BITE user comments - kneipejaeger
Comments by kneipejaeger
The Harbour Lights, Bournemouth
I'm afraid this is a pub to avoid! True, its location makes for very pleasant views of teh pier, the beachand the sea, and there is a balcony which must be packed in summer. However, there are several important reservations. The beer is under so much blanket pressure it is actually unpleasant, and I was served a pint with between one and two fingers space at the top - the manager had to top up the glass, as the bar man ended up spilling more thanhe put into the glass! The food was, quite frankly, awful, really awful. The steak, usually the safe option, was so tenderised it had lost all structure, and yet managed to be both tough and tasteless. It was served with three (yes, three) small reheated onion rings and cold chips. The chicken fajitas, though well presented, were so swimming in oil, that we had to drain this off into a bowl we had to ask for. This was problably the worst pub meal I can remember having - ever - and not an experience I will repeat. Having said that, the service was incredibly prompt - something like three or four minutes after ordering (read into that what you will!), and their desire to clear your plates away was equally exemplary (though the waitress was hanging around waiting for us to finish, despite the pub only being about a quarter full, was somewhat disconcerting). Go for the view, and the view alone, or go with your eyes wide open - not a place I can recommend, I'm afraid.
28 Feb 2007 09:03
Great pub in the heart of the New Forest a coupleof miles to the south of the A31. Serves generous ploughmans's lunches, though we were surprised at the wait, given the pub was really quite empty. Menu seems innovative, to the point of elaborate, but those eating seemedto enjoy it! Not, shall we say, of the cheapest - not even the ploughman's! Given the huge floor area and the desire to make a strong impression with the food, it may well be that the new landlord will think of turning this into a gastro-pub in the near future. Beer is well kept and tasty, though some of the staff do not know enough about the beers themselves! Parking may well be a problem is summer!
28 Feb 2007 08:35
The Square and Compass, Worth Matravers
Had a chance to go back to the S&Q last weekend, and took it with glee! Full, on a wet and windy Saturday in February, but managed to squeeze four onto a table of locals out for a walk. Pasties smaller than I remember (perhaps I was just more hungry!) - but the beer, the open fire and the atmosphere every bit as good. To make things easy for the staff, everything is sold in units of �2.50, so �10 will get you two pasties and two pints - just what was needed before a stiff clifftop walk! I only hope and pray they manage to withstand the trend for modernisation - this pub should be listed as a grade 1 building to preserve it!
28 Feb 2007 08:17
The Pride of the Valley, Churt
This used to be the home of David Lloyd George, and it still feels as though you are intrduding into someone's living room! It is quite an experience, but best savoured when there is nothing on that will bring the TV in! There are very few places where you can sit and read one of the pub's own books, by a roaring fire, and only buy one pint all evening! It is a real find, and well worth the visit.
9 Feb 2007 17:31
Quite the best pub for miles around for the quality and diversity of the beer and cider it offers. It is very small inside, and can be quite smokey, but it is quiet and very friendly. I do not remember ever hearing canned music of any sort - if there is, it is refreshingly so quiet as to be totally unobtrusive. The staff are very knowledgeable about what they have on offer, and are very happy to offer you a tasting sample - wonderful - super place!
9 Feb 2007 17:26
A rare find indeed! A pub of great character and individualism. It boasts a superb atmosphere and friendly staff, and excellent beer - what more could you possible want! Oh yes, and the bar food is pretty good too!
9 Feb 2007 17:21
The Three Horseshoes, Thursley
The centre of community life, except that they won't allow the Cricket Club to change there, because of the mud they might bring in! Very busy, risks being a victimof its own success. Very small bar area,but large and very pleasant garden, and pleasant service, if not always very speedy, probably because of the number of visitors. Great in summer when you have time to spare, and can sit outside, and enjoy the food, which is adventurous and very successful. The beers are varied - we have never been disappointed by either choice or quality, though not particularly cheap!
9 Feb 2007 17:15
Unpretentious drinking house, used mostly by locals. The beer is good, though it is not always easy to get served, as everyone stays at the bar, rather than use the seats available! Not oneto drive miles for, but not too bad either!
9 Feb 2007 17:09
This is a case of a pub that was very indifferently renovated a few years ago, probalby to make it have the feel of a London suburb pub. There is a very large area to the left as you walk in, and a room to the right, dominated by an all-pervading large TV screen. The large area was notable by its emptiness, and yet its overriding smell of cigarettes - indeed, it was actually quite unpleasant. The beer is nothing special, served, I suspect, under blanket pressure, which keeps the beer stable over a longer period, but does little for its flavour. The success of the food was demonstrated by the fact that no-one was eating any - it seemed quite expensive for what it was. There is a patio area at the front, overlooking a busy main road - this is the area that was best occupied. I did not have the feeling that many locals use the pub, but mostly those who come upon it by chance. It could be very good, but must do better in almost every aspect.
9 Feb 2007 17:05
Bat and Ball, Broad Half Penny Down
This is where it all started, Cricket, I mean, not Beer! The pub has been through hard times, but is now as much a museum to the days when Hambledon thrashed England, and Richard Nyren ruled the world. The original frontage still exists, but there are a myriad of extensions to the back and side, which have deprived the pub of much of its character. Food is expensive, and quite frankly, not that imaginative, but pleasant, but the beer has always been good, though not of the cheapest! It is the museum to the "Cradle of Cricket" that draws most people here, and, though small and not that well lit - and notwithstanding that you have to ask people to move if you want to see the exhibits close to! - it is both informative and interesting, with artefacts and illustrations, scorecards and portraits dating back to the very beginnings of the game, until the MCC took over the organisation and the rule-making. A pub for enthusiasts, then, somewhere to go for a reason, but one which, if you are interested in what it offers, will be very well rewarded.
9 Feb 2007 16:43
The Square and Compass, Worth Matravers
This is a pub that we first got to know on a wet and windy March evening when we were camping locally over 35 years ago! Even now, we go back there when we are in the area. It is quite simply magnificent. The beer is served from a jug which the landlord fills directly from the barrel, and has always been an absolute joy to drink. The pasties are enormous, and, provided you are prepared to be flexible about how they are served, they make a magnificent meal. There is only one problem - as more people have got to know about it, so the space inside seems to have got smaller, and I'm very much afraid it is on the Chelsea tractor brigade's list, so use the car park about 100 yards up the road! Wonderful in summer for the views, but even better in the depths of Winter when you sit inside warming - or raosting - by the fire, often alone or with one one or two villagers. A rare treat, unspoilt(so far) by trying to be modern! if you like chain or theme pubs, stay away, but if you want something different, including a most eclectic little museum, it is certainly worth the detour, and actually, it really is not that expensive - I've known places where you pay a lot more for an awful lot less atmosphere and enjoyment!
9 Feb 2007 16:26
Back to kneipejaeger's profile
The Bricklayers Arms, Midhurst
Nice little pub, though yo uhave to park in the main town car park a few streets away. Very friendly, very busy, andyet the landlord always seemsto have time to talk to locals and strangers alike. Knows his beer, and serves a most quaffable pint! Used to be much lamented King and Barnes of Horsham, but isevery bit as good now! Traditional pub food and sandwiches also worth investigating, though not particularly cheap! In an old and interesting town of many pubs, this one will not disappoint!
28 Feb 2007 09:15