The Dolphin has been reviewed on the Timeout website.
In summary, it's a mixed review of the Dolphin with a few not so nice comments about our high street.
http://www.timeout.com/london/restauran ... 10701.html
Dolphin review in Timeout
I'd have to agree with the review, it's a GREAT pub to be in and drink, the back garden is a great asset to Sydenham, but the food is too fancy for its own good...just good quality food is enough rather than the usual pies in a put with exploding pastry lids that normally get bought en-mass frozen and heated in the oven you get in Whetherspoons.
I hope it learns to keep things simple and offer a wider selection rather than the confusing 'is it a main course or isnt it' menu they currently have.
It's not a michelin star restuarant!
I long for a great family orientated pub that does that simple food and I can't find them anymore..home cooked 'mum food'. Perhaps I am the only one!
I hope it learns to keep things simple and offer a wider selection rather than the confusing 'is it a main course or isnt it' menu they currently have.
It's not a michelin star restuarant!
I long for a great family orientated pub that does that simple food and I can't find them anymore..home cooked 'mum food'. Perhaps I am the only one!
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christian952
- Posts: 12
- Joined: 21 Sep 2007 14:34
- Location: sydenham
Dolphin, Sydenham
Ok, so the Dolphin Sydenham has received a mixed review - You will always find that certain food critics will do this (depending on their mood on the day). I have run restaurants myself and am currently an "area" chef for a number of bars.
However, I would like to add , that what Michael and Violetta Richards have done to this once run down, dodgy bar is a welcome addition to this area. I know for a fact that this experienced and professional couple have run and sold successful restaurant concepts throughout London over the years.
It can sometimes be an embarrasment walking through Sydenham and seeing the many "dodgy" and unwelcoming bars that exist in the area. I can only honour and show respect to a couple that have had the balls and guts to be the fore-runners in placing the first "decent" bar in the area. Not only are they clever in doing this, but hopefully they are setting an example to other badly run bars in the area.
Ok, so the food may be not of everybodys taste- It may be criticised for being "too pretentious" - But this is a marketing angle- They are great business people, trying to attract the many affleunt people of the area that pine for somewhere decent to eat apart from greasy run down kebab shops and crap pubs offering inconsistent, cheap nasty food.
It can't be that bad, because it seems busy, and in my view will get busier as time goes on.
If you were in the area 10-15 years ago, you will remember what Clapham High Street once used to be - The same as Sydenham- Full of crap greasy spoons, £1 shops and rubbish clothes shops...look at it now, it is full of chain bars and quality restaurants. Somebody in Clapham once set the ball rolling... Think about it...
I can only respect this couple for setting a great example for an otherwise unwelcoming high street...Best of British luck to them!
However, I would like to add , that what Michael and Violetta Richards have done to this once run down, dodgy bar is a welcome addition to this area. I know for a fact that this experienced and professional couple have run and sold successful restaurant concepts throughout London over the years.
It can sometimes be an embarrasment walking through Sydenham and seeing the many "dodgy" and unwelcoming bars that exist in the area. I can only honour and show respect to a couple that have had the balls and guts to be the fore-runners in placing the first "decent" bar in the area. Not only are they clever in doing this, but hopefully they are setting an example to other badly run bars in the area.
Ok, so the food may be not of everybodys taste- It may be criticised for being "too pretentious" - But this is a marketing angle- They are great business people, trying to attract the many affleunt people of the area that pine for somewhere decent to eat apart from greasy run down kebab shops and crap pubs offering inconsistent, cheap nasty food.
It can't be that bad, because it seems busy, and in my view will get busier as time goes on.
If you were in the area 10-15 years ago, you will remember what Clapham High Street once used to be - The same as Sydenham- Full of crap greasy spoons, £1 shops and rubbish clothes shops...look at it now, it is full of chain bars and quality restaurants. Somebody in Clapham once set the ball rolling... Think about it...
I can only respect this couple for setting a great example for an otherwise unwelcoming high street...Best of British luck to them!
Good post, and I agree with you.
But they should also listen to the customers to find out what they think. and vary their menu a bit to ring the changes, but they know what they are doing and it is a far far far better pub than anyo ther on the highstreet to be in.
I hope others take their lead (i.e. the greyhound).
But they should also listen to the customers to find out what they think. and vary their menu a bit to ring the changes, but they know what they are doing and it is a far far far better pub than anyo ther on the highstreet to be in.
