Q: Can I write an entire review in childish innuendo?
A: Probably not, but I will certainly try.
I love The Cock. (heh heh)
We entered The Cock on a Saturday evening, so that its delicious sausages might enter us; the sausages come highly recommended. I had the herbed sausage and my wife had a different kind I don't recall. The herbed sausages are packed with huge flavor, so if you're someone who likes a bit more subtlety to their food, probably not the choice for you. I went even bigger by getting the Hemingford mash, which is seasoned with mustard and horseradish; two things I don't normally go for but with the bold peppercorn sauce was fantastic. The whole juicy platter was flavor overload and I loved it.
What was possibly even more impressive was the wine list. I have not seen a better wine list at a pub in England -- and it's even better than most restaurants. The pub owners love the Languedoc-Roussillon region, and the wine list is a tour of the area. The list has several dozen wines, and really showcases the diversity of Languedoc. I learned a lot by just looking through the list. The bottle prices are very reasonable as well with minimal markup over retail. The bottle we ordered was on the menu for 25 Pounds, but retails for about 12, a very very reasonable markup. The wine was fantastic as well.
If there is one downside, it's that I think this place falls squarely into the restaurant pub category. As a local drinking pub, it's far from the best. Only 4 ales on tap and not a great choice for lager as an alternative. The "pub" side of the house was a bit small as well, and not terribly conducive to stand-up drinking since the bar itself is pretty small. It will do, but come here for the food in the restaurant, not the drinking atmosphere.
We can't wait to come back and get some more of The Cock! read more