Plenty in the grill mix . . eventually
WHEN is a mixed mixed grill?
That was the question Mrs E was left asking after her food order arrived looking a little naked on the meat side.
We were at the Merry Go Round in Hartlepool and, despite going there to try its new carvery, She Who Must Be Obeyed had perused the menu, spotted a decent-looking grill and gone for it.
But when the said meal arrived it looked more like gammon and pineapple than a mixed grill. Not a sausage or the promised chicken breast in sight.
I could sense the tension building as Mrs E looked around for a waitress to deal with her grill not a query. Fortunately, one thing the pub has is a decent team of staff and, once the problem was flagged up, the meal was taken away and swiftly returned with missing items.
And it was done so quickly even Mrs E was satisfied with the result.
We had decided to stop by the pub as we were on our way back from Hartlepool Hospital, which stands on the other side of the road. I saw it had recently become one of the
new carveries Greene King is adding to many of its pubs so we thought we’d give it a go.
We were seated at a window table which was pleasantly spacious, ordered a glass of white Pinot Grigio (£4.79 for 250ml) for Mrs E and a Hop House (£6 for two bottles) for myself, but then we made our first mistake.
We were hungry so thought we would have an ultimate sharing platter (£8.99) and the nachos (£4.49).
The were delicious. The platter came with a host of finger treats including crispy prawns, onion rings, garlic ciabatta and various forms of chicken.
These would have easily been enough for both of us without the nachos, which came as a huge mound of chips topped with cheese and dips.
After clearing both plates we realised a full carvery might be a challenge.
It came as small (£5.49), standard (£7.99) and large (£9.99). I went for the standard plate and even then knew I’d find it hard to eat a lot. However, I opted for turkey plus the option of two pigs in blankets with extra Yorkshire pudding (£1).
The selection of vegetables was impressive. Aside from the usual carrots, sprouts and parsnips there was a tangy red cabbage, extra-cheesy cauliflower cheese and a strange-looking broccoli dish of some kind that I decided to avoid.
The mash was lovely and smooth and creamy, while the roasties were crispy. I loved the Yorkshires and pigs in blankets too, and the gravy (I chose onion but there was a choice of two) had a deep flavour.
Once Mrs E got her mixed grill sorted (£7.49) she was quite happy with it. She said the meat was well cooked and tender and the egg just right, with a lovely runny yolk.
Despite the full feeling there is always room for dessert so Mrs E went for warm chocolate fudge cake (£4.79), which she said was moist and extremely chocolatey. My apple crumble (£2.99) was also tasty and a bargain.
Our food was well cooked and reasonably priced and the service so good even Mrs E was happy to forgive them for her missing meat with a promise that she’d like to return another day.