Review

This picturesque village inn with low ceilings, ancient beams and good, filling food, is the epitome of the traditional English pub. If first impressions count, it is immediately appealing as a place to eat with its bare pine tables and candles laden with the melted wax from previous days. The pub specialises in pie and

A good pie is dependant on the quality of its pastry, and we were not disappointed

mash and while this might sound rather unvaried, the diversity of fillings on offer should accommodate most tastes, including vegetarian, and there are always interesting salads as alternatives.

Anticipating the main-course to be quite heavy, we opted to share a starter. All the imaginative salads come in starter-size and we chose marinated strips of stir-fried chicken with bacon, avocado and pine nuts, on mixed leaves. The generous portion was easily enough for two diners, and there was no awkwardness with the waitress when we asked to share: we were offered a second plate without asking.
A good pie is dependant on the quality of its pastry, and we were not disappointed. The pastry was perfection - not greasy like suet, nor dry like some short-crust, and the glaze gave it an appetizing golden colour. We opted for traditional fillings, organic Lanarkshire beef with mushrooms and red wine, and seasonal game with redcurrants, port wine and herbs. The latter was intensely flavoured and the herbs may have been a little generous but the mash neutralised it somewhat, as did the flavoursome red-wine gravy. There is a choice of mashes, such as mustard and basil but we chose the spring onion as the most appropriate. We noticed that other diners, like ourselves, were unable to finish the large portions of vegetables.

The desserts on offer were a little disappointing given the quality of the earlier courses, as they seemed to be bought-in catered desserts, now a common practice in pubs. We chose two of the lighter ones, Champagne mousse wrapped in sponge, rather like a Swiss roll, and lemon brulée, a frozen cream with a burnt-sugar topping.

The service at The Duke of Wellington was polite, friendly and helpful and the proprietors are evidently keen to oblige their customers. This even extends to running a courtesy car for the surrounding villages - all they ask is a contribution to petrol. They also invite diners in a hurry to phone ahead to order, a good incentive for business customers from neighbouring centres like Bar Hill.