Calm down dear... it's only pig cheek braised in wine and stock (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Calm down dear... it's only pig cheek braised in wine and stock

5:35pm Thursday 16th February 2012 in Eating Out Reviews

EAT AT:

The Harrow Inn,

High Street,

Wanborough SN4 0AE

Tel: 01793 791792

or go to theharrowwanborough.co.uk

A BITTER north wind was blowing as we arrived at The Harrow Inn for dinner, but it was nothing compared to the mini hurricane building up inside.

Not that the welcome was anything but warm; the logs in the huge Inglenook fireplace were well alight and the locals barely raised an eyebrow at the strangers in their midst.

No, the whirlwind was generated solely by owner Vicki Leadbeater, who was moving at a million miles an hour to pull pints, take food orders, deliver them from the kitchen and clear the plates too.

As the evening wore on other staff arrived to help out, yet still she raced back and forth like a woman possessed, topping up drinks and making sure customers were happy. I wanted to sit her by the fire, stick a drink in her hand and reassure her: “Relax... everything is perfect. Now breathe...”

If the success of a venture can be sealed by passion and hard work alone, Ms Leadbeater and her business partner, chef Ian Jefferies, cannot fail to make the grade.

The two took over at The Harrow last year, reopening the 250-year-old pub in November after a long period of closure. They refurbished the two bars, restoring original features like the flagstone floors and the giant fireplaces, and cleaning up the woodwork. The result is a comfortable and cosy restaurant that feels just as a country pub ought to.

Ian’s dishes are traditionally British – “Why do anything else when we have so much British food to sing and dance about?” he asks – and the menu changes frequently depending on what local produce is available.

My husband, a man of simple tastes, was tempted by his favourite sausage and mash, but then veered towards the shepherd’s pie when he saw that it came with bubble and squeak (£10.95). The pie (made with lamb mince, not beef, of course) was rich and deep, but the star of the plate was the bubble and squeak tower on the side. Made with swede, carrots and Savoy cabbage, all fried together, it succeeded in making vegetables interesting, which is no mean feat.

I was intrigued by the Bath chaps (£13.95), a dish dating back to the 1800s when pigs were in abundance in this area. Chaps (a derivative of chops) were pig cheeks braised for several hours in wine and stock, but even that piece of knowledge didn’t put me off.

It’s been a long time since I’ve tasted anything so packed with flavour, and that goes for the plate as a whole. The cheeks themselves were succulent and topped with crispy skin, and were accompanied by potato boulangere, layered with shallots and sage, plus a coarse mushroom pate wrapped in strips of grilled courgette. Every component worked alone and with its counterparts and I was very pleased with my unconventional choice.

I played it safer with dessert, choosing the creme brulee (£4.95). It was spot on, creamy and thick on the inside with a crispy sugar topping. The only thing that let it down slightly was the white chocolate shortbread biscuit on the side, which wasn’t cooked enough for my liking and tasted doughy.

My husband ordered the sticky toffee pudding with clotted cream (also £4.95) and I barely registered what it looked like (tall, gooey, gorgeous) before it was gone.

He finished with a coffee and our bill, with drinks, came to £43.

I sincerely hope things work out for Vicki and Ian at The Harrow, and the signs so far are good. On a Friday night, we were among around 20 diners – not bad in a village with so much competition. Whatever they are doing, they are doing it well... if very, very quickly.

MICHELLE TOMPKINS