After being closed for quite some time, The George Inn at Abbots Leigh has been extensively refurbished and reopened. The George Inn has considerable history to its name, the building dating from 1780, and apparently in the 20’s and 30’s afternoon tea was popularly served to people who walked there from Clifton; all I can say is they must have been pretty fit and the tea worth the journey!

As a testament to just how much the villagers missed their local pub we found when we popped in on a Friday evening a few weeks after reopening that we couldn’t force our way through the scrum at the door. So, undaunted we had another go on the following Tuesday. The interior has been made over in much the same style as every other recently modernised pub, minimal and a little bleak for my taste but no matter, we were there to eat, not to admire the fixtures and fittings. The menu is very much a cut above pub food, although they do have a snacks menu including field mushroom and fried egg on toast and scotch egg and pear chutney which sounded most appealing.

After a bit of deliberation, we decided to share a rabbit, pheasant and bacon terrine with apple and mustard seed chutney, followed by fillet and faggot of pork, crispy sage, braised peas and leeks for me and roast rack and crispy breast of lamb with cumin roasted carrots and dauphinoise for him. A large wooden platter of rough cut hunks of bread and plenty of butter was delivered to the table, along with a dish of olives which we didn’t hesitate to demolish. The rabbit and pheasant terrine was excellent and more than enough for two.

There was a pleasant lull between the starter and the main courses and the waitress offered to bring more bread which was a nice touch. When the main courses arrived they were beautifully presented and accompanied by separate bowls of vegetables. I have to say that if we had gone out to a five star restaurant we wouldn’t have been disappointed; both dishes were superb, the most tender of pork fillet melting in the mouth, side by side with the rich faggot of pork and the rack of lamb juicy and pink as requested. The vegetables were particularly good, especially the cumin roasted carrots.

We thoroughly enjoyed our meal and pronounced it first class on all scores including the bill which was a very reasonable £42.00 for two including drinks. Father and son team, Dave and Dan Powell should be congratulated and even if you can’t quite manage to walk from Clifton, drive, it’s worth the trip!

Jacquie Vowles