WITH hindsight, perhaps the hottest day since records began was possibly not the best time to try out a new team at the once very popular canal side pub restaurant, the French Horn.

The pub was once a firm favourite of ours but in recent years it has not managed to hit the spot for us or our friends.

Ten weeks into new ownership we thought we would give the Pewsey pub another try.

It was clearly not our night, although we had heard good reports of the French Horn's Sunday lunches and a friend had lauded their wild boar.

For a start we were surprised to discover the pub has two menus, one for weekdays without any starters and a fuller one, with starters, for Fridays and weekends.

The cheery barmaid and chirpy waitress disappeared into the kitchen when we asked if it was possible to have a starter on a weekday: Chef was prepared to do any of them.

The pub garden sadly not the one it formerly, had right at the side of the canal had parasols at each table and we enjoyed the shade of one as we supped our preprandial ros wine and a glass of Wadworth's Summersault.

Starters arrived, goats cheese on a bed of roasted Mediterranean vegetables for Joy and minted lamb ribs with a yoghurt and cucumber dip for me.

The goats cheese appeared to have been toasted but was cold. Nevertheless my wife said that it was delicious.

My lamb ribs were still red and uncooked at the bone.

For her main course Joy ordered chicken supreme with vegetables.

The vegetables and we noticed this at other tables came quite a few minutes after her plate.

The "supreme" sauce appeared to be just double cream with no evidence of the wine or mushrooms classically included in this dish. The late arriving vegetables, however, were splendid and more than adequate.

I chose an all time favourite of ham, egg and chips after being assured the pub cooked its own ham.

My main meal was brilliant, great chips, thick slices of ham and a couple of free-range eggs.

The pub boasts its desserts are home made and we had difficulty in making our choice.

Joy was undecided so for her I chose a banoffee waffle and for myself strawberries with mascarpone with crispy pancakes.

Both desserts were huge Hungry Horse-style dishes; the banoffee was just cream with sliced bananas, studded with tiny marshmallows. The waffle was so overcooked her spoon would not cut it.

My crispy pancakes were not so crispy, paper thin and again overcooked and the mascarpone appeared to just unadulterated cream, although there were plenty of strawberries.

When we mentioned our disappointment, the barmaid immediately took the desserts off the bill and appeared to have forgotten the starters because the bill totalled only £22.30.

We will be returning because we know this pub has the potential to do so much better.

By Nigel Kerton

The French Horn

Marlborough Road,

Pewsey

(01672) 562443

  • Plentiful parking
  • Large pub garden with sunshades
  • Nearby walks on Kennet and Avon Canal
  • Credit and debit cards accepted
  • Good disabled access