I like my steak cooked blue. Seared on the outside, warm right through but kinda raw in the middle. When I order steak, I always ask for it blue or as rare as the chef is happy to cook it. I rarely get it blue. So far the only places I've eaten that are happy to cook it that way are The Grill on The Alley and The Grill on New York Street. Until last night.....
The White Horse is our local pub, just five minutes walk down the road and my other half and I have been in a couple of times since its refurb for a couple of drinks. Its a lovely homely pub with alcoves off and although open plan it feels like an old country local. Yes the decor and furniture is all new but it doesn't feel sterile and lacking personality like some do when they've been done up. Its a really lovely atmosphere in there.
There was a football match being played on the various TV screens and a quiz after the football so it was understandably busy for a Tuesday night. For me that just added to the atmosphere.
My better half likes it as it serves cask real ales, some from local breweries too, a nice selection with little samples on each pump so you can see the colour and clarity of each ale. A nice touch.
The menu itself is lovely, from classics like cod and chips to orzo pasta salad and sharer plates.
I fancied rump steak and my fella had Hunters chicken.
Despite how busy the place was it didn't take long for the food to arrive. The steak I had was a lovely thick piece that I was surprised to see had been cooked blue to perfection. Melt in the mouth, tasty and juicy. In fact my tastebuds are tingling now just thinking about it!
The hunters chicken looked and smelled good too, and was very good according to him indoors!
We also had a pud each, millionaires cheesecake and profiteroles which were both absolutely divine. Profiteroles were coated in chocolate and filled with hazelnut cream, a nice twist on a classic dessert.
All in all a really beautiful meal, the quality of the food is excellent, the prices reasonable, and the staff are friendly and gave exceptional service, especially given how busy it was.
I'm pretty sure we'll be eating there more often, it really is a gem of a place. read more