Review
The Hare & Hounds

There’s something uplifting about walking into a pub on a drizzly evening to find it’s packed to the gunnels with happy, chattering punters.

Packed it may be, but it doesn’t feel crowded. The pub is spacious and has a comfortable, contemporary feel, with lots of smart wooden panelling.

Although I turned vegetarian this year, I do miss scallops. So I strong-armed my guest into choosing a starter of seared scallops with crushed peas and crispy pancetta from the specials menu. At least I could drool over them!

When my goat’s cheese & cherry tomato puff pastry tart arrived, I was almost overwhelmed by the portion size. However, as the pastry was feathery light, I had plenty of room for a main course. There was ample choice on the menu. I opted for the falafel and spinach burger with guacamole. My guest chose the monkfish and king prawn Southern Indian style curry.

My burger – another generous portion – came in a crisp focaccia roll with a crunchy homemade coleslaw and a side of fresh avocado dip. I kept protesting that I was full, but somehow managed just one more mouthful. Across the table, my guest wolfed down the fish curry with its rich, piquant sauce.

Our lovely waitress Eva took time to chat between courses, telling us a little of the pub’s history, which has been owned by the same person for decades. She’s worked there for 10 years and said her children love it so much they wouldn’t let her leave! Many locals visit regularly to enjoy the well-priced, delicious food. It’s also ideally located for tourists.

After a breather, we felt we could squeeze in a pud. The dessert trolley was laden with cheesecake, rocky road, raspberry swirl meringues, a huge platter of cheese and more. We were swayed by the filled meringue nests and unable to resist extra cream. We rounded off our evening with coffee and, so conducive was the atmosphere to a relaxed meal, we found we were the last to leave.