Two Pints of Cider, a Marriage, and a Cat.

For our first outing to review on the blog, we have kept it local; travelling a whole 100 feet over the road to our local pub! The Whittaker’s is a lovely little bistro style restaurant, with friendly staff and a great atmosphere. We have loved this pub for a long time, and have only eaten there once before!

Knowing that the food was good here, we had high expectations for our first meal out as Mr and Mrs. So, on Friday evening we headed across for some grub. Upon arrival at about 7.30pm, we were told that a table wouldn’t be free until 8pm, which we were more than happy with, and sat at the bar, enjoying two cold pints of Stowford Press. With the music keeping the ambience light, and as chit chat ensued, we felt very welcome and relaxed.

Our waitress came over with a couple of menus for us to stew over whilst we waited, and we decided that we were going to go with the set menus; who could turn down three courses for £16.95!? We took our seats in the restaurant area, and quickly ordered our starters - a red Leicester souffle, and deep fried Camembert. The souffle was generously partnered with a side salad, and was so soft you could cut it with a spoon. An explosion of flavor erupted as I took my first bite; the cheese had the perfect consistency and the souffle crumb was exquisite. J cut into her deep fried Camembert, and the only words that she could muster as she watched melted cheese ooze onto her plate was “oh my God,” in a tone much too sexual for describing food.

With our starters going down a treat, we ordered a couple more ciders to wash it down, and our conversation became more inappropriate; discussing our fellow diners around us, and their potential lives - often far too loudly. Our starters were whisked away, plates almost licked clean, and we were on for the mains.

Next up, was a Whittaker’s beef burger, with homemade chips and onion rings, and a lamb steak, with mashed potatoes, green beans and bacon. Now, I initially wasn’t sure about the combination of bacon and lamb, but along with the other components that made the meal, it was phenomenal. I couldn’t stop eating, it was like every bite was a new taste experience. The lamb was perfectly cooked, served slightly rare, laid upon a pile of creamy mashed potato, with the green beans and bacon mixed in underneath. Shallots decoratively scattered around the plate, and a thick minted gravy polished it all off. J’s burger, was exquisite; it was enormous, towered with beautifully cooked onion rings and drizzled with melted Stilton cheese. The burger itself was cooked perfectly, and was so tender that you could pull it apart with your fork.

Ciders flowed, and fantastic food was eaten, when our plates were clean, and I had scrapped every ounce of gravy onto my fork as I possibly could, there was just enough room left for dessert. We did the classic couple thing, and decided to share a strawberry shortcake. When it arrived, the air was instantly filled with the smell of fresh strawberries and cream; imagine an Eton mess, but instead of meringue you have a layer of crumbling shortbread. It’s safe to say that dessert definitely lived up to the expectations of the prior courses, and we indulged ourselves to the point where we could eat no more.

With our meal polished off, we headed back to the bar (when we could eventually move!) and had, yet again, more cider. Overall the night was lovely, with fantastic food, a welcoming environment and excellent service. We’d definitely recommend Whittaker’s if you want to have a taste of excellent gourmet food, at an affordable price.

We hope that you have enjoyed our first post, stay tuned for more posts in the near future!