The Brasserie

2   You can do better than this...

Went to the Brasserie with friends last night. OK ambience and setting but nothing special. Nobody came to take a drinks order - after 15 mins we had to ask and then the waiter brought menus thinking we had already ordered drinks! Drinks took quite some time to arrive. Very pleasant and efficient waitress took our food order. Food mixed...excellent smoked salmon and liver pate starters, but steaks at best mixed - one was described as 'tasteless'. Cheese platter for three was limited in quantity. Nobody seemed to be in charge of our table - a mixture of people served us, nobody came to pour wine after the initial tasting/glass filling, and at no time did anyone ask if everything was alright, so overall very disappointing service. Given this, and average food, at c£45 per head (including wine) it wasnt value for money. Have heard people raving about Alderley Edge Hotel recently - on this experience the plaudits are well overdone. Should do better, and on current evidence there are many better places to eat in the village.

5   The best in town

Ate dinner at the brasserie last Friday with some friends, great atmosphere, excellent food and service. Visited again Monday lunchtime with my parents and had the beef open sandwich which was outstanding and very good value. Top of my list in Alderley.

5   Excellent service and food

My wife, son and I ate at the Brasserie a couple of weekends ago. The food was outstanding, the service was excellent, and the prices very reasonable.

1   No welcome in this hillside

On the way to the cricket club on Saturday with American Andy we decided on a whim to try the steak at the new Brasserie. It was still fairly early and three or four tables were occupied by romantic looking couples. We asked a very pleasant waitress if we might be seated. She turned to the boss and asked. He replied with all the charm of a prison orderly "No. We are full", which seemed a bit odd given all the empty tables, Still, we persevered. There were about ten high stools by the bar, and given that this is meant to be a casual sort of bistro place we took a seat and suggested that we could eat at the bar. Mr Charm had problems with that "The kitchen won't be able to cope" he grunted. We looked at each other somewhat incredulously and decided that this 'no can-do' place wasn't for us. As we left I noticed the sign by the entrance on the hill 'Non-residents welcome". There was no welcome in this particular hillside for us. By contrast I took my daughter to Gusto on Thursday night. That was actually full, by which I mean people were sitting at tables. They couldn't do enough to look after us until a table came free, they were absolutely first class. Alderley Edge Hotel Brasserie.......you're fired.

5   Cocktails

The two of us had cocktails there sat night, great atmosphere, friendly staff -5 stars

5   Great lunch

We had lunch today at the new brasserie. We really enjoyed the meal - crab and brown shrimp fritters, simple salad, scampi and monkfish in a basket and steak pie. We thought that it was excellent value for money.

The new brasserie is a very relaxing place to dine in - and the staff are, as ever, thoroughly professional and very friendly.