Orange Tree - Torquay
Orange Tree
Description
The Orange Tree restaurant in Torquay offers a mixed dining experience, with some customers praising the faultless eating and service, especially highlighting the delicious crab bisque. However, other reviews point out the high prices for dishes that are considered mediocre or overcooked. Despite the outdated decor and unimaginative menu, the friendly and attentive service is consistently mentioned as a positive aspect of the restaurant. Overall, while some customers had a positive experience and would recommend the restaurant for special occasions, others were left disappointed and felt that there are better dining options available in the local area.
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Where do I begin. The food was ok. The starters were ok. My girlfriends scallop was severely overpriced compared to most other restaurants. 16 quid for 3 scallops with garlic butter? The mains were pleasant enough and probably the best part of the meal. The pannacotta dessert also had very weak flavours. We ordered a bottle of wine to come with the starters. Didn 't get it. Just got an apology and that was it, so ordered two glasses instead. Later we ordered dessert wine. That came after we had finished the desserts. The staff weren 't that attentive or enthusiastic. Also during our visit we overheard other customers saying the food was pretty 'secondary ' and another man had his beef too chewy which they did nothing about. I know other restaurants that would have replaced it for a whole new dish for him. This restaurant is mediocre at best, and should not be allowed to charge the prices it does.
Very disappointing. Went for my husbands birthday and had taster menu and wine flight at £130 each. Service was fantastic, however, food was very lacklustre. Soup was acceptable. Goats cheese was literally a bit of cheese slapped on the plate with a beetroot slice and dash of puree. Scallop and lobster bisque had the smallest bit of scallop and bisque was very average. Sorbet was delicious. Tournedos had sinew and the onions on top were so overcooked they were hard and dry. Menu said seabass however, we were given hake, which was served on a tepid plate of ratatouille. Last course we opted for cheese board. The cheese and grapes were served extremely cold and therefore had no flavour. You would think spending £300 you would get a superb meal. When you look at the pictures online there is no comparison. Not a patch on the Elephant and sadly we will not be returning.
I was treated to a trip to the Orange Tree to celebrate my birthday. I had been looking forward to a visit for a while having heard good things. We were greeted warmly and the decor and ambience were welcoming. Service throughout was good. However, the food is what let the place down. Starting with the mushy, old green olives left on the table as a nibble. My starter was described as Lobster bisque with seared scallops. There was one slightly overdone scallop in my soup. My partner's starter of goats cheese and beetroot lacked the finesse in presentation that one might expect from a £16 starter. My main course was a real let down. My chicken supreme was over-cooked and slightly dry. Vegetables were plentiful and well cooked but overall the standard of cooking and presentation was closer to that of an accomplished home cook rather than a higher end restaurant, which is what the Orange Tree appear to position themselves as. My girlfriend's seabass was overcooked. Wine by the glass was reasonably priced compared to bottle prices. Overall I left feeling very disappointed and glad that I hadn't paid for the meal myself. Not somewhere I will be returning to.
We went for my husbands birthday as his parents were down from London. We thought we would treat ourselves. Whilst the food was good, it was massively overpriced, especially the scallops- £16 for three lonely scallops in a shell plate. Again, the main corses were nice but I have had the same elsewhere, better and more reasonably priced. The service was good but we won’t be going back as there are far better options, at far better value,in the local area.
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