Revisit: 1/11/18
It's time
for another refresh mission, this time in the company of my dear brother, Tom.
I thought it was time to see how the Village Inn of Burriton had progressed
since it's opening. Dad and I checked it out when it eventually opened for
business, and we had mixed feelings. So follow me dear reader, and we shall see
what has changed, or not.
This is
what I would call a contemporary pub. It is clean and light, no sticky carpets
here. There is a small bar, which was being tended by the landlord. It became clear
as the evening passed that he was working the front of house alone, but it
never seemed to get too much. It is clear from the drinks on offer that this is
a modern pub, trying hard to do things properly, you won't find Fosters here.
It wasn't too busy, so we had no trouble procuring a table. When we sat down to
work our way through the menu, I had the impression that it wasn't much
different from my last visit. That's not to say it's a bad menu, it has all the
things that you would expect from a pub menu, but we felt it could have done
with a few additions that catch your imagination. The other thing that struck
us was some of the prices. The burger was £15.50 and the fish and chips £14.
But then curiously, the sausage and mash was much more reasonable and closer to
£10. If I'm being honest, nothing much was jumping out at me, so I ordered the
fish and chips, while Tom went for the burger, this is his standard gage of pub
food.
A major
gripe from my first time at this pub was the temperature. I remember having to
keep my coat on throughout. That I'm glad to say has been addressed, and it was
pleasantly cosy. There was also some music to warm the atmosphere. Our food was
delivered by the landlord in good time, and we both agreed that it looked good.
We also both agreed that the food tasted good. Nice fish, crisp batter, good
homemade chips and lovely crushed peas. There was also a good amount of tartar
sauce. If I had to make a suggestion, it would be a more generous portion of
the peas. Tom's burger was satisfying and of good size, leaving him pleased and
free of grumbles.
Considering
the landlord was going solo out front, we think he did a great job, remaining
calm and methodical at all times. He was also friendly and attentive in a
reassuringly understated way. The food here is good, but varies little from the
pub classics, and is at points overpriced. The pub itself though is much
improved, and a much nicer place to be than when I first visited. How you feel
about this pub will largely depend on your general feeling about what a pub
should be. If you are a low ceiling and oak beams type, this might not do it
for you. If you like minimal, light and modern spaces, this is worth a look.
One final note, finding the toilet can be quite the adventure. Down the stairs
and round the corner, that's the way to the toilet.
Atmosphere 7
Service 8
Food 8.5
Value 6
Verdict 4*
Previousreview
It's taken us a while, but we finally managed to get inside The Village Inn. After months of refurbishment, false dawns and several visits finding said pub closed, we gained access, metaphorical note books in hand.
Buriton is
a lovely little village, making you feel like you have travelled back in time
to when life was much simpler. When children played merrily in the park and
lunatics were never voted in to seats of extreme power. This picturesque corner
of the world is blessed with two pubs, but it is the newer of the two which was
to get our full attention.
This pub
feels clean and new in a wooden kind of a way. It has tried to keep some essence
of the country pub, without shunning the trappings of modernity. Being that the
winter chill was in full swing outside, it was a relief to get inside and feel
some semblance of warmth. It was however only a temporary reprieve. After
settling down it became clear that it could have been a bit warmer, though in
fairness, the obliging manager kindly switched on a heater which happened to be
next to our chosen table.
We were
given a lunchtime menu to peruse, this didn't offer the widest selection, but
enough for most people to find something that appeals. There wasn't much that
would suit my fussy tastes, so I ended up going for the fish and chips, Dad
opting for gammon, egg and chips. All chips on the menu were advertised as
triple cooked, this peaked our interest, both of us being fans of the thrice
cooked chip. The manager was reassuringly informed about the food on offer,
happily explaining where the produce was sourced and championing its freshness,
he also told me that the fish and chips were excellent. Incidentally, an
average meal here will set you back somewhere in the region of £12.
When the
food arrived, it looked good, my one concern being the colour of the previously
mentioned triple cooked chips, but more of that later. We had been told how
fresh the super fresh fish was, and so it proved. It was indeed a beautiful piece
of fish in a perfect batter. The tartar sauce was delicious and clearly home
made. Dad was happy with his gammon, and eggs is eggs, but as much as Dad has
told me I shouldn't go on about chips too much, in this case it is important
and we would be failing in our duty should we shy away from such a topic. It
pains me to say it, but the chips weren't cooked enough, many of them still
being unpleasantly hard within their crisp jacket. What I'm struggling with, is
how a chip that's been cooked three times can still remain resolutely uncooked.
Let's now put that to one side, hoping that this was an unfortunate one off.
This is a
nice pub, run by a keen, enthusiastic and informed manager. It has also only
been open for business a few weeks at the time of writing, so will
understandably still be finding its feet. We shall return at some point in the
future to see how things are working out, but until then, go and see for
yourself and let us know what you think.
Atmosphere 7
Service 8
Food 7
Value 7
Verdict 3.5*
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