THE ANGLESEY ARMS - Halnaker, Chichester

Desperate to squeeze all we can from the slice of pub paradise, we once again entered the outer reaches of Chichester. This time our target was The Anglesey Arms, a pub unknown to the both of us.

As if the pub Gods had decided to bless us this day, the sun emerged and shone its warming yellow magic on our chosen pub. This of course nudged us in to a full exploration of the pub garden. And what a pub garden it was. Let's get one thing out there straight away. We decided that this is probably the best pub garden we have visited thus far. There is ample seating scattered around the sizable and beautifully landscaped garden. There is a children's area and even a petanque set up, (French game, a bit like bowls). This made us wonder why more pubs don't have games, but that discussion is not for now.

This is a dog friendly pub, born out by the approach of the pub dog at the bar. He was wearing a neckerchief saying, "Please don't feed me", genius. The menu read well, and was augmented by a selection on the specials board. It was good to see a few dishes sporting local crab, both potted and otherwise. However, as is often our wont, we decided to test the classics. Sausage and mash for Dad, and fish and chips for me, both coming in at a very reasonable £12.50. It didn't take long for the food to arrive, but in the mean time we bathed in the wonder of a beautiful English pub garden kissed by some early June sun.

The sausages were produced by Mr O'Hagan, so you know they will be good. The mash was smooth, but could have used an extra twist of seasoning. The chips were pretty good, but the star of the show was a lovely peace of fish, of impressive size. A crunchy batter and tasty fish, that's all you want. The pub classics are very useful to scratch a benchmark, showing that basic principals are well understood and executed. Next time we visit, it would be interesting to sample something more elaborate.

This is a lovely pub with a good sized car park, and a brilliant garden. The main bar is great if you want a few drinks, and the restaurant area offers a separate space to sample the food. The service was just right, the menu was good, and the prices were where you would expect them to be. We are talking Goldilocks territory here. We had a wonderful time at The Anglesey Arms, and think that you will too, especially if you can get yourself a garden table when the sun makes an appearance.

Atmosphere 8.5

Service        8.5

Food           8

Value          8

Verdict        5*