I hope others take their lead (i.e. the greyhound).
Clapham High Street has had loads of really nice restaurants and bars for as long as I can remember which is at least 20 years!!!! I hope that Sydenham does become more like Clapham. I used to think I wanted it to be like Crystal Palace for bars and restaurants and stuff but going through Crystal Palace yesterday it too seems to be having a bit of a downturn. The Thai place that closed ages ago is still empty, a few other spots are as well.
I think that Sydenham High Street is such a funny one as it seems to go on forever but is in at least 3 sections with long gaps in between. I was in Tooting yesterday which has a very long high street but one of the differences is there aren't any gaps. I hope the Dolphin is successful and encourages more to come to the area. I hope also that if I do ever eat there again it will provide better value for money
I think that Sydenham High Street is such a funny one as it seems to go on forever but is in at least 3 sections with long gaps in between. I was in Tooting yesterday which has a very long high street but one of the differences is there aren't any gaps. I hope the Dolphin is successful and encourages more to come to the area. I hope also that if I do ever eat there again it will provide better value for money
Ate there last night and menu is really coming along nicely. Almost everything appealed (and I couldn't remotely have said that a month ago). If they had a full kitchen that could prep veg and sides properly to complement the mains it would be pretty much ideal. Some inconsistencies remain, like charging way too much for a basket of generic sliced baguette. A more well-rounded meal can be had for around the same price in most in/near-town gastros but TD makes good middle ground btwn it's posher FH sibling and the long-suffering Woodhouse (now there's another missed opportunity. They've sporadically offered really good food but now it's back to basic Youngs meh. Is it Youngs' fault?).leenewham wrote:I'd have to agree with the review, it's a GREAT pub to be in and drink, the back garden is a great asset to Sydenham, but the food is too fancy for its own good...just good quality food is enough rather than the usual pies in a put with exploding pastry lids that normally get bought en-mass frozen and heated in the oven you get in Whetherspoons.
I hope it learns to keep things simple and offer a wider selection rather than the confusing 'is it a main course or isnt it' menu they currently have.
Dolphin
I have eaten in there a few times and from a pretty poor beginning I think the food has been consistently good ever since. Agree about sides though, and have not had bread so cannot comment on this. I don't think it's that fancy either, compared to the Dartmouth it is quite basic, homely food in my opinion (but has a bit more to it than what you would cook at home) and although they don't cater for vegetarians with their roasts (as far as I know as it has been a while since I have gone there) their meat roasts, according to my husband anyway, are far superior to the utterly awful roasts offered in the Crown and Greyhound in Dulwich these days. I went there recenty and we had to ask for a refund as most of it was inedible, both meat and veggie.
Not all pubs in Sydenham are dodgy
Good Luck to the Dolphin and the kind of bar it is, however I felt the urge to write and say that not all the pubs here are dodgy.
The Prince Alfred is a welcoming and friendly place to go for all ages. There is a strict policy of behaviour and extremely rare unpleasant events which are dealt with quickly and quietly.
It is sometimes too easy to assume that all pubs are the same without having investigated all for yourself. People will read the things on this site and take them as gospel. I know there are some issues in the town but please encourage readers to try places for themselves. It may be the kind of place they are looking for.
The PA is a traditional old style pub of which there are not many left, having to give way to the new Gastro pubs. But there are still some people who like the old kind of welcoming atmosphere as well as affordable drinks in comparison to other places in the town.
Please do not tar everywhere with the same brush and visit these places with an open mind as this is how you are treated in the Prince Alfred, do they not deserve the same courtesy?
The Prince Alfred is a welcoming and friendly place to go for all ages. There is a strict policy of behaviour and extremely rare unpleasant events which are dealt with quickly and quietly.
It is sometimes too easy to assume that all pubs are the same without having investigated all for yourself. People will read the things on this site and take them as gospel. I know there are some issues in the town but please encourage readers to try places for themselves. It may be the kind of place they are looking for.
The PA is a traditional old style pub of which there are not many left, having to give way to the new Gastro pubs. But there are still some people who like the old kind of welcoming atmosphere as well as affordable drinks in comparison to other places in the town.
Please do not tar everywhere with the same brush and visit these places with an open mind as this is how you are treated in the Prince Alfred, do they not deserve the same courtesy?
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cockneyrebel
- Posts: 53
- Joined: 16 Nov 2007 15:01
- Location: Sydenham