The Coach

Food + drink: 4

Service: 4

Atmosphere: 4

Value: 4

Music (at just the right level) makes a contrast in atmosphere from Mr K's more trad’ pub across the road, where decibels escalate from diners' voices alone when service is in full swing. Booking in advance and deciding what cuisine we might fancy months ahead has prompted us to abandon H & F where we had been dining for years, often as walk-ins. So already being familiar with the food there, I was thrilled to find that the compact and cosy 'Coach has plenty of food appeal and a concise choice of wine, all available by the glass. Centre stage is the bar where you can eat and see the open rotisserie, but we quickly settled into a comfortable leather banquette, him supping beer and me a delicious English white called Limney which delivered exactly the flavours I had asked the female head waitress for, whilst we eagerly awaited our food. I skipped starter but forced (I lie) to sample the chicken confit terrine; in a word : divine. All plates are small even the roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, which importantly we were told to expect, so we ordered plenty of sides. In excitement I went a bit off-piste being unable to resist the potato boulangere cooked in meat juices, which wouldn’t have sat comfortably with my delicate plaice with shrimps and cavolo nero. Having finished my fish I tucked into the rich, wonderfully wintry flavoured boulangere with some hispy cabbage and celeriac which was vying for attention having been spit roast then drenched in truffle – lush as Mr K would say. The roast beef looked incredibly tender and soon disappeared, apparently leaving enough space for a dessert of whisky and rye, a type of rye flour cake soaked in alcohol with a blob of cream which didn’t quite deliver. Oddly, I ordered more potato in the form of fat chips with bernaise sauce, which even the cochon in me failed to finish. All done for £100 including water, beer and 5 glasses of wine. On my wish list for next time is an eye-catching chilli dish of Venison with Toasted Rice Cream, Red Wine and Chocolate, so we soon need to catch The Coach before ridiculous queues start forming.