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THE REVIEW

After our recent trip to The Watermill, where the breathtaking scenery was betrayed by dismal cooking, The Human Dustbin and I decided to try our luck at The Old Plough in Stoke D’Abernon.

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Walking in, I am struck by the amount of staff on shift. They are everywhere. And stranger yet, they all seem to be wearing mile-wide smiles, laughing and enjoying themselves... In the middle of a busy Sunday service... Is this a pub, or some kind of cult?

I know from experience that it takes a sizeable brigade to keep standards high, so early signs were promising.

Smoked mackerel pate, horseradish cream, pickled cucumber, fennel & dill, melba toast

These flavours can easily become a blunt-force assault, but this was a beautifully light dish with a crisp, clean finish.

Crispy smoked haddock & cod fishcake, saffron mayo, red onion, cucumber, feta & rocket salad

The standout here is the mayonnaise, which has clearly been made in-house. It’s a rarity – prepared in the classical French style: smooth, rich, and restrained, in contrast to the more acidic, shop-bought stuff. The rest is executed with real care.

Pan-fried salmon fillet, fennel & dill potato cake, wilted spinach, capers, dill cream sauce.

Lovely flavours but the execution stumbles a little. The salmon was teetering on the edge of being overdone and was leaking white albumin (those unsightly white proteins that pool on the surface of overcooked fish). This could be entirely prevented with a simple 10-minute cure. Considering the obvious love going into the rest of the food, it’s surprising the kitchen skipped this step.

Twice-cooked free range pork belly, roast potatoes, crackling, apple compote, gravy

The pork belly appears to have been broken down, pressed tightly into a neat ‘cake’ shape, and cooked again. It’s highly effective and deeply tasty. The apple compote cuts through the fat beautifully, but the real star of the show is the gravy, which is luscious.

Roasted leg of English lamb, apricot & herb stuffing, roast potatoes, rosemary & garlic gravy

A Sunday roast made with genuine love. Succulent, moist lamb paired with a deeply flavourful stuffing, all tied together by more of that magnificent gravy.

What’s The Damage?

The 2-course Sunday lunch menu is £27.50

+ 12.5% service charge

= £31 each.

While it might not be utterly flawless; it is bloody good. In an era where so many country pubs rely on freezer-to-fryer shortcuts and careless kitchens, The Old Plough stands out. When food is being cooked and served with so much love, it’s easy to forgive the imperfections.

Between the luscious gravy, the house-made mayonnaise and the suspiciously happy brigade of staff, they are doing things the right way. It’s a genuinely wonderful place to spend a sunny afternoon.

If this really is a cult, hand me a glass of the Kool-Aid.

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Where is ‘The Unexpected Food Truck’ Review ?

A few weeks ago, I promised a review of this mysterious outlet. It hasn't arrived, and frankly, I should have taken the name as a warning.

I recently attempted a visit, only to find the truck had spontaneously combusted. It is now closed until further notice.

I did call it the ‘Unexpected’ food truck, and I suppose it’s living up to its name!