There’s nothing better than going out for some good traditional food on a cold winter’s evening so my friend and I decided to visit the Hare and Hounds in Cruckton.
Entering into the pub we sat by the bar and chose a meal from a range of tempting dishes on the menu. The choice was plentiful and also catered for both vegetarians and children.
After placing our orders at the bar and getting drinks, we sat in the pub while our meals and table was being prepared. We were then shown into the restaurant.
Our starters arrived quickly and we were happily surprised at the generous portion sizes.
My friend had chosen chicken wings of fire with hoi sin sauce for £3.95. I was a bit worried about the spiciness of the dish but the chicken was cooked perfectly with a great flavour that was not too hot.
I went for the deep fried brie with a cumberland sauce at £3.95. A substantial portion of brie that had been fried in a breadcrumb batter arrived. The cheese was warm, not too melted with no signs of grease.
For the main meal my friend had ordered oven roasted sea bass with summer herbs for £11.95. The meal came with broccoli, carrots and two kinds of cabbage, chips and creamy potato slices.
The vegetables tasted as if they had been steamed and my friend was pleased to find that they were neither too crunchy nor soggy.
The fish had a delicate taste and a soft texture and there were no large bones.
I had decided to go for gammon with egg or pineapple at £8.95.
As my meal came on its plate, decorated with balsamic vinegar, I was amazed at the size of the gammon. It was a beautiful colour and the texture was succulent.
The dish also came with chips and cream potato slices. The chips were chunky and cooked golden brown which were a joy to eat. We soon accepted the waitress’s offer of a dessert menu and my friend was delighted to see that her favourite, bread and butter pudding, was on the menu. Not only that but it also had the added ingredient of her favourite tipple – Baileys.
The pudding arrived with a crisped top and moist centre with raisins scattered throughout.
I ordered my favourite too – rhubarb and apple crumble with custard. It arrived warm and smelled beautiful. The fruit was not sharp and had an oat topping which was moist and not crunchy. Both desserts were priced at £3.95
At the end of the meal we both felt incredibly full and decided that all we had eaten had been cooked perfectly.
The Hare and Hounds serves food from Monday to Thursday 12pm until 3pm and 6pm until 9pm. Friday and Saturday 12pm until 9.30pm. Sunday lunch is served between 12pm and 2pm with four choices of hand-cooked meats.
