BITE user comments - apreynolds
Comments by apreynolds
Just returned from a superb lunch at the Plough. The food prices were probably average for this area: I had Sea Bass at �14 and my wife had Stilton and Mushroom Wellington at �10. We were told that the food is all freshly made and it certainly seemed that way. The menu has a nice combination of old favourites and more imaginative dishes.
Real ales on the go were Young 's Ordinary and Special and a guest ale St Austell Tribute, which I had and was very well kept.
Bar man was friendly and eager to help. I agree that this pub seems more geared towards eating, but I don't think you'd feel too out of place just popping in for a few pints.
After the disappointment of the pubs in Cobham, this one was a welcome treat, to which we will return.
16 Feb 2011 15:01
Visited this pub whilst on holiday at the end of September 2010. Overall I liked it, nice mix of locals and visitors. The landlord was very friendly too. There are two outside seating terraces, one directly outside the pub and one down a set of steps closer to the water level. I would say this is a pub first that also offers food. That's not to say the food is poor, on the contrary, just that you wouldn't feel out of place just having a pint.
Beer: good, a selection of local(ish) ales and the usual Guinness and Lagers for those not into real ales.
Food: good selection, including tapas, reasonably priced (for the area), plus home-made cakes displayed on the bar to go with a post meal coffee.
13 Oct 2010 11:27
I visited this pub a few years back and it was ... quirky. But my abiding memory was of a nice pub with the grottiest (male) loos I'd ever had the misfortune to use.
Revisited last night. Pub seems to have changed hands. The bar area has been revamped and is clean and light (though not overlit). Good well kept local(ish) real ales, plus usual lagers, Guinness etc. (from memory). Food was excellent too, prices were nearer restaurant than bar, but this was reflected in the quality. And finally they've given the loos a make over! All in all an excellent little pub.
28 Mar 2007 10:25
Lovely old pub with a pleasant garden a short distance from the A303. Well kept real ales with one ever changing guest, plus usual lager etc. A very decent bar menu but also a restaurant menu to choose from. Ate there last night. Food was excellent. Only slight criticism; choice a bit limited for vegetarians, although what was offered was good.
28 Mar 2007 09:56
The Black Swan, Martyr's Green
I agree largely with fellwalker and bumpsfelt, but I suppose it depends what you look for in a pub.
If you like your pubs like most gastro pub/bars in and around London, then the new look Muck Duck may well appeal to you. The interior has been completely gutted and refurbished, and is clean and modern. Went in Saturday night just gone - very busy and full of mainly diners.
I had a pint of Ringwood Old Thumper, which I thought was good. Also being served were Shere Drop, Adnams and Bass, as well as the usual lagers and Guinness. Can't comment on the food as I didn't try it, however I did note that they were not serving from the bar menu - you could only order from the restaurant. I don't know why.
Enough of being objective: for my taste the refurbished Black Swan is not a patch on it's previous incarnation. Sure the old Duck needed a bit of cleaning up and a lick of paint, but it didn't need all the cosiness ripped out of it as has been done. In a choice between the old slightly grotty Muck Duck and the new bistro style Black Swan I'd take the former every time.
3 Oct 2006 11:44
The Purefoy Arms, Preston Candover
This pub has two very different rooms. One is a usual bar geared towards the younger drinker, complete with fruity, jukebox and pool table. Too brightly lit to be cosy I'd say. The other room is given over to dining. Beer was fine.
24 Feb 2006 19:34
The Crown and Sceptre, Kensington
Well kept beers (I had a nice pint of Moles) and decent food at a reasonable price. Very nice.
24 Feb 2006 19:28
This pub to look at is a bit modern for my liking with scrubbed floorboards and restaurant style seating. However I can't fault the beer - a great pint of Sharp's Doombar (Eden Ale also on offer). the usual lagers available if that's your bag. I went here for a late lunch this week and it was very quiet, but the barmaid was friendly and the food excellent. I had posh bangers and mash (pork and apricot sausages on a bed of mashed potatoes with jus de something or other) for �8. Very tasty and not bad value for this part of town.
24 Feb 2006 19:26
A very nice looking pub. Agreed that it gets very busy on any nice day. Beer selection is a bit limited/mundane for my liking: Youngs Ordinary, Wadworth 6X, London Pride (the latter 2 you'll find in just about any pub serving real ale south of Manchester), the odd guest ale would not go amiss. Of course there's the usual selection of Guinness and Stella etc. for non ale drinkers.
I haven't eaten here for a while (over 6 months), but my experiences are: food on the pricier side of affordable but generally well prepared and tasty. Very nice desserts (and large helpings!). Tables hard to come by if you arrive late-ish.
5 Oct 2005 09:56
By far the best pub in the Cobham area, for my money. MarkC has got it spot on, I'd say. Nice pub, occasionally smokey, but decent selection of well kept real ales.
5 Oct 2005 09:47
Old Plough, Stoke D'Abernon
Went in here last week when I had a spare half hour having missed a train. Great to see the place thriving again after a desperate period of closure.
Looks like they've taken positive steps to rebuild the reputation with "New Chef and New Menu" advertised outside. Indeed plenty of people were partaking.
I didn't have time for food but tried one of the four real ales on the go (Exmoor Ale), can't remember the others, and it was well kept.
Hopefully it'll be "upwards and onwards" for the Old Plough.
21 Feb 2011 20:55