The Stag

We sat outside at a pub that looked clean and pleasant, and the service was good. The food arrived quickly, but the meal didn’t feel worth what we paid. We tried three chairs before finding ones with all their foot plugs. The sticky toffee pudding was nice and the cheesecake was okay, but the apple tart was bland, with pastry and apple that had very little flavour. For the mains, we had three roast chicken supremes, fish and chips, and roast pork. The chicken supreme was just a chicken thigh on the bone, and the roast potatoes were hard to cut. The sides were a small bowl of leeks and broccoli, chopped carrots and swede, plus a tiny cauliflower cheese to share among four of us. We each got one piece of broccoli and about half a spoonful of cauliflower cheese. I’d have expected enough sides for two people to share, rather than four.

After our meal, we sat outside for a bit with some nice drinks before walking back to the boat. The mushroom pasta was really nice, my partner had the beef brisket, and the broccoli was cooked so well. The female staff were all professional and friendly, especially the blonde woman who went out of her way to give our dog treats. She was so welcoming and sweet. We’ll come back when we’re in that area again, and I’d recommend it. Very welcoming place.

Sunday lunch felt cramped because there were so many tables packed in. The roast portions were small, with literally just two quarter potatoes each and not much meat, so it didn’t seem good value. Service also felt stretched. It was hard to get anyone’s attention, and when we did, they forgot what we’d asked for about half the time. Not a great experience, and I wouldn’t recommend the place.

We went for a weekday lunch with our little dog and had a fabulous meal. Every course was imaginative, beautiful and delicious. We hadn’t been back since the change of owners, and I’m happy to say the food is just as good, maybe even better, than before. Can’t wait to return and try more dishes. They also serve Hawkstone cider and lager, which is a bonus for us.