Now this was more like it. After Saturday’s debacle this was just what we needed. Pub turned restaurant, solid food all round.
They do three courses for fifty quid, bread included for ‘free’( see the 108 thread for more bread debate 
) . And the bread is worth the hidden fee. Soda bread with Guinness ( as a flavour, not a pint) with whipped butter . Fight over it good.
Starters much lighter.Mine a mackerel beetroot and rhubarb salad. A light yet still punchy crab tart for the boss. The mains were Sunday night classics. Saddle of deer for me lamb for the boss. The deer was lovely but the lamb, which came on a board with carrots broccoli a Yorkshire pud and the best mint sauce I think I have ever had ( not too sweet as it can often be ) was the star of the show. It also came with a small piece of pork belly with which had been roasted in mustard. My word, that was dirty but good.Proper portions too.
We were arguably too full for pudding but definitely too greedy to decline. I had eyed up the lemon curd doughnuts before we went. They had that proper doughnut smell and came served with an earl grey cream which was surprisingly good ( I don’t drink tea) but yet again the boss chose best. Cooked cream (creme Catalana / creme brûlée ) with honey and thyme madeleines. Heavenly flavours.
The damage ? 160 including one cocktail, four glasses of wine and a twelve per cent service charge . Decent value in these parts, I suspect
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Excellent review, mate.
We ate there in 2010 and enjoyed ourselves (although my notes suggest I wasn’t 100% convinced of Michelin star worthiness - or, if it is, then there were loads of places I could think of just as good.
And it’s interesting how dishes can evolve over the years. We also had a starter involving beetroot & rhubarb, albeit with smoked eeel, not mackerel. But there was mackerel for a main course.
For me, if any place serves good bread (& butter) - half the battle’s been won. 
OK, I’m sold.
