Editor Pick
The Criterion
- October 12, 2006
- Rated 2 of 5 by
Mandan Lynn from Smithwick, South Dakota
We were hungry, hungry kids when we stopped at The Criterion in St. Andrews. It's a happy looking pub with a short but savory-seeming menu written on a couple of blackboards. There was indoor and outdoor seating. We were there around 3:00 in the afternoon, and there were people lingering at several of the tables, inside and out.
As I glanced over the menu -- quiche, lasagna, potato skins, soup, a variety of toasties -- I was all set to write a stellar review for them. I mean, quiche? Lasagna? On a short little pub menu? Fantastic. And everything for about 5 pounds or less! I had a hard time deciding what I wanted to eat, wavering between the quiche, the lasagna, and the tomato soup.
I finally decided on the quiche, placed my order, and we went outside to sit. The food arrived within 15 minutes, I would say.
I started with the salad. I was impressed, because the greens were dark and varied, and it included tomatoes and bell peppers. I'm not a big fan of dressings, but I didn't mind whatever it was that was on it. I'm also not a big fan of salads, so I ate a few bites and moved onto the quiche.
Big mistake.
It was cold. Not, "whoops, we didn't bring your food soon enough" cold, but "this is cold quiche" cold. Disgusting. It didn't even taste that good, even when I imagined what it might taste like warm. I've eaten strange things in my life, many of which I've enjoyed, but apparently I just don't have the stomach for cold quiche. Three bites later I gave up and went to the nearby Tesco for some groceries.
My friend ordered a toastie, which looked fine. I mean, how could it not be? It's not terribly hard to toast some bread, and if you're choosing your own fillings (of which there were many to choose) you can't really go wrong. He seemed to like it.
So, if you're in St. Andrews, maybe give it a try, but don't eat the quiche.
From journal Taking the High Road to Scotland