Category Archives: Pubs

Platform 3 – The smallest pub in Britain

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Brightwater Brewery, Platform 3, The Parade, Claygate, Surrey, KT10 0PN

The upside: Lovingly crafted small batch beer available to drink in or take-away!

The downside: This pub is really small with short opening hours

The flipside: This really is the smallest pub in Britain selling a range of their own unique beers

If you turn into the parade towards Claygate Station in Surrey you’ll get a welcome surprise. As you venture forward independent retailers are on either side with traditional butchers, a fruit and veg shop, a top end traditional fishmongers, wine shop, deli, bakery and café. To top it all, right at the end next to the station is a tiny pub. Platform 3 has just enough standing room inside for two people, so when it is open guests rely on some outdoor tables with umbrellas to protect against the elements. This doesn’t stop the constant flow of customers coming to take a pint to drink straight away or take out for later. Everyone who comes in seems to know the owners and a strong sense of community is evident.

platform-3-sign-9x6

Alex started making beer with his dad when he was a teenager. Not, he says emphatically, with kits but from scratch with proper ingredients. He carried this on as a serious hobby during his IT career. When he was made redundant is 2012 he took six months off to recharge his batteries assuming he would just find another similar role to the one he had left. Economic turndown and age he suspected were not on his side. After six months he felt ready to attach himself to the world of work again and this time it was to start his own business. It seemed natural to him that a serious hobby that he had lots of expertise in and loved could become a full time job.

claygate-trio

First he set about equipping his brewery a huge research project but worth it to get it just right. This is housed in his garage at home with stainless steel professional equipment and is an official bonded warehouse. This is a government requirement for anybody who produces alcoholic drinks where duty is payable. Alex makes five beers on rotation from different recipes that produce golden, amber or dark ales. He lists availability on his website and these are available to drink in or take away. He reckons his beers are at their best at 3-4 weeks old and will only sell when they are in peak condition. To maintain this he brews batches to meet demand and as I discovered is a stickler for maintaining the drinking quality.

pub 9x6

Alex is the perfect landlord, chatty a beer aficionado plus he is extremely personable. In fact it would seem that this is the perfect career for him. He runs the business with his partner Sue (a business buff) so it’s a symbiotic combination of creativity and business acumen here too. The fact that all the beer he sells in the pub is his own brew is a real pull. Not just for the pints he serves but because he wouldn’t serve anyone a duff pint and he knows the stuff he sells from hops upwards. Whilst I was in the pub there was an endless stream of customers buying a pint to drink outside or to take away a firkin to share with friends later. Everyone is on first name terms and there is a sense of excitement that they are buying into something really unique.

Each of the beers on the menu currently in production have been through diligent recipe testing from the ambient temperature at which they are made to the type of hops and the ferment period. Beer, Alex confides is temperamental and there are many competing factors in getting each batch right such as your local water supply. No two batches will taste exactly the same because this is craft beer made by hand and each brew varies slightly with time of year and the affects of temperature, the raw ingredients and natural yeasts. This is part of the fun and like wine some brews are better than others but probably more so (I suspect) to an expert palate. Alex says that managing beer production is like bringing up a ‘petulant child’.

beer-trio9x6

Of the beers Alex makes, ‘Daisy Gold’ is the best seller (he named it after his dog who is apparently as ‘good as gold’). This light golden flavour packed beer is like others on his menu at around 4% volume. Alex specializes in what he calls session beer. It’s healthier and means you can enjoy a few pints in an evening and still walk home! This is particularly good for older drinkers and in line with current drinking advice from health professionals. In addition these beers are worthy of a more considered drinking session and deserve as such to be slowly imbibed.

Although golden ales are the most popular Alex also produces ‘Top Notch’ an amber ale which he makes with 2 different malts and dark-beer-claygateanother variety of hops. Citra is Brightwaters other golden ale, which gets its name from the hops used to make it. Known for its fresh lemony finish to beers ‘Citra’ has a zingier finish to ‘Daisy Gold’. This brewery also produces a rather unusual dark stout type beer called ‘Wild Orchid’. The use of black malt gives this its dark colour but by putting Madagascan Vanilla pods in each cask its also has a subtle hint of vanilla which doesn’t dominate but adds a lovely finish to the overall taste.

 

If you are a fan of craft beers I highly recommend a visit to Platform 3 it’s in a class of its own. With guest beers also on offer and other drinks for non-beer fans it’s a great afternoon out. Take-out, delivery for parties and ready bottled beer for gifts are also available. Go for the beer but also for the novelty value because this is the smallest pub in Britain!

