Dorchester - Pompey Ranger Review

This is a new store as part of a leisure complex development in the south of Dorchester. Literally around the corner from Dorchester south train station. Its opposite the Wednesday market and close to a new Carrlucios and underneath/beside a New Odeon cinema still featuring scaffolding and hoarding.

Parking is available in a range of forms:- There is limited on street parking which is 60p an hour but prohibited on Wednesdays and Sundays. There is a short term car park in the area occupied by the market which is 6op for an hour £1 for 2 hours £4 for 4 hours and £4 for each additional hour after, Is available from 8am till 6pm and free from 6pm till 7pm when the gates are locked until the morning (£40 release fee). This isn't available on Wednesdays or Sundays as the Market is here. Finally there is the long term car park which is a flat rate of £2 but is very busy. There is also a chance that there might be more parking once the development is complete.

The store is styled in the round, sweeping the curve around the kitchen and toilet area. When you enter you are at the very right of the store and have the serving area in front of you which is well decorated with bottles of sauce and wine, African masks, vases and other object d'art. The wooden floor sweeps around to the left past the serving area, well kept beverage station and the entrance to the toilets. The toilets consist of 3 unisex individual cubicles well decorated with white, yellow and grey hexagonal tiles, a back lit Nandos mirror and stylised round sink and dyson hand dryer. There was also a disabled toilet by the main entrance. The seating consists of plain cafeteria style chairs and larger comfortable padded chairs along the many exterior windows. At the far end is a decorative air brick wall with 3 paintings on it and a form bench. To the exterior there is a enclosed patio area with a glass roof over it and several trees in large pots.

The store was half empty so we were sat straight away however when I went up to I had to wait for 10 minutes which I think was due to the staff not being into the swing of it, this was confirmed by when the person serving me had to be talked through each stage by the manager next to him. I was told there would be a ten minute wait on food. Back at my table we waited and waited, the tables either side of us changed occupants and we waited more. A waitress came and asked us if we had our food yet and we said no and she said she would go check, a few minutes later she came back and said it would be another 10 minutes we waited and waited and another waitress asked if we'd received our food and came back and said it would be 10 minutes. Eventually after 35 minutes it arrived!! yes 35 minutes, though the new people either side of us got their food almost immediately after us so only had to wait 20 minutes.

The chicken was very wet and sloppy and left a large puddle on the plate of clear liquid with pale soggy skin. The chip portion was a good size and well cooked but cooling. The chicken however was a disappointment due to its over moistness which I haven't experienced before.

The staff were very friendly but why they always say 10 minutes I'm not sure and with the 10 minute wait at the till followed by the 35 minute wait for food it took us a lot longer than we had planned, having arrived at 5pm we didn't expect to be leaving at 6:45

I will return to this store as it has great potential I'm just disappointed it didn't live up to it today, I hope its only teething trouble and not a sign of things to come.