The Dove, Chingford Hatch, E4

Visited 16/03/26 No cask. The three handpumps, two of which were reverse clipped for Doom Bar, didn't look like they had dispensed any time recently. Keg offering of Guinness, Cruz, Madri, Carling, Fosters, John Smiths, Moretti. Unquestionably a venue that presents as an Irish pub with the venue set up for St Patrick's Day. The venue is U-shaped with the bar counter following the internal shape of the venue. It is a mix of bare boarded at the sides and ceramic dark grey tile along the front of the bar counter that looks out over the rear beer garden. There is some tall stool seating at the front of the bar counter. Regular tables and chairs around the bar counter including some tall tables around the car park entrance. There is a uPVC conservatory add-on in the rear right hand corner (looking from the car park entrance) and there is extensive outside seating in the rear beer garden, a good part of which is covered and it genuinely is a beer garden with actual grass that was living the wet weather on my visit (indeed the signs outside point to it being Chingford’s largest beer garden). Just to the side of the bar counter was a darting area. The kitchen area is to the right of the car park entrance and TVs were showing nothing in particular absent sound and indeed the pleasant music soundtrack was so turned down I could barely hear. A few chatty locals in provided the ambience on my visit.

Official site of The Dove - www.dovechingford.co.uk

Official site of The Dove - www.dovechingford.co.uk

Facebook page of The Dove - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of The Dove - www.facebook.com

So disappointed. We went to The Dovecote expecting a delicious 'HOMEMADE' meal to be so disappointed. We looked at the menu and to us it looked like a frozen food menu. I asked the bar staff if the steak pie was a frozen pie reheated? We were told 'Yes it was'. So I opted for Lincolnshire sausage. Before I ordered our food I asked whether the mash with the sausage was fresh mash? I was assured it was! (Obviously not reading previous review!) So thankfully I ordered chips. My husband ordered scampi and chips. Total disappointment. I went expecting a delicious homemade meal to receiving meals that we could not eat. The peas were stone cold, the sausages were no better than the Richmond sausages which are just full of bread and a few herbs. My husband's scampi was not cooked properly! Peas again freezing cold. All in all terrible. On the fence outside it states the food is 'HOMEMADE'. The definition of homemade is: made or prepared at home, locally or by the makers own efforts.' WELL IT DEFINITELY IS NOT THAT! Trades descriptions? So would not recommend at all and will not be returning. What a shame.