Will this city pub make our tastebuds soar?
Food
For a while now my mum has been on and on about The Eagle. She loves going there for a chunky sandwich at lunchtime. I finally gave in and went along for dinner one sunny evening because their selling point is the spacious beer garden. I had booked a table inside (you can't reserve outside) but if there are tables free, you are welcome to eat out there, luckily there was.To start my boyfriend Dom ordered the halloumi with sweet chilli sauce and a mixed house salad. The portion was exceptionally generous, easily constituting a main dish. I'm not a big fan of halloumi, but even I was impressed. I can't stand when halloumi is sloppy or lightly grilled. The frying made it so delectable, crispy, warm and indulgent. The salty flavour popped against the chip-like skin. Dom said it was the best halloumi he'd ever had. It was a proper salad, full of cucumber and a variety of leaves, finished off with a French dressing.
MORE: The Kings Head, Letheringsett, restaurant review: 'Quality and atmosphere are outstanding'There's a large selection of mains and I had the vegan beetroot and garden pea risotto. It was perfectly palatable. The taste of stock lingered a little too much but had it not the dish would've lacked flavour. Dom selected one of the specials, a 7oz lamb burger with a fried duck egg served in a brioche bun with an onion ring and chips. The egg was beautifully cooked and full of flavour, and the brioche bun gave a soft delicateness, pulling the whole burger together flawlessly. The meat was cooked well but not show stopping. There was a large serving of twice cooked hand cut chips which were perfect - gorgeous, golden, and fluffy inside. The best chips I've had in a while. I couldn't resist finishing with the coconut and rum panna cotta. Panna cottas are one of my favourites. I'm obsessed with coconut and if I had to have a spirit, rum would be my first choice. The coconut was dulcet. It was heavier than your typical panna cotta but all in all full-bodied and creamy, a welcome change from the classic vanilla. One small criticism would be the accompaniments. Raspberry jus and berries may be perfect with a vanilla panna cotta but didn't quite hit the spot with their new innovative take.
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Drink
As a pub first and foremost it guarentees a varied selection of drinks. They have a satisfying sized wine list with more than enough choice. They offer quarter bottles of prosecco rather than a glass for £7 and it works out as two glasses per bottle, making it excellent value compared to the other places where a single glass is ball park £6 or £7.
Ambience
Inside the pub is of two halves. One is unprepossessing although the other is light and has a modernized take on the classic pub. As I mentioned before, it's the large beer garden that's the real attraction. There was a vibrant atmosphere, quietening down into the evening. A birthday party taking place at one end of the garden and a large leaving do in the other didn't effect us in anyway, just added to the hubub (also a surprise as Dom's mum was there celebrating her retirement!) There's a children's play area, which is ideal for keeping little ones occupied and impinging on grown up parties.
Loos
The toilets were inviting, just basic, clean and utilitarian.
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Parking
They have a large car park outfront.
Location
Roughly a five to 10 minute walk out of the city centre. It's easy to get to and despite being on a main road it's set back and when we were in the garden I didn't hear a single car.
Price
Average, although arguably edging towards the higher side of what it's worth. The risotto was £12 which was a little cheeky considering the standard. Most meat and fish mains ranged from between £10 and £19, which is passable on quantity and quality.
Highlight
The coconut and rum panna cotta and the sensational chips.
In Summary
It's better than average pub grub. Perfectly enjoyable, hearty, filling and tasty. The pub garden is a big draw and I would definitely encourage you to visit before summer ends, if it's only for a drink in the sunshine.
This is an independent review.
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