Browns Of Laxey

[integer 2]

Browns has always been somewhere to avoid, at least for the 5 years I've lived in Lonan anyway. I tried it once, and vowed never to return - then tried it again a few years later and wished I hadn't.

 

I noticed recently it's under new management so I popped in today for lunch with the wife and kids. What a difference - lovely grub, friendly service, and no dead people propped up on sticks. They have a focus on home-made food, my steak pie was lovely and the four of us ate and drank for about 20 quid (the kids are just over 2, so they shared a kiddies meal). We checked out the evening menu and it looked good, it seemed a bit pricey at first (8oz fillet steak is £23), but if the quality of the food we had today is anything to go by it should be worth it.

 

Browns has been wasted for too long, so good luck to the new owners.

[manshimajin 619]

Thanks for letting us know. OMG it was an awful place. Remember going there at the end of a walk one fine Summer's day. Sat in the 'beer garden' for a while and having seen no sight nor sound of staff wandered to the front door in my walking boots. The friendly welcome was:

 

'You can't come in here with walking boots on'

 

My question of how could one get service when staff did not come outside and guests were not allowed inside was met with maximum surliness and grudgery. Still I was thirsty and hungry - but never again. Do I recall a painted lady from Southport with a 'la-di-da-clonk' accent or am I confusing it with somewhere else in my dotage?

 

Maybe now it's time to go back.

[Katman 189]

Browns used to be the busiest cafe on the Island a few years back. It was always packed and on a few times we had to sit outside, as the cafe was full. The food was nothing special, pie and chips, fish and chips that sort of thing, but it was cooked well and served by pleasant staff and the prices were reasonable (that magic combination).

 

Then it changed hands and it went down hill fast.

 

Hopefully now it has changed hands again, the new owners will do as well as the first lot.

[John 29]

so the American guy has gone?

[The Godfather of Manx House 2]

so the American guy has gone?

 

He sure has. And put all the blame on his mate with the smelly blanket ...

 

...GOMH*...

 

[Stavros 81]

I've not been called a blanket for year and anyway, I've had nothing to do with that place.

[Revan 0]

To be fair it was vile thats the only word that comes to mind

But if you are saying is true i will have to go one sunday

If i am let down i will be back

The funny thing is how the man who got blammed has give his 10p worth how funny

[daisy 43]

Oh dear - will not be going back there until they change ownership again. I havent had such an overpriced dreadful meal in ages.

 

£5.25 for a prawn cocktail starter - handful of tasteless prawns thrown onto a pile of grated carrot and some red onion slices.

 

£10.25 for Roast dinner - Cant knock the beef too much- it was tender but it did remind me of a Bernard Matthews Roast. - perfectly round. It was trendily placed on a 'chefy' pile of mashed potatoes however that was 'Smash' or similar dried potato which had not been re-constituted properly started off OK but was virtually solid by the time I was half way through. A few randomly scattered bits of cold cauliflower and some cold carrots.

 

One of the party decided to try the 'special' dessert - belgian waffle with maple syrup. Waited for over half an hour for it to arrive - when it did arrive it had been nuked to within an inch of its life and was inedible - the spoon just bounced off it and was covered in 'squirty' cream (lazy). Needless to say we did not pay for that.

 

The whole place was freezing (the guy that seemed in charge was wearing a thick cardigan zipped to the neck) we had to keep our coats on throughout the meal which due to slow service took over 2 hours!!

 

Having said that there was a small retirement party in - they were still waiting for their main course when we left - and they had arrived before we did!!

 

It wasnt packed plenty of empty tables (not surprised!!) but even so when a couple came in just before we left they had run out of roast dinner - and when they were only serving roast that shows a lack of product control.

 

Cant recommend it on any level.

[manshimajin 619]

From the Brown's of Laxey website:

My name is Tracey Dorn, in May 2008 I became the new owner. From it's humble beginnings Browns was a cafe. Previous owners have slowly geared the menus more towards a restaurant. It is my intention to firmly place Browns as a restaurant of distinction in the Isle of Man.

 

I have installed many new items of equipment in the kitchen. The dining room has been renovated and a new bar fitted. New menus are now in place and I only use the very best of produce. Being passionate about food every order is cooked fresh to your liking.

From the fearless ManxForum food critic:

tasteless prawns thrown onto a pile of grated carrot and some red onion slices.

Cant knock the beef too much- it was tender but it did remind me of a Bernard Matthews Roast. - perfectly round.

Mashed potatoes was 'Smash' or similar dried potato which had not been re-constituted properly started off OK but was virtually solid by the time I was half way through.

A few randomly scattered bits of cold cauliflower and some cold carrots.

Belgian waffle with maple syrup had been nuked to within an inch of its life

Having said that there was a small retirement party in - they were still waiting for their main course when we left - and they had arrived before we did!!

Just before we left they had run out of roast dinner - and when they were only serving roast that shows a lack of product control.

Daisy - great review but sorry you missed out on the 'cooked fresh to your liking' bit

 

Is it possible that the small retirement party were actually planning to live there and were just settling in for the duration?

[daisy 43]

I had in fact edited my post as it did include the fact that I had 'grave' concerns that they would actually get out at all. But due to the fact that it was so cold I concluded that they would probably just hibernate whilst waiting rather than pop their paws.

 

Hmm cooked to my liking!!!! - their tag line maybe be should have been cooked to OUR liking when WE like and if your're lucky!!

[Declan 7,172]

Is this the place that featured in a memorable ManxNet post where the proprietor had shouted at the poster because the table manners of the disabled child that was with them was putting off the other diners?

[manshimajin 619]

I had in fact edited my post as it did include the fact that I had 'grave' concerns that they would actually get out at all. But due to the fact that it was so cold I concluded that they would probably just hibernate whilst waiting rather than pop their paws.

 

Hmm cooked to my liking!!!! - their tag line maybe be should have been cooked to OUR liking when WE like and if your're lucky!!

Daisy, you may not have been at Brown's of Laxey!!! I found another website with a couple of glowing testimonials if you look at the 'testimonials' tab:

 

Browns Is Wonderful

 

A chance for a third testimonial?

 

Declan was that the Dickensian cafe in Douglas run by someone claiming to be a member of the nobility?

[Declan 7,172]

There's a "Dickensian cafe in Douglas run by someone claiming to be a member of the nobility"? where? I like the sound of that.

[cheeky boy 805]

There's a "Dickensian cafe in Douglas run by someone claiming to be a member of the nobility"? where? I like the sound of that.

 

 

That subject was done to death some months ago, last spring if I remember

[Declan 7,172]

So where is it?