(Feb. 23, 2017) Reviews of the recent soft opening at Mumford’s Landing – formerly the yacht club – were mostly positive during an Ocean Pines Association Clubs Committee meeting last Thursday.
The committee is the official advisory panel for the board of directors on matters at Mumford’s Landing, the country club and beach club.
Many of the members attended the soft opening, Feb. 3 and Feb. 4, which was intended as a stress test for the newly hired staff, a reveal of new interior improvements and changes to the menu.
Board of Directors Vice President Dave Stevens, the committee liaison, noted the renovations were done in house by existing staff, using items purchased at Home Goods in Salisbury. A professional decorator was apparently consulted, but did not ask for compensation.
“Everybody pretty much agrees the decorations and the new format looks really nice,” committee member Gary Miller said.
Reviews of the food were mixed, but also mostly positive.
Stevens, for instance, raved about the seafood Alfredo, but said it was occasionally difficult to see the actual seafood.
“I loved it, but I was fishing around for more and more pieces of shrimp,” he said. “I had a big bowl of pasta left when I was done.”
Committee Chairman Les Purcell ordered a meatloaf that he enjoyed, but said he overheard another customer who was not as impressed.
“I thought it was real good. It was delicious for me,” he said. “But I went out to the bar and there was somebody out there bitching as loud as he could about a meatloaf he had that was rock hard.”
Miller had a theory.
“Depending on how long it’s been sitting, how long it’s been under the heat lamp, whether it was microwaved to get it hot again, all those things play into what the final product is,” he said. “You could’ve had a great one and five minutes later somebody else [did not].”
Committee member Donna Hickey said she had been to Mumford’s four times since the soft opening, often with large groups. She said for the most part her friends had enjoyed the food – with one exception.
“Most came through pretty well, except for mine,” she said of her experience during the soft opening.
She ordered a $9 salad and added chicken, doubling the price of the dish. The large, uncut piece of grilled chicken placed atop her salad, she said, “Could’ve bounced off the wall.”
“I literally couldn’t eat it. It was rubbery. And, again, I think it got zapped in the microwave,” she said. “I could barely get a knife through it.”
Inconsistent food and service has been the major complaint of customers at the yacht club. Stevens noted that, for the first time, a floor manager had been hired to specifically address those problem areas.
“Skeptical is not the right word, but I’m not jumping up and down about this yet because consistency is the most important thing,” he said.
“The real test is going to be this summer,” committee member Herb Roe said. “During the soft opening we got great service … but I don’t know if you’re going to get that [during the busy season].”
The committee will likely discuss promotions during its next meeting, March 16 at 4 p.m. at Mumford’s Landing.
Stevens said the board was open to new ideas, “just to try it and then we’ll keep our fingers crossed it’s good the night that they come in.”
He added it was not uncommon to hear Ocean Pines residents say they have no plans to come back after a previous bad experience.
The committee is the official advisory panel for the board of directors on matters at Mumford’s Landing, the country club and beach club.
Many of the members attended the soft opening, Feb. 3 and Feb. 4, which was intended as a stress test for the newly hired staff, a reveal of new interior improvements and changes to the menu.
Board of Directors Vice President Dave Stevens, the committee liaison, noted the renovations were done in house by existing staff, using items purchased at Home Goods in Salisbury. A professional decorator was apparently consulted, but did not ask for compensation.
“Everybody pretty much agrees the decorations and the new format looks really nice,” committee member Gary Miller said.
Reviews of the food were mixed, but also mostly positive.
Stevens, for instance, raved about the seafood Alfredo, but said it was occasionally difficult to see the actual seafood.
“I loved it, but I was fishing around for more and more pieces of shrimp,” he said. “I had a big bowl of pasta left when I was done.”
Committee Chairman Les Purcell ordered a meatloaf that he enjoyed, but said he overheard another customer who was not as impressed.
“I thought it was real good. It was delicious for me,” he said. “But I went out to the bar and there was somebody out there bitching as loud as he could about a meatloaf he had that was rock hard.”
Miller had a theory.
“Depending on how long it’s been sitting, how long it’s been under the heat lamp, whether it was microwaved to get it hot again, all those things play into what the final product is,” he said. “You could’ve had a great one and five minutes later somebody else [did not].”
Committee member Donna Hickey said she had been to Mumford’s four times since the soft opening, often with large groups. She said for the most part her friends had enjoyed the food – with one exception.
“Most came through pretty well, except for mine,” she said of her experience during the soft opening.
She ordered a $9 salad and added chicken, doubling the price of the dish. The large, uncut piece of grilled chicken placed atop her salad, she said, “Could’ve bounced off the wall.”
“I literally couldn’t eat it. It was rubbery. And, again, I think it got zapped in the microwave,” she said. “I could barely get a knife through it.”
Inconsistent food and service has been the major complaint of customers at the yacht club. Stevens noted that, for the first time, a floor manager had been hired to specifically address those problem areas.
“Skeptical is not the right word, but I’m not jumping up and down about this yet because consistency is the most important thing,” he said.
“The real test is going to be this summer,” committee member Herb Roe said. “During the soft opening we got great service … but I don’t know if you’re going to get that [during the busy season].”
The committee will likely discuss promotions during its next meeting, March 16 at 4 p.m. at Mumford’s Landing.
Stevens said the board was open to new ideas, “just to try it and then we’ll keep our fingers crossed it’s good the night that they come in.”
He added it was not uncommon to hear Ocean Pines residents say they have no plans to come back after a previous bad experience.