THE GOOD INTENT - 40 - 46 College street, Petersfield

This pub had been on our list to revisit after eating here several times in the past. So thinking it about time we got a review on the board, we belted up and headed for the wonderful village of Petersfield.

The good intent has a reputation for live music at weekends, as well as an open mic night on Thursdays. It is also a dog friendly pub, at least we assume it is, as there were several dogs in there. It doesn't have a garden, although there are a few seats out the front. A note of caution, the entrance to the car park is quite narrow, so beware if travelling in tanks.

This is one of those nice old fashioned pubs, making its way in the evolving pub market, where the gastro pub is king. Thankfully it has managed to keep its charm whilst adopting the foodie ethic, essential for all modern pubs. The interior is very much of a wood motive, wooden floors, wooden tables, you get the idea.

After ordering drinks, we took a window table and were bought menus to peruse. There is also a specials board, which will divulge details as to the pie or pasta of the week. Starters and sandwiches/baguettes, ranged from £6 - £8, while mains could be purchased for £10 - £18, although the upper price is reserved for steak, as is the case in most pubs. There is also a selection of O'Hagan's sausages on offer, but to be honest, nothing much on the menu was jumping out at us. I picked fish and chips, Dad went for ham and chips, both of which came in at around £13. We've decided to try not to bang on about prices too much, we'll just let you know how much things are and you can make your own mind up.

The food didn't take too long, but as we waited, we both made the same observation. The choice of music for a Friday lunchtime was a bit out of place. It sounded like a, "Get your party started", album, or maybe the beginning of a wedding reception. It'd be fine in the evening, maybe not so much for a quiet lunchtime. When our food was delivered, I felt I had probably got the better end of the deal. Ham can be a wonderful product, but it can also be an average and slightly disappointing thing. I think Dad's came more from the latter category. I was given a lovely big piece of fish, cooked well, although my peas were a little on the cold side. We were interested to see what the chips were like, due to them being advertised as hand cut on the menu. Turns out they were rather good, straight in to the top five chip pubs, if such a thing exists.

This is a nice pub, especially for a drink in the evenings, or if you can grab an outside table during the Summer months. We did feel the menu was a little limited and slightly overpriced in places. The food is of a good standard without being exceptional, the music choice needs a rethink and it could be a few degrees warmer. Having said that, this is a solid enough pub, and well deserving of a place on our lists.

Atmosphere          6.5

Service                 7

Food                    7.5

Value                   6

Verdict                 3*

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