BITE user comments - thewednesdayfrog
Comments by thewednesdayfrog
Doggetts Coat and Badge, Southwark
After an enjoyable pint in The Blackfriar across the bridge I thought I'd hie mysel' to Doggets... Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.
This is an industrial sized boozer on 4 floors - with lifts. The barman who served me was a monosyllabic grunter from somewhere beyond these shores. The only cider on offer was the chemical piss that is Strongbow and the over-hyped, over-priced and very ordinary Magners. I opted for a pint of Timothy Taylors Landlord, which was alright.
I chose to get away from the countless flat screen TVs on the ground floor, all showing the England v Wales rugby and went upstairs to... Oh my goodness - a "Sports Bar", I didn't go in, assuming that it would be countless flat screen TVs etc, etc,. Up another flight of stairs to the Dining Room, as I was only having a pint I proceeded all the way to the top to investigate the roof terrace - but this was shut - only open for private dos. So downstairs again to the Dining Room where I found a seat and table with wonderful views over the Thames.
After consuming my pint I decided to visit the gents... The cubicle was awash with someone else's urine and the bowl was caked with the excrement of a previous occupant...
4 Feb 2008 10:33
I visited on a Saturday afternoon at about 1500 - It was busy but quiet. Had a pint of Cornish something, which was very palatable, I should have taken a note of the name (D'oh!) Good to see that Weston's organic cider is available in bottles - it's lovely stuff. I had a pie. An Aberdeen Angus and veg. Very nice but at �7:45 possibly a tad pricey.
The Art Deco decor is unusual and well worth having a close look at.
4 Feb 2008 10:19
The Horse and Farrier, Lancaster
The Horse and Farrier is situated at one end of the main street. It is a free house and amongst the usual suspects of beers and lagers also stocks Copper Dragon from the Skipton Brewery, Theakstone's Best Bitter and Mann's Chestnut Mild.
Low ceilings with black beams and loads of oil paintings in fancy gilt frames.
It has a beer garden and a very large carpark
It is a friendly establishment, quiet and serves good food - both lunches and evening meals.
When I visited - Mid November - the landlord mentioned that his free range chickens had stopped laying, apparently this is normal and that the two lambs, Samson and Delilah, who had been wandering around the beer garden all summer, being fed handfuls of grass by the customers, would soon be appearing on the menu. How's that for traceability of the food you eat?
I would recommend this pub to any visitor in the area
13 Dec 2007 18:43
The Hop Pole continues to offer a good range of real ales. These continually change so go visit...It was also good to see Thatcher's cider on offer - on my visit, Spartan, Cox's and Perry. When I visited at about 4:00pm the place was empty and "The Best of The Smiths" (surely an oxymoron?) was being played quietly in the background. The bar staff were friendly and very helpful with the menu (my girlfriend is a coeliac)and the beef burgers with bacon, cheese, salad and chips were fine, no complaints.
The toilets deserve a special mention. They are clean and do not smell. Tea Tree and Aloe Vera handwash is available and the hot tap gave hot water on the second press! Not content with that, the hot air hand dryer actually worked and actually dried my hands!! Other pubs take note: It can be done!
5 Dec 2007 13:04
I discovered this pub by accident and have since put it on my list of favourites. It is owned and run by the National Trust which, in this instance, is A GOOD THING. The bar staff are all very young and sometimes seem a bit clueless but they are always pleasant, helpful and friendly. The beer is lovely - a good range from the local Chiltern Brewery plus various others from different parts.(Try some of the bottled stuff behind the bar...) No telly or jukebox, which, for this boring old fart, is a good thing. I haven't tried the food but they tell me that they will, if given 24 hours notice, take into account any strange dietary requirements (My girlfriend is a ceoliac) So I will be testing the grub within the next couple of weeks.
16 Nov 2007 21:59
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The Harp, Covent Garden
When I visited (Saturday 26th Jan) they had 6 real ales on tap - Exmoor Fox, Proper Job from St Austell, Hobgoblin from Wychwood, Sussex Best from Harveys, Timothy Taylor's Landlord and Black Sheep. They also had 3 ciders available - I went for the New Forest Snake Hatcher - 7.4% The Exmoor Fox, Black Sheep and Snake Hatcher all received a vote of confidence from our party.
Fairly busy but getting a seat for myself and 2 friends was not difficult.
There is an eclectic collection of dirty Victorian paintings on the wall.
A nice little pub if you are visiting the centre of London.
4 Feb 2008 10:44