It’s hard to know where to start this review, so long it may technically be more of a saga…

In brief, with 3 months notice, we booked a table in Rock Salt for 18 people. Deposit paid. As with all things modern, the group included allergies and dietary requirements – hardly a revelation for a restaurant.

So, emails and phone calls before the booking took place. Answers ranged from misspelt emails “it will be OK” to verbal confirmation to “just order when you’re here”. Eventually, upon constant checking to make sure some party members could eat, we were asked to pre order using the online form.

This was done, as requested, with some omissions as there was still no answer regarding some dishes and allergies.

Cut to the time of the booking, and it transpired exactly as anyone without any total lack of surprise would of imagined.

The two waiting staff seemed totally disinterested, not even taking drinks orders. Without restaurants ability to use a pen and paper, a guests confirmation self made list was used to order food. After the restaurant asked and checked the same questions for over 30 minutes, the chef emerged purely to roll his eyes at the waitress. “It’s not my fault” she said loudly into the air, as he sloped back off into the kitchen.

Now 90 minutes after entering the restaurant, bread, olives and drinks arrived, much to the relief of children who were now besides themselves with hunger. Yes, the order was slightly wrong and after asking for 30 minutes for another bread, none appeared.

A senior looking waiter ( purely due to perceived age ), who had been hanging around was careful to avoid all eye contact and disappeared upstairs.

At this point, the staff changed shift.

After overhearing them relay the order once again – by this time I’d stopped counting – the meal slowly began to come together. This was SOLELY down to one young waitress ( sadly, I didn’t ask her name – long wavy brown hair ) who had the ability to take charge of the situation and organise Rock Salt. Without her, Rock Salt was nothing more than a game of herding cats.

Meals then started to arrive. All but one came at the same time, and the delay for the last was only a few minutes. Of course, there was some hasty reordering “I’m sorry – the chicken delivery has failed to turn up today, so that’s off the menu now.” Yeah…

Food was great, a little on the expensive side, but good. From this point, the wheels were back on the bus – again, thanks to the ( shift change ) waitress alone. With everything calm, and the cash register printing the receipt, other members of staff started to reappear now the whole show was finished.

Yes, I left a tip on the condition it was solely for the waitress who saved the day. Although the chef certainly is a great cook, I suspect he started his shift two hours after we arrived. By my maths, three and a half hours for a pre ordered three course meal. Yes, it’s all cooked fresh to order, but that doesn’t excuse the 90 minute wait for bread…

In summary; good food, restaurant has close to zero organisation and the staff are ( aside from one waitress ) happy just to stare into space with the look dogs who has been shown a card trick. Would recommend the food, shame about everything else.

Great food and service from young waiting on staff. Would recommend that if you serve seafood like lobster that the correct accoutrements are available too though. ie. Picks for getting the best out of your lobster. Great meal though....