Three Horseshoes, Breedon on the Hill, DE73 8AN

I’ve tried most, but in my opinion one of the best hangover cures at the weekend is a Sunday lunch, a couple of drinks and then hit the sofa, for a James Bond repeat and some zzzzz’s.....
So with my two partners in crime from the previous night Ann & Kim, we glide off towards Breedon on the Hill near Melbourne, to get stuck-in.
This former farriers building has been lovingly converted to a contemporary pub whilst retaining its ‘old world charm’, with an eclectic mix of tables, chairs and trinkets. The marraige between real ale and dinning pub, is spot on.

Pedigree, Pimms and a plate of bread and olives were called upon, in attempt to dismantle the remnants of our hangovers. No suprise that rather too much of the finger-lickin garlic bread was consumed prior to the arrival of mains. I fall for that one every time!
Pork with customary apple sauce and sage & onion stuffing for Ann (£12.50), roast leg of lamb with pease pudding for Kate (£12.50), breast of chicken with rosemary, barley & garlic pour moi (£16.95), all accompanied by a selection of veg, including carrots with broad beans, red cabbage, cauliflower cheese and a pile of roasties.

My chicken was moist and the combination of barley, herbs and garlic in a light gravy worked well, even though I considered it a wintery combination. Kates lamb dinner was shrouded with a blanket of rich dark gravy, it was a good job she was a fan. Her pease pudding was a bit salty, but a pleasant change to the expected rosemary or mint sauce. The presentation however was careless and her plate looked a bit 'school dinner'.

Ann troughed her way through her generous amount of pork and accompaniments, small grunts between mouthfulls gave an impression of contentment. The four oval dishes of crisp vegetables were faultless and it was great to be served broad beans, I forgot how much I've missed them.
Suitable service was maintained throughout and despite my eyelids starting to shut-up-shop, we couldn't resist a dessert. It was the handmade chocolates for Ann (£4.99), six hand made chocolate truffles including lemon & coffee. Like many, I always ignore the coffee flavour chocolates in the box of Christmas Milk Tray, but I was taken aback by the subtle sweet cappuccino flavoured truffle. Kates bread & butter pudding (£5.49) was comforting and approprately wobbly but lacked the sugary crust I prefer, due to its blast in the microwave. Yours truly had the bakewell tart (£5.49), a hadmade slice of fragipane tart, with custard. A Derbyshire classic, but a bit on the dry side.
The alcohol and food made us all drowsy as the blood desserted our brains and glided off towards our stomachs.......
It was an enjoyable lunch, but provenance asside, £90 including a bottle of wine was a bit stiff, especially £17 for my chicken dish, you can get a 3 course Sunday lunch at Masa for just £18. A bit more attention to presentation could certainly add value to their prices. Nonetheless if you're feelingh flush and fancy a drive out, then the Three Horseshoes is definately worth a look.
The sofa beckons, I wonder if it will be "Octopussy" or "Live and Let Die".........

Food 6.5/10

Service 7.5/10

Venue 8/10

Tel: 01332 695129
www.thehorseshoes.com

Brickmakers Arms, Newton Solney, DE15 0SJ.

I don't know what's suffered most lately, my wallet or waistband? I've eaten out four days in a row and my cooker's starting to wonder if it's done something to upset me?
Today we've stepped over the Derbyshire border a couple of miles south of Willington, to the Brickmakers Arms in Newton Solney. I'd been hearing that this was "the" pub for Decent Grub.

The disproportionaly small bar made a tight holding area for customers waiting to be seated. It was a struggle to get served and I was overlooked a couple of times by the stretched barman. It certainly isn’t somewhere I'd suggest popping into for a pint.
Once seated I perused the menu which was obviously their Sunday lunch menu so it consisted of the usual suspects, roast beef, pork or lamb, scampi or cod and a couple of pies. We settled on the two courses for £10.95 option, three courses at £13.95 being far too much food for a lunch, but seemingly good value.
Bec had the chicken liver pate with Cumberland sauce. Definitely home made, it was smooth & buttery, but as usual the quantity of pate far outweighed the habitual morsel of bread. The superfluous garnish of apple, orange and kiwi, was unneccesary and seemed dated.
I had a punt at the black pudding with bubble & squeak with red wine & onion gravy. Two large discs of pudding, a pan fried potato cake and an ocean of slippery gