The Well Inn, Bulkington
2:39pm Thursday 10th December 2009 in
The Well Inn, High Street, Bulkington.
(01380) 828287
I had heard the people of Bulkington were delighted that their village pub has re-opened after being closed for 18 months.
It has had a £250,000 refurbishment and become The Well Inn. I have never been but friend Ciaran had visited when it was the Tipsy Toad so he was interested to see how it had changed.
When we arrived, I was surprised to see how busy it was (there were no parking spaces left), considering it was a midweek lunchtime, but we managed to get a table. The dining area is newly built, replacing an old conservatory. It is spacious and airy with a rustic feel.
After studying the lunch menu, we passed on the starters, of which there is a good selection – I like to leave space for a pudding.
There are the traditional pub main courses such as lasagne or fish and chips, as well as steaks, roast duck breast, rack of lamb, daily dishes and the intriguing sounding tasting boards to share – with a choice of meat, fish or vegetable, at £10.95.
I chose roasted pork tenderloin on a bed of garlic mash, with honey parsnips and Ciaran went for the pan-fried calves’ liver with bacon and sage mash at £11.95. There was a limited choice for vegetarians, with only one non-fish dish.
We were able to sit quickly, which suggested to me the service would be attentive and sharp. But the resulting wait made it feel quite slow and there were no nibbles to pass the time. When our food finally arrived, it was beautifully presented though.
My tenderloin was over-cooked and not very tender, but had a good flavour, and I did enjoy the vegetables. Ciaran’s liver was chewy around the edges. There was also too much sauce, which overpowered the flavours.
The puddings were mainly traditional, such as sticky toffee pudding and bread and butter pudding. I liked the sound of the lemon syllabub, but decided on tiramisu.
Ciaran chose the crème brulee. My tiramisu was a disappointment, with a thick dry sponge base and not enough mascarpone cheese.
The crème brulee was stodgy and the caramel was burnt.
The Well Inn shows promise. It has a friendly atmosphere but the service could have been more attentive – we had asked for a drink which never arrived.
The food was a little disappointing and pricey (£41.90 for two courses, three soft drinks and a coffee), but hopefully it will improve and I shall return when the teething problems have been sorted out.
Food served 12.00-2.00pm and 6.30-9.00pm (7.00-9.00pm Sundays)
Set Sunday lunch available, £13.95 for two courses, £17.95 for three
Booking essential at weekends
Children welcome (no separate children’s menu but will do reduced portion sizes)
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