While John bravely ventures out, I bravely stay in.
Was tipped off to the RS home box by a friend so gave it a go for other half’s mums birthday tea.
It was game of two halves to misuse an overused phrase.
The ‘warm up’ was a shocker. We had ordered the food to arrive last Friday - birthday tea day - and planned our week off around being in to take delivery.
On the day I had still heard nothing despite downloading the tracker app and thus offering up my valuable data to the greedy IP Gods.
Over to the vidiprinter…
10.06 - email to say delivery delayed
10.26 - email to say sorry it wont arrive til tomorrow and as an apology you can have 20% off your next order
11.06 - DPD delivery confirmation lands
Hmmmm and WTF and hmmm once more.
Suffice to say some terse emails ensued and they ended up knocking 50% off this order ( its 45 quid for a box for two ) and apologising.
Happily the food did arrive on Saturday and despite the DPD driver lugging it like it was something utterly unbreakable, it was good - really good.
I’ve not been to any of his places at SteinWorld ( aka Padstow ) but the impression I’d always had was great name and great big prices to match - steer clear as value nowhere to be seen. Well, that did not apply to these boxes ( four of us so x2 ordered)- these were cracking value.
Mr S keeps the menu simple. Just three courses.
Up first Smoked mackerel pate with sourdough , dressed leaves etc. Quarter of a wholemeal sourdough between two. Generous tub of smooth and very mackerelly pate. Enough salad to have some left for with your main - nice sharp dressing to go on it. Simples and indeed yum yum.
Second was Grilled hake with piperade, serrano ham crumb and a pimenton thinned mayo. Some jersey royals to go with. Boil the spuds in the bag, whack the hake under the grill , inexpertly dress your plate with the mayo and bingo - a fishy classic is yours.
For pud it was Cornish ( ? ) sticky toffee pudding with Cornish ( yes indeed ! ) clotted cream. My word, if you don’t love that classic sponge, unctuous toffee sauce and fancy a nap after that little beauty there is something wrong with you. Other than the nap bit. That bit might just be me.
All in all this wasn’t the most spectacular box we’ve had during the boxing era ( Nigel Haworth box I still tops that for me ) but it was super consistent, super good and great value.
Don’t delay, order today ! - just don’t make it for special occasion because you might end up with Disappointed Family Members and a Customer Service War on your hands.
