England

Kept it close to home this weekend and got the England stamp at the Six Pence Pub in Baxter Village.  I have been to Six Pence before and enjoyed each trip.  It has pub food but also a lot of other things so if you have folks who might have heard British food is not the best in the world they’ll be ok.

They start laying the English pub mood with the red phone box out front and then when you go in it has dark wood and heavy furniture aplenty to continue the motif and of course a nice bar area.

I thought about  going with the fish and chips as the typical English meal but instead went for the Shepherd’s Pie and the accompanying salad with a Strongbow Cider to wash it down.  This turned out to be a great combination.  The salad was a nice start and gave the feeling of healthiness to the meal.  The shepherd’s pie had a ground beef filling (I know that technically makes it a cottage pie) with peas & carrots and some nice herbs and spices.  There was a layer of mashed potatoes and then a scoop smothered in cheddar cheese.  The potatoes were skin on mashed which personally I like and these were made with red potatoes which I also have a fondness for.

The really pleasant surprise was the Strongbow Cider and how well it paired with the pie.  The cider was crisp, dry and enjoyable by itself but it stepped up a notch once I started eating the pie.  The first sip after a bite had an aftertaste of fresh apples like you had just bitten into one.  I immediately had to take another sip to make sure I wasn’t imagining it.  Same result.  Once the pie was finished and I was drinking the cider by itself the fresh apple after taste faded so it was the combo that complimented one another so well.

Overall I’d have to say this was quite a good meal and an excellent surprise pairing.  The portions were sufficient and didn’t make me feel like I was waddling out of there after what could have been a heavy comfort food lunch.  I did forgo the Scotch egg appetizer they have which is one of my favorites since I was eating solo but if you visit give it a try.

Don’t forget to check out the Tell Me More page for an extra little bit of England.