The Cock And Bull

We didn’t think the meal justified the £110 bill. The starters were a mixed start: two prawn portions were nice but a bit lukewarm, while the special fried mushrooms were tasty and generous. My wife’s Cullen Skink was good with lovely bread. My son got the haggis mac and cheese, a large but tasteless portion, though the fries were plentiful and good. My burger was the worst I’ve had in a long time, with a tiny serving of nearly cold homemade chips. At £18.50, it wasn’t worth it. Overall, some decent food, some disappointing, and quite overpriced.

We were spoiled for choice on the separate online gluten and dairy free menu, which was a relief since my partner and I have limited options. I took him to Cock & Bull for his birthday on Saturday, and the staff made the evening feel special. One sauce wasn’t dairy free, so I couldn’t have it, but they put me at ease and went out of their way to make an alternative. The cosy, welcoming atmosphere and friendly service made everything stress free. Thanks, we’ll definitely return.

What a disappointing Christmas Eve meal, especially since we usually enjoy the food and service here. It hadn’t been made clear when booking that only the festive set menu was available. That was a problem for the fussy eater in our group, but staff kindly offered to make an alternative. We did wonder, though, because other diners seemed to be having dishes that weren’t on the set menu. We chose two courses, with some of us wanting starters and others pudding, but an hour after ordering there were still no main courses. When the food finally came, we had only 20 minutes to eat and pay before another booking, so there was no time for pudding. The food wasn’t great: the only vegetarian main was mostly left uneaten, the steak was dry and didn’t merit its supplement, and the turkey came without the expected chipolatas. We got a discount, but left hungry after a hefty bill. Such a shame, as our meals here are usually lovely.

We came by spontaneously to enjoy a nice winter’s day. I didn’t stay at the hotel. The staff were welcoming, and there’s a dog friendly seating area where owners can eat. We got seated straight away without a booking, though tables can be reserved. I had the pork and chorizo burger special, which was sweet and savoury with a smoky flavour from the chorizo and cheese. The chips were crisp outside and soft inside, and the coleslaw was creamy. Frickles on the side had a crisp, tasty coating and moist pickles, with a very good honey mustard sauce. There’s a nice range of traditional and regional dishes, and they’re proud to support local suppliers. Prices were mid range and felt fair for the portions and quality.