Ye Olde Inne, Westerleigh Review

Ye Olde Inne at Westerleigh has had a makeover and been revitalised by the new landlords Tony and Tracey who are brimming with good ideas and enthusiasm for their new venture. It shows too, the pub sparkles with good cheer and there is a warm welcome for everybody even our four-legged friends are not left out with two doggy bowls by the bar in case they can’t manage a pint.

Sunday lunch is building up to be their speciality; it was a lovely day and we took a drive into the country to see for ourselves what has been generating glowing reviews. The pub is in a delightful quiet spot nestling under the wing of the village church and inside the low beamed ceilings and collection of ‘snugs’ off the main bay-windowed restaurant create a cosy atmosphere.

Ye Olde Inne is a free house now and we were delighted to find Birra Moretti on draught and lost no time in ordering a pint; there was a large party of Italians at the next table and I wondered if they knew. The Sunday lunch menu is definitely a different take on the traditional lunch as we know it – there were three types of roast to choose from : succulent beef, garlic and rosemary seasoned lamb and roast pork belly but the twist is that they each come with all the trimmings, and I do mean all. You are certain to get your five a day as the list comprises, roast potatoes, swede, carrots, sprouts, red cabbage, honey roast parsnips, broccoli, pigs in blankets, Yorkshire pudding and last but not least stuffing. And our charming waitress tempted us into having a side dish of cheesy leeks just in case we were more peckish than we thought.

The lunches are served to you at your table (a nice touch, self service has never been my thing) and we were agog when we saw our two plates piled high and steaming gently making their way towards us in the capable hands of our waitress. They both looked great all the vegetables beautifully arranged and appetisingly drizzled with gravy. I did a headcount to make sure not even a sprout was missing and tucked in; now I never thought I would enjoy stuffing with lamb but I did, both the lamb and the pork belly were cooked to perfection and I can thoroughly recommend this “all inclusive” version of Sunday lunch.

We finished off with the most delightful dessert, orange cake with chocolate topping and vanilla ice-cream. We had a lovely time and thought it particularly good value at £12.95 for the lamb and £11.95 for the pork belly, especially as we both agreed we probably wouldn’t eat another thing until the following Sunday!

Jacquie Vowles