Review
The Union Inn, Denbury

After hearing the Union Inn in Denbury had recently been taken over with a new menu popular with the locals, I was keen to try it out.

Located opposite the village green, it was a 14th-century blacksmith’s residence prior to becoming a public house and retains much of its original features, including wide open medieval stone fireplaces, low oak-beamed ceilings and bare stone walls. It has been sympathetically updated with blue/grey wooden panels and new furniture.

Danni and Rob Webb appear to have struck the right balance with locals and visitors. The menu features traditional pub grub, while the specials board incorporates popular dishes from around the world. Ingredients are sourced locally where possible, and head chef Tom does a fine of job of cooking them.

For starters, I went for the spicy tomato soup. It was rich, wholesome and well-seasoned with a warm chilli kick. To follow, I chose the salmon fillet from the specials board, with herbed new potatoes, a mixed salad and a deliciously creamy Chardonnay sauce.

Andrew opted for the king prawn and spinach gratin to start. The sweetness of the prawns was well-balanced with the sauce, which he polished off with warm ciabatta bread. He then chose a perfectly cooked 10oz rump steak of West Country beef (rare), which was served with onion rings, mushrooms and a pepper sauce.

My made-to-order dessert of chocolate fondant was well worth the wait. Molten chocolate oozed out of its centre and the refreshing raspberry sorbet was divine. Andrew’s sticky toffee pudding was deliciously moist and sweet – the perfect end to a great night out.