New Zealand Arms, Derbyback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Under new management, but not much has changed. Latest visit saw an extended range of beers, though still only Dancing Duck. However, the beer I had (Quack Addict), was much TOO COLD. Food now only serving weekday evenings or Saturday lunchtimes.
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I’m afraid I will have to revise my score for this pub downwards. On my latest visit, there were no guest beers available – only the two sets of the same 6 Dancing Duck beers. [ I chose Dark Drake, as it was my favourite of the ones available. ] Food is only now available in the evenings. Some of the traditional seating has been replaced by comfy sofas. There isn’t even a magic eye picture in the gents any more ! Still a good pub though.
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I'm afraid I have to agree with the previous post. Of the two Dancing Duck pubs in Derby I'd say that the Exeter is Dr Jekyll and the New Zealand is Mr Hyde. I walked a long way from the train station to visit the pub based upon it's previous reputation on recommendations from friends and I have to say it wasn't worth the walk for the quality of beer or the phone wielding staff. I'm afraid I can't comment on the food as I only stayed for a single pint, the Dark Drake was far superior when I had it in the Exeter on the way back to the station.
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Beer is not kept right, food is poor and overpriced, staff are inept and impolite. It used to be a good pub, not anymore. My advice, don't bother.
Pmh39 - 14 Nov 2015 13:22 |
It’s me again ! Just thought I’d better point out that the menu has changed. At lunchtimes nowadays you get a restricted range of soup, nachos, jacket potatoes and sandwiches. Evening meals are of a very standardised “pub grub” type. Beer range remains pretty much the same (including Duck Berry which I’ve never seen elsewhere), although the Vanilla Infused Porter wasn’t available this time.
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Well we both kept our promises ! I brought a friend along, and they provided the Indian Porter - which was excellent. Also sampled the "Project Venus" beer which the landlady recommended.
Don't think I've mentioned the "mafic eye" pictures in the Gents yet ...
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Thought I’d let you folks know that I’ve now sampled the food here. It is pretty much a standard “pub grub” menu, but with an emphasis on mash and mushy peas (both of which I avoid like the plague !). After a false start (when they discovered they had no Brown Clough pies left), I settled for the meat taco. It fact it turned out to be three tacos, overflowing with chilli, on a bed of rice that covered the whole plate, with cheese sprinkled over the top, plus cole slaw and a side salad. In short an enormous portion – but I wolfed it down greedily ! Not exactly haute cuisine, but good filling food. [ Not the quickest service I’ve ever had, but that’s home cooking for you ]
As for beer, the range was pretty much the same as before – with two guests. I plumped for the Buck Berry again (excellent beer - wonderful pump clip !). They promise to have their Indian Porter available for my next visit (planned to be a week on Saturday).
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Oh my god - this place is “ducking” brilliant ! The sort of back street boozer you thought didn’t exist any more. Has obviously been refurbished, but some of the original furnishings (dark, stained, wooden settles), have been retained. Elsewhere there is a choice of types of seating, including bar stools, and comfy chairs. Various sorts of “duckabelia” on the walls.
Had about 7 of Dancing Duck’s beers on tap, plus a couple of guests. I started off with their standard “Ay Up” which was nice but a bit hoppy for me. Then I couldn’t resist having the Duck Berry, as the pump clip showed a duck in Chuck Berry guitar prowling mode !! That was very nice indeed. Part of the bar was designated a “cider bar”, with about 9 or 10 ciders listed, but I didn’t try those. Forgot to say that beer is cheaper than most places in Derby - £2.70 to £2.90 a pint.
Food is available courtesy of Karen’s Kitchen, but I didn’t sample it – that’s for next time !
There is a pool table for those so inclined.
Only (slight) negative feature was the music being played, which didn’t seem necessary, but it wasn’t intrusive.
BTW, for those of you who are lazy, take the number 29 bus from Albert Street in city centre, and get off at Surrey Street. [ Walk up Surrey St and turn right at top ]
8/10 – but may well revise upwards after another visit !
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Excellent little corner pub in the T-O-C houses. I hope the locals support it as it's a bit of step from the city centre. Owned by Dancing Duck and there was a whole tranche of their excellent brews on.
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The second Dancing Duck pub in Derby is situated just two minutes walk from Ashbourne Road, and serves up to eight ciders and eight ales. Guest ales were from Theakstons and Dark Star with all others from Dancing Duck Brewery. Two beers sampled were both from Dancing Duck namely 22 and Absolution which were fine and well looked after.
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Was here a couple of Thursday's ago and was well worth the walk in this excellent city for real ale pubs. This one is exactly what a back street pub should be, a gem
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Re-opened four days ago under the stewardship of the local Dancing Duck brewery, so local to this pub that it must now be acting as the brewery tap.
Deceptively large corner back street pub, with three entrances into what presumably must have been separate bars in the past, but which is now one large open area, albeit subdivided by big pillars and double-sided fireplaces etc. Large L shaped bar with six Dancing Duck ales on at one end, all at �2.50 a pint, and six other pumps for guests at the other end. As you would expect, the house ales are superb, the Dark Drake stout, the Brown Clough and the Ay Up sampled on this occasion. The very friendly staff are obviously keen to make an early impression. They haven't got everything up and running yet in terms of food etc, but it was most important to get the beer flowing and that they have done superbly.
It is a little off the main road and I suspect they may have a previous body of local clientele to deal with, but I trust they will pull in discerning ale-drinkers from the west end of Derby, as it is really only a short walk from the likes of Mr Grundy's and the Greyhound, so should become part of a real-ale trail very quickly.
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