Tel: 01372 462 334

Mob: 07802 316 389

Twitter @SmallestPubinUK

This review was originally published in Essence Magazine in February 2016

 

 

The Cock Inn

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Cock Inn Mark EvansChurch Lane, Headley, Surrey KT18 6LE

New gastro pub by dynamic independent food and drink family Red Mist 

The Upside: Great food and drink menu with a positive lean towards seasonal and local on both counts

The downside: A little inconsistency in dishes served on my recent visit

The flipside: This is a pub group with high standards so it’s likely that any teething problems will get swiftly sorted

Driving through some classic Surrey countryside the arrival at this newcomer to the Red Mist Group is full of anticipation! Some of you will already know the Queens Head in East Clandon (my local) and the Stag in Eashing Lane near Milford. If you do, it will come as no surprise that this venue has been treated to the same quality facelift as the other members of this growing family. A large working fireplace creates a focus to the bar room and the outside area has a deck for additional seating in good weather. They have shared menus within the chain but allow chefs to strut their own personal style with the ‘specials’. The PR team had told me that Head Chef, Mark Evans had spent a lot of his early career down-under so I was looking forward to an Antipodean influence on the menu.

cock in starter

I met up with fellow foodie Sally Iddles and as we perused the menu it felt familiar (we are both regulars at their other venues) but not identical. The specials menu, while lacking any promised Aussie vibe had fresh clams in white wine as a starter (my choice at £7.90) served with toasted Chalk Hills focaccia. We also selected the camembert and asparagus tart with roast tomato relish (£6.95). Fresh soup of the day was leek and potato (£5) served with bread and we already know the chicken liver paté with chutney (£7.90) is a winner. My clams were fresh, plump and cooked to perfection. They arrived at the table piping hot and with a surprise squeeze of fresh lemon. The bread on the side, although toasted, softened willingly in the clam broth. Whilst I was charmed with my starter the Camembert tart was failed to wow A moulded pastry case had been simply filled with camembert and left in the oven to melt. Topped with rocket leaves and served with a drizzle of basil oil and what seemed to be red onion jam and no sign of the asparagus.

camembert tart

For mains we ordered again one dish from the printed menu and the other from the specials board. My pork fillet with apricot and sage stuffing on fondant potato, stem broccoli, rhubarb chutney and Hazy Hog jus (£15.50) was a generous portion and plated with confidence. In contrast the fish from the specials board lacked finesse both in its presentation and execution. Torbay sole served with prawn and caper butter (£17.90) sounded like a great combination and the fish was served on the bone (which was good) but lacked the back-up attitude that capers can contribute. The poorest element was the crushed new potatoes that were overcooked. The fish itself was perfectly cooked, delicate and fresh and my pork dish was tender, tasty and melt-in-the-mouth.

main at the cock

Not deterred we moved on dessert selecting a baked cheesecake with vanilla ice-cream and a pannacotta (both £5.95). The cheesecake looked as though it could have been bought in but we were reassured that it had been made on site. Not oversweet it confirmed the ‘homemade’ label which was a definite ‘plus’ . The texture was firm and creamy but we both felt the accompanying ice-cream was an odd match. This was very sweet with a metallic twang and spoilt the overall taste profile. The panna cotta was served in its dish and too firm for my liking. Pannacotta is usually served out of its mould and should have real ‘wobble’ leading to a easily yielding creamy texture. We had coffee to finish and concluded that there had been some great elements to our meal.

cock in desserts

Chatting to Chef Mark Evans it was clear they are finding their feet in their new venue. I really like this small independent chain and love the fact they have local beer, use local products like Norbury-Blue Cheese (the only cheese made in Surrey), and prepare the majority of food from scratch in each venue. Mark is keen to bring in some of his culinary creativity from down-under but feels the business has to consolidate before they shake things up. He is, in his own words ‘playing-it-safe’.

It’s early days for this pub-dining venture and if they can iron out the wrinkles I am sure it will become as popular as their other dining rooms.

cockinnheadley.co.uk

01372 377258

red mist family

 

 

The Olive Tree

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The Olive Tree, Sutton Green Road, Sutton Green, Surrey, GU4 7QDOlive Tree interior

A haven of comfort and good food just a short drive from Guildford

Go there for: Local meat and fresh seafood in the stylish dining room or bar food on comfy sofas around an open fire.

Avoid: Vegetarian options: not always a good choice here.

Is it worth the calories?: The desserts are excellent so consider raising the bar on your recommended daily intake.

Tips:  Close to Guildford with a decent car park and good food, this pub is popular so book at weekends.

Stepping into this pub is like visiting a friend who really knows how to accent their home. It’s comfortable, welcoming and professionally run. In addition to a full bar and a la carte menu they offer bowls of olives and nuts (from Olives et al) to complement their carefully selected drinks catalogue – what a great idea.

