Taunton - Pompey Ranger Review

This new store in the heart of Taunton suffers from a lack of nearby parking, I spent a good 10 minutes driving round trying to find a parking space and not aware of where any is closer. The store looks good from the outside and when you enter you find it is a double height ceiling, basket lampshades and yellow tile on the wall above the counter. Lots of impressive paintings on the walls and object d'art and art work around. I especially liked the lampshades made out of plastic bottles split down and then woven out with plastic.

The stairs form a main feature being open plan and having to go far into the heavens to reach the upper floor seating area and the toilets. Though there is a lift at the back of the store I didn't see anyone using it. The staff are also kept fit with carrying food up and down the stairs and it seems to have had a positive effect on their posteriors as like another reviewer put in a more crude way, You hate to have the staff go but you will enjoy them walking away up the stairs. The staff had a good sense of humour and there seemed to be a lot of them in store (perhaps to help with the fatigue of the stairs). When I pointed out the lack of peri peri on my chips more was brought out. The camp member of staff behind the till truly made me laugh with one of his comments.

As a new store the food was a bit of a let down, my chicken was missing it's skin and looked like it had down a round with a dingo in the dessert being mangled somewhat by the griller. The chips weren't that great either as whilst looked fine they were oil soaked and overly crisp on the outside as if cooked at a low temperature or even twice cooked and I hope the chip cooking technique also improves with time. The rice seemed greasier too, but that might just be after having bitten into a few chips my tastebuds were overly grease laden.

Will be back to this store as both it and its staff looked good, just hope they bring the food up to the same standard.