d'Parys

Once a well respected and popular restaurant and hotel, De Parys Hotel as it was once known fell into a sorry state. Worn out carpets, lacklustre staff and an uninspiring menu all colluded in its downfall. But we are pleased to report it has been transformed- quite literally- into something quite unrecognisable and delightful.

d'Parys, as it is now known, forms part of Apostrophe Pubs- a venture by local brewery Charles Wells. It has just undergone what we believe is a £1.3million overhaul and it certainly doesn't disappoint. What had fast digressed into a stale and uninspiring location is now a vibrant, zesty and modern setting that oozes class and style. You can tell a lot of thought has gone in to the interior decoration and it gives the feel you could be in London or another big, metropolitan city. The soft lighting gives an inviting look to the Victorian building from the outside, accompanied by a quirky mural on the side of the building showing what looks like an election in old Bedford. Quite original. The restaurant has a bar to the left that has incredible attention to detail- including a gelato tuck-shop style bar. You then walk into the ‘library’ where you can eat or simply enjoy a drink (as the traditional pub bar is no longer there) and the expansive restaurant offers a dynamic stage but keeps an intimate feel- maybe from the comfortable booths in the centre or the ceiling decorated with different coloured-painted door shutters! The kitchen is visible with a partially-open feel and you can regularly hear a chorus of ‘Yes Chef.’ The back and right side remains glass-walled which I’m sure will be lovely in the summer as the views extend over the grounds of Bedford school and there is eating space outside.

With a restaurant/ hotel so impeccably designed it immediately sets an incredible high standard with the food which unfortunately it didn’t quite hit. The menu choices were nice but with the feel of the restaurant being as though you are somewhere award-winning in the city, the food didn’t quite seem as imaginative. Still finding an identity I’m sure, the choices were confusing – potato skins as a starter conjuring thoughts of pub grub with monkfish tail as a ‘special’. The dessert choice was limited but we were intrigued by the ‘egg n chips’ panacotta and pineapple which aesthetically was delightful. I would suggest a new menu design (both in terms of food and the actual menus) which bridges the gap a little more between the Charles Wells brewery control and what could be quite an imaginative chef who may want more free rein. The decor is far superior to fellow establishments in Bedford yet the standard of food seemed on par with the Embankment or Park Pub. The waitresses were incredibly friendly but in need of vital training; our drinks were delivered and we were then asked what we would like to drink, they didn’t yet have cheese knives yet offering a cheese course, ice cream cornetts being handed to customers rather than served in a bowl, no idea what monkfish tail is, etc. But we would like to add that service with a smile means everything and they were certainly incredibly welcoming and friendly.

In summary – go. The guest rooms are like something from an interiors magazine and you are left with the impression that no expense is spared. But don’t be disappointed when your food doesn’t meet the same standards- whether it’s a teething problem or the direction of the brewery you are left feeling slightly short-changed but this is forgiven for the setting that buzzy, beautifully decorated, friendly and enjoyable.

The Embankment

The pinnacle of Bedford’s beauty, especially on a summer’s day, is at the riverside, the green of the banks, white of the swans, colours of the flowers and reflections on the water do make this a truly beautiful spot. The Embankment hotel has prime location and has the perfect view of the river and surrounding greenery to complement a refreshing summer's drink.

The Embankment has improved no end since its renovation from quite a traditional and out-dated place to the new modern, ‘gastro-pub’ it has become since being taken over by Peach Pubs. The decor is light and relaxing and the staff are young and energetic.

However, the problem I have encountered quite regularly is the inconsistency of good service. Whilst holding one of the prime spots in the town, the service can often do the establishment an injustice.

On countless occasions I have been waiting at a bar or at a table for ten minutes or more without being acknowledged- a small but very important aspect of customer service that should be engrained in the minds of all those who work in the service industry. Today, for example, we took a family member from Australia there for lunch as the weather was so nice. However, we were told out of the four sandwich choices; they had run out of tuna (I assume probably one of the favourites on the menu as tuna often is, and why a member of staff does not nip out and buy a tin I don’t know) and so the menu goes down to three lunch time sandwiches. 
We then had to clear the table ourselves and when the food arrived we had to go inside and ask THREE times for some cutlery. To be fair, the boys working were busy at the bar but there were two women standing talking to each other who should really have been helping as a customer should not have to wait that long for such a basic requirement. We then ordered coffees and had to clear the table ourselves again to make space- the coffee cup was filthy down the side too. This kind of service frustrates me, especially when you see the likes of Eat Fish, the fish restaurant that lasted around 2 years down the road, go out of business, who prided themselves on customer service but had not the funding or customer understanding of the menu to succeed. However, they knew the importance of where they were placed and the benefit of a riverside spot.

In the past a friend has complained at The Embankment on waiting an hour for a bottle of wine to be brought to the table, and he was compensated with a free meal for two where he said the service was impeccable. However, he attended two weeks later and was faced with similar problems with waiting for service and it being haphazard. Let’s hope the pub/restaurant/hotel raises its standards to match the location – as it would in most modern towns and cities around the world.

Rating out of 10
Quality 7
Service 3
Price 6
#Wicbha? Would I come back here again? 

Yes I will come back here again because even though it disappoints it really is unrivalled in terms of location and atmosphere. Please share your views...