Plum Pudding

We went for the beer festival and the beer line-up was fantastic. The locals were great fun, the band was excellent, and Jez, Mandy and their team welcomed us and looked after us wonderfully. A great pub, tucked away just off the A34.

I've visited this village pub several times and have always found it pleasant and relaxing. It's welcoming, and I like the thoughtful biscuit that comes with a hot drink. I've only eaten here once so far. The portions were generous and the food was good quality for the price. The fries were a bit greasier than I expected, and the French onion soup was thicker, almost like gravy, but those were minor niggles. It's a delightful countryside pub with a lovely garden, and I especially enjoy coming for drinks. I'd happily return to try another meal. Parking is limited, so it may be worth planning ahead when it's particularly busy.

We'd booked a meal for our anniversary and arranged a babysitter so my partner and I could have a much-needed date night. We got drinks at the bar at 6:30pm, then were taken to our reserved table and told someone would come take our order shortly. After 45 minutes, our drinks were finished and no one had come by. We paid for the drinks and went elsewhere for food. It seemed there was just one person working, a young guy who was very polite but clearly busy serving at the bar and waiting on tables. Very disappointing.

The ploughman's was nice, but the salad took up a bit too much of the plate, leaving too little pate and/or cheese.