This is Gill and Rupert Ponsonby’s third pub in Surrey and they feel they have made their mark here. Rupert heads up the kitchen and Gill manages front of house. Food can be ordered from the dining room à la carte menu or from a less formal blackboard with daily specials. They source their meat locally and fish comes in daily. They like to follow the seasons and game was just about to hit the menu. Rupert said regulars often order lobster and seafood platters for two in advance. A sharing platter of mixed shellfish including scallops, lobster and prawns is £40.80; the Côtes de Boeuf, a double rib of beef with trimmings, is £45.00. A beef platter arrived for our neighbours: impressive, but what a lot of food!

I was a little surprised when my grilled lamb and Greek salad (£14.95) arrived: the generous pile of meat had been unceremoniously plonked on top of the salad leaves. As this was served in a bowl I would have expected the lamb to be more thinly sliced.

Lamb salad, blueberry and lemon cheesecake and fishcakes

However, the meat was tender and delicious (although a little awkward to cut) and the salad with feta a great match. The salmon fishcakes (£10.50) were a hit, with the right balance of mash to the fresh pink salmon and the chunky chips piping hot and crisp. The blueberry and lemon cheesecake (£5.80) was creamy and intensely citrusy, balanced by the fruitiness of the blueberries; a swish of cream gave just enough moisture for the perfect mouthful.

On a return visit we sampled a steak with salad (£14.95) and a vegetarian dish. The steak was tender, tasty and faultless and the salad fresh and well dressed.  However the cashew-nut roast from the blackboard menu had huge potential but was distinctly underwhelming. It was served with roasted vegetables on a gorgeous orange red pepper sauce but the roast was modest in size and lacked both personality and cashew nuts. It just wasn’t great and at £10.50 a bit cheeky. Luckily we had room for pudding. The fresh red-plum crumble with vanilla ice-cream (£5.80) tasted of late summer, was comforting, warming and redeemed our spirits. It was a Greg Wallace moment: he would have loved it too.

Steak, plum crumble and smoked haddock risotto

The couple on the next table were tucking into a smoked haddock risotto and beef stroganoff. They had just moved to Guildford and found the pub by chance. They thought their food was delicious and we agreed that that the pub, the setting and food are good enough for a return visit.

The Olive Tree

01483 729999

Text and Images Shirlee
Text and Images Shirlee

The Parrot Inn

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The Parrot Inn, Forest Green, Surrey RH5 5R2

A pleasing country pub with locally sourced food on the menu.Parrot Inn Forest Green

Go there for: Hearty pub food with a modern tweak featuring the owner’s farm- reared meat and produce.

Avoid: Thinking this too far off the beaten track to travel too: the journey is well worth it.

Is it worth the calories?: We think so! But careful, the portions are generous here.

Tips: Make sure you try the unique air-cured ham made in their own butchery. Request that your pudding is heated in the oven and not the microwave.

This has the double whammy of being a highly regarded gastro pub and an award winning farm shop. This is a Gotto family affair and they have a wealth of experience from enterprises in London and Surrey. Enjoy a sandwich from the specials board at the bar or order from the main menu in the dining room or pub itself. On sunny days, sit in the garden and gaze across the green into open countryside: it’s a tantalisingly relaxing location to watch the world go by, on horseback, horse-drawn carriage and other modes of transport.

We visited last November on a crisp autumn day: Jane ordered a deep dish steak and ale pie with a puff pastry crust, mashed potato and vegetables. The filling was perfectly cooked, full of autumnal feistiness, the meat mouth-meltingly tender. I had the pork and pistachio terrine with goose rillettes and toasted sour dough. The terrine was a little dry but perfectly balanced by some wine jelly and they were happy to bring some more. The waitress also bought us a sample of their homemade soup to try, which was delicious. For dessert we shared a chocolate and cognac flan with salted butter caramel sauce with a hand made biscuit and ice cream.

Pork and pistachio terrine and Beef and Ale Pie

A disappointing finish, as the flan had been microwaved (a pet hate of ours), which made the pastry soggy. We didn’t finish it and explained why we had left it. Without hesitation the dessert was removed from our bill. We felt that they had been extremely professional as the meal had been delicious apart from the dessert.

Bar menu, Pub from the road and Cognac and chocolate flan

On a summer visit I sampled a starter from the main menu: scallops in sauce vierge. This was an interesting version of this sauce, a little more cooked than you would expect a true vierge to be. It worked well, as the bacon and tomato flavours accented the fat juicy scallops with great aplomb. It was essential to try another dessert: this time I couldn’t resist lemon sponge with vanilla ice cream and lemon curd. The lemon curd was tart and sweet, a perfect match for the warm sponge and cold ice cream.

Scallops in sauce vierge, cut juicy scallop and lemon sponge pudding

I have a niggling feeling that the sponge might have also had its molecules realigned by waves generated by a magnetron, but the food is good enough to withstand this very slight criticism. I got chatting to some American tourists, who had also had a great lunch. We agreed that the setting and food in this pub was worth the journey through some gorgeous Surrey countryside.

01306 621 339

The Parrot Inn