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Location: Bath Road, Knowl Hill, RG10 9UP
Web site: http://www.birdinhand.co.uk/
Telephone number: 01628 826622
Date of visit: 24 October 2009, updated 22November 2009
Approx. cost per head: £17
Comments on wine list/beer: Camera Pub of the year 2007, 2008. Wine by the glass – good selection, better average. Will serve tap water with meal.
Review:
This is a charming coaching Inn on the A4 between Reading and Maidenhead and have been in the hands of the same family for several generations.
They have an excellent range of beers with new guest ales almost every week.
The patrons are mainly diner who live by. No music. There is a formal restaurant which serves “slightly more” up market food than the bar.
The bar offers an intertesting selection of food ranging from a selection of mezze via fish and chips to roasts and fish.
On the day we went, we had the T Bone which unfortunately was cooked well done when we asked for rare but then most of the people who eat there doesn’t do “pink or bleu” meat. We also had the “de rigor” fish and chips which was excellent. The moussaka was slightly on the herby side and the steak and kidney pudding was slightly dry. We had profiteros with chocolate sauce for deserts which was pronounced by some as the best they ever had.
On the whole, this is a very cosy pub with a real fire during winter. The meals are good but don’t expect gastro pub type standard or cooking. Main courses are around £10.
There is a large car park to the front of the pub.
Update:
Went in to try the Sunday roast, between us, we tried beef, lamb and pork. The plates were huge and were covered with a good portion of meat and vegetables. Everything was cooked well done. This is not a place for rare beef, I recalled that we had a well done steak despite asking for rare in the last visit. Roasts from £10+. By the way, they don’t do fish and chips on a Sunday.
Name of restaurant or pub: Hobgloblin
Location: 2 Broad St, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 2BH
Date of visit: 23/9/2009
Comments on wine list/beer: Constant change of real ales and ciders
Review:
This is not a pub to take your first date. It is a real ale paradise. The landlord and his assaociates behind the bar know their stuff. There is a constant change of guest ales – I have had milds from Swansea there. The walls and ceilings are covered in beer mats and the furniture should have been part of a giant bonfire 10 years ago. They don’t serve meals – crisps and peanuts are available.
Eddie, eddie@bottlesandcooks.com