Tuesday 10 June 2014

The Nags Head, Cheshire.

I turn down most previews I get these days, and I don't really like opening night parties with canapés and PA networking, but this one really appealed to me. From the same stable as Michelin starred Northcote (where we visited and thoroughly enjoyed just before I started this website), The Nags Head is Ribble Valley Inns first foray into Cheshire. They obviously know that the local market will sustain a quality dining pub. On the way, and not far off The Yew Tree inn in Bunbury has been on the 'to eat list' for a while and we've also enjoyed The Pheasant Inn in Higher Burwardsley in years gone by too. If only we had somewhere like this where we live in Chorlton, but the market is very different (it's style over content here).
The interior has been done very sympathetically with some style and money although some people may not appreciate the actual shotguns built into the tables. The old stocks and the tethers for horses in the car park are a cute touch.
As the previewed food was on the house, I won't review it as such, (it was a trial run and not open to the public), but I will cheat a bit and say that the quality of the beef especially was really superb, some of the best we've had in the UK. Northcote head Chef Nigel Haworth was in the kitchen on our visit. The only thing I wasn't especially inspired by was the main menu itself, there wasn't a lot on it that really excited me, but I guess experience tells them what sells. I'd just loved to have seen some slightly less obvious dishes; beef cheek, pork belly perhaps, (although these are quite common now), just some different stuff to the usual steaks etc. However the quality of the produce was self evident on our visit and we left very happy indeed...just one thing, we needed more gravy, one tiny jug is never going to do for pigs like us.
Angus Beef Tartare, Cauliflower & Horseradish, Roast Marrowbone, Sourdough Toast.
(£7.50).
Roast Marrowbone.
21 day aged Roast Rump of Beef, Yorkshire pudding, Roast potatoes, mash, seasonal veg, shallots, gravy.
Quality beef.
Treacle Tart.
Rhubarb Crumble.
To see the photos in high res click here.

The Nags Head on Urbanspoon

1 comment:

  1. Nice to see Nigel Haworth and co expanding into Cheshire. Be interested to see whether this place can compete with nearby, higher-end foodie pubs such as the Fox & Barrel in Cotebrook, the Pheasant Inn in Burwardsley etc. Also heartening to see photies of beef tartare - sadly a bit of a rarity on most menus nowadays!

    Cheers,

    Bob

    http://bobviveur.blogspot.co.uk/
    Bob Viveur - In Search of Sustenance in Cheshire West: Chowing in Chester, Nomming in Northwich, Feasting in Frodsham and Scoffing in Stockton Heath.

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