Address: Knowl Hill (A4), Berkshire RG10 9UU

Telephone: 01628 823262

Website: www.theolddevil.com

Date of visit: 16 January 2012

Costs: Around £20 for 2 courses

Wines and beer: Windsor and Eaton, Rebellion (Marlow). £3.50 a pint

Likes and dislikes: Ultra large portions, very homely. Cooking is good but ingredients need to improve. Clean tables.

Cuisine: Traditional Pub cuisine

Summary:

I haven’t been to The Old Devil for a few years. A friend of mine told me that it is under new management and the food has improved. The menu is traditional Pub menu – mixed grill, shepherd’s pie, fish and chips, grilled sea bass, chicken madras etc..

Well the place certainly has had a makeover, it’s now all tables dotted leather settees. When I talked to the owners I realised that they have been here for nearly 5 years.

I started off with a prawn cocktail – haven’t had one for decades  then suddenly, it’s my second this year. It was came in something like an extra large rice bowl. The bottom was piled with iceberg lettuce. On top of this is probably half a packet of prawns with a very nice rose marie sauce. You also get a fancy cut strawberry and half a lemon also decoratively cut. There were enough for 2 normal size servings – compared with The Bull. At £6.95, it was a meal in itself.

I then had the sausages and mash (£9.95). This was another massive plate. You get three sausages, mash, peas and about half a litre of thick gravy. Again, this was enough for 2. Unfortunately, the sausages were of the poorer quality – the 80% meat ones like Walls and Richmond. The rest was good.

My advice: reduce the size of the portion, put the price up , improve the ingredients and this place will easily take on The Bird in Hand (across the road). By the way, the beer was well kept.

E