When you step in your are greeted by a very friendly pub atmosphere. We didn't have a table booked but were quickly led to the restaurant area towards the back. We immediately felt at home with the casual seating, with some people eating and others just chatting over a pint or two!
The menu was small but nicely formed with about 5 choices for every course. For starters I went with the crispy hen's egg, smoked haddock with potato (there was a fancy name for this but I've forgotten it) and samphire, hubs the cured salmon with horseradish.
Both were delicious and I was especially happy with my egg which was perfectly cooked and still runny on the inside, and the samphire was so tasty. Need more samphire!
Onto mains, which we were really impressed with. I went for the chicken liver ragu with gnocchi and hubs the roast pheasant.
I'm always a little bit wary of gnocchi, because while I love them they can be heavy and filling! But since I love chicken liver I thought I would give these a try. I was surprised that they came out as giant cubes of gnocchi but there were light as a feather! And the ragout was totally tasty with bits of chicken liver--just the right amount without being too overpowering.
Hubs's pheasant was just as delicious. Perfectly cooked so it was moist and tender, with an amazing sauce. The squash puree was the ideal complement.
I went for dessert since I cannot say no to eton mess. I had the "Foragers mess" which had a variety of berries, Chantilly cream, meringue and fresh mint. A mess-lovers dream and hubs couldn't help sneaking a few bites despite my protests!
Overall, we had a great meal and really enjoyed the relaxed vibe. In fact as we were leaving we noticed a few turntables set up for some spinning...the party was just getting started! The bill came to about £45 with non-alchoholic drinks (hubs still in recovery mode) which is pretty standard for a meal out these days. And while the portions might have been a teeny bit smaller than you see at most gastropubs, it was still more than enough food. Service was excellent--friendly, knowledgeable when we asked questions, and most importantly PERSONALBLE! You don't get that very often! Their commitment to sustainability was an added bonus.
Quickest way to find it is to go through the Tesco parking lot on Church Road. Definitely worth the trip if you are looking for good food, great service, and a relaxing evening.
No comments:
Post a Comment