When
we recently spent the afternoon in Stratford-Upon-Avon, we always knew we’d have
lunch at The White Swan, the moment we walked past it from the car park to the
town centre. You can immediately tell it’s a Tudor building and not only is the
exterior full of character, once you step through the door, it’s like a
traditional country pub – my favourite. As well as a Fuller’s pub, The White
Swan is a hotel with 41 rooms and I would definitely be inclined to stay,
should we ever return for a weekend.
Upon
arrival, I grabbed a table, while Ash got the drinks in (a large glass of rosé
for me!). We sat at the nearside of the bar, which was perfect for people
watching along that stretch, as well as across that particular section of the
restaurant. The dining area is split into two, with benches and cubbyholes.
Despite being family-friendly (we were surrounded by large families and friends
enjoying Sunday lunches), with a children’s menu, highchairs and baby-changing
facilities; there’s also a level of intimacy for those couples looking for a
relaxing or romantic meal. On a Sunday, there is the usual a la carte menu,
with the addition of roast dinners.
Ash
and I both chose the Cornish Orchards braised South Coast pork belly (£15.50)
from the Sunday menu, which came served with apple sauce, roast potatoes and a
giant Yorkshire pudding. We shared a selection of vegetables: roasted carrots
& parsnips; cauliflower cheese; sticky red cabbage; green beans, sugar snap
peas & green cabbage. It sounds a lot, but it was a spoonful or two of each
– a nice mixture. We were in agreement that we could have done with more
cauliflower cheese (one floret each just wasn’t enough). But the highlight for
me was the sticky red cabbage – most definitely underrated when it comes to
accompaniments of a roast dinner. Typically fatty, the pork belly was cooked
really well and fell apart on the fork and in the mouth. Unfortunately, I
couldn’t manage it all, or all the potatoes (which weren’t crispy enough for my
taste), but Ash managed to finish. It’s fair to say it’s up there as one of the
best roast dinners I’ve eaten out.
We
ordered Alfie a meal from the children’s menu (£7 for a main course; £2.50 for
a dessert) and chose sausage, mash & peas. As you can see, the dish was
huge and obviously aimed at those 5+, so there was no way Alfie would have been
able to eat it all. In fact, he managed one of the two sausages and left over
half the mash and peas. It’s a shame I was so full from my dinner, or I’d most definitely
offered some help... the sausages were so plump and meaty!
Needless
to say, we didn’t have room for dessert and I struggled to finish my wine as soon
as we finished eating, Alfie wanted to get down from the highchair and wander
around the bar. I thoroughly recommend The White Swan if you’re looking for
somewhere to eat in Stratford-Upon-Avon and like I say, we will definitely
return if in the area.
Love,
Lucy xx
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Love, Lucy xx