Address: Maidensgrove, Nr Henleyon-Thames, Oxon, RG9 6EX

Telephone number: 01491 641 282

Website: www.thefivehorseshoes.co.uk

Date of visit: 27 July 2010

Approximate cost per head: Around £20 for 2 courses

Comments on wine list/beer: Brakspear (£3 a pint of ordinary). Wines list is simple but good on French and reasonably priced

Summary:

This pub is in the middle of nowhere. It is impossible to come across it by accident. In fact, you have to go out of your way to look for it.

It is sited down a single track road off  B480 at Stoner. Although the address is Maidensgrove, you actually go pass Maidensgrove and aim for Upper Maidensgrove.

The restaurant/pub is listed in several guides including Sawday’s and Harden’s – so I thought that I would check it out.

Outside the pub are an array of wooden tables – well spaced apart. Inside there are 2 bars and a restaurant.

The menu is pretty British and Countryside. There is venison and steak on the menu – a single pager. I went for the doorstop sandwich (£7.50) – I asked for smoked ham but am sure that I got roast pork instead.

The sandwich came as two halves of multigrain bread stuffed with salad and meat. The sandwich was served on a wooden board with a side salad of undressed continental leaves. You also get a bowl of chips.

The chips must be one of the best thick cut chips I have ever eaten. They were crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. They were not broken down on the edge through over boiling like triple cooked chips.

I noticed that they were also advertising pizza from the wood burning oven – only available at weekends.

I have to admit that I was impressed and will soon be back to test out the pizza and the main menu.

I will also take this opportunity to warn you about the road – it is very narrow and dangerous when it’s dark.

E