Address: Shepherds Green, Rotherfield Greys, Nr Henley-on-Thames, Oxon RG9 4 QZ.  Sign posted off B481.

Telephone number: 01491 628 482

Website: www.thelambpub.net

Date of visit: 26 August, 2010

Approximate cost per head: Around £20 for 2 courses

Comments on wine list/beer: Large selection of wine by the glass. 6 reds, 6 whites, rose and prosecco. From £4 for 125ml to over £8 for 275 ml. Most wines by the glass are from Italy. They also have a very interesting bottle list – from £13.95 for a basic Italian red to  Dom Perignon 2000 at £120 (pretty good value). Beer is from Loddon and they have a bitter brewed specially for them at £3.30 a pint.

Summary:

This used to be part of AWT’s empire and is listed in Sawday’s guide. It is an old building with exposed beams and low ceilings – beware if you are around six foot six. There are hens in the garden that provides the place with fresh eggs. This seemed to be a new approach as this is the third pub that I have come across in the Berks/Oxon area that farms chicken.

When we got there at 12.15, we were the only customers. When we left at 1.30pm, the place was more than half full.

My daughter who was with me noticed that the window stills had a few dead flies on it and that put her off the place.

The menu is of a modern British approach. They offer a lunch menu as well as an a la carte (steak, guinea fowl etc). For the lunch menu, you can have a starter and a brunch dish for just over £10 – see web site. On the other hand, you can have a starter, main course and half a bottle of wine for £20. We settled for 2 main courses – pork chop, colcannon and cider gravy & their famous fish and chips both were priced at £10.50. On the a la carte menu, I noticed that you can have a whole suckling pig (enough to feed 10 plus) with all the trimmings for £250 – pre-ordering is required.

The pork chop came spiked with slivers of garlic and sat on top of a generous helping of colcannon (they used leek). The fish and chips came with two small tubs – home made tartare sauce and mushy peas. The haddock was cooked in beer batter and the chips were fat chip. It was fine but a better version can be found at The Hand and Flower at Marlow for just under £15.

Re the pork chop and colcannon, the colcannon was deemed excellent but the pork chop just an ordinary fried chop. I had a pint of their special brew and it was nothing special.

Our conclusion was that, it was nice food but pretty average and the place could do with a bit of a clean around the windows.

E