On a recent stay at The Porch House, a charming pub located in Stow-on-the-Wold in the Cotswolds - we decided to dine at their restaurant. There's no shortage of seating in this restaurant, with numerous different seating areas throughout the pub and into the more relaxed restaurant area. We opted for a lovely table in front of the fire place. There's a vast amount of original character in this building, which we couldn't help but admire.
When we arrived and were seated at our charming table, and after a short period of admiring our surroundings we decided to peruse the gin selection on offer, which is well worth exploring. I opted for a Pinkster gin and tonic, with the gin’s famous pink glow coming from the raspberries used in the distilling process. My partner decided on the Silent Pool gin and tonic, which had floral notes along with lavender and camomile. They were both most enjoyable and left us in great anticipation of the food.
To start, I opted for the buffalo mozzarella which came served with honey, balsamic figs and prosciutto. The flavours were wonderful, with the rich and creamy cheese cut through perfectly by the sharp, saltiness of the prosciutto and the sweetness from the honey and balsamic. My partner chose the warm ham hock salad with green beans, pea shoots, shallots and crispy truffled egg. The ham melted in the mouth and the egg was perfectly cooked.
“The ingredients here are locally sourced and this local quality really shines through.”
For our main courses, I chose the breast of Gressingham duck which was served with grilled peach and asparagus as well as creamed potato. My partner opted for the Cotswold lamb rump with broccoli, pickled red cabbage and light tomato vinaigrette. These dishes were wonderfully executed, and it’s evident that this restaurant uses only the finest quality meat. The ingredients here are locally sourced and this local quality really shines through.
Dessert for me saw the ‘Neatened’ Mess which was served as strawberries, meringue, pistachio, vanilla mascarpone and strawberry ice cream. It was an indulgent dish that completed my meal wonderfully. My partner opted for the vanilla crème brûlée served with shortbread, which doesn’t usually disappoint and certainly didn’t here.
The staff throughout the evening were very friendly and helpful with menu suggestions and we enjoyed every mouthful from our dining experience. If you're in the Cotswolds then we wouldn't hesitate to recommend dining here, even if you're not spending the night.
The Bill: £57 per head
