dislikes is a mountain to climb in just finding somewhere. A popular restaurant that my family love is Miller & Carter, which by definition is a Steakhouse. With myself being Vegan plus my brother and sister-in-law being Vegetarian this was not ideal but we gave it a chance. After all, finding a table for 8 at lunchtime on the day before Mother's Day would be a challenge.

I will give credit where it is due in the fact that I could eat there and so could the Vegetarians, just not somewhere I would have chosen. Here is my full review for those who are in similar situation!

 

Staff:

The server we had was brilliantly friendly, he interacted so well with a table of 8 people where 7 of us didn't just order the exact food. We all adapted the meal to make it right for us. He joked along with us, ensuring everything was correct at the same time and making us all feel at ease.

There was a slight hiccup when the food came out, though this was quickly rectified as it had been plated incorrectly in the Kitchen. Not an order error and nothing that would cause concern. (Just a very much smaller salad than expected!)

The only issue we had came at the end when we ordered desserts and coffees, then wanted to pay. It took about half an hour to get the coffees (after my cousin had already eaten his dessert) and then after that a long time to find somebody to take payment. Our server had finished his shift I believe but there didn't seem to be a handover so we were left waiting and trying to flag down a member of staff. At one point my Dad even did a little dance as a joke, without reaction, I don't blame them for not coming over if they did see him!

7/10

Food:

For me, there was only one thing on the menu that I could eat. Not too much of a problem, as this happens quite a lot and I'm happy to see that there was a full meal I could eat! They even had a Gluten Free menu which I will get onto later...

I ordered the Roasted Roots and Avocado Salad with a side of a plain Jacket Potato. (I figured everyone would be full so I didn't want to get hungry too early again!). The Salad was a decent size and looked very appetising with fresh ingredients and a light tropical dressing. It contained Roasted Root Vegetables, Avocado, chargrilled Broccoli, Grapes and baby leaves with a Pineapple, Lemongrass & Ginger dressing.

I found it very bizarre that they put Grapes into the salad. I was raised by a Dad who whenever you brought up Pineapple on Pizza or with Gammon, he'd shudder and say it was wrong. So for me, Grapes in a Salad was a bit too odd and I actually don't like Grapes very much anyway.

What I can say about the rest of the food is that it was a brilliant combination, the baby leaves were even tasty with the contrast of the sweet crunch of the Root Vegetables and the creamy texture of the Avocado. I love Broccoli so the topping of Tenderstem Broccoli suited me down the ground. I could easily have eaten just this dish, though to fill myself up a bit more I enjoyed the Jacket Potato. The Potato was plain exactly as I asked, yet still cooked to perfection and a great addition to what was on its own a standout salad.

Sadly, I can't comment on the tastiness of the other food on the menu as I couldn't eat any of it and none of the family ordered it. Though if I were to go by my dish, I would expect to not be disappointed.

8/10

Allergies/Intolerances:

Miller & Carter like so many places now have a Gluten Free Menu. It isn't an extensive one and in that there is just the one Vegan option. However for those of you with just the Gluten Intolerance this restaurant offers a good selection, albeit they pair the meat with an Iceberg Lettuce wedge instead of Fries. I'm sure that is something that can be surpassed with a smile and a polite request for baby potatoes instead!

Saying that, the Fries actually don't contain Gluten on their Allergen Menu, I assume that they cook something containing it in the same equipment. Good to see they are recognising the importance of being careful.

As for Vegan eating, it is very limited as you would expect from a place specialising in Meat. However, for those with just a Milk Intolerance or Egg, you would be doing well here. You can make a lot of adaptations and the allergens are clear to see in their menu online.

9/10

 

Miller & Carter are doing a good job at recognising the needs for clear and precise menus to view online. They are so adaptable and for those like me going to this restaurant to make life easy for the family, there will be something for you.

This is something I believe all restaurants should follow, as although there is just one option, it was tasty and I enjoyed it. Something that can't be said for all restaurants trying to tick a box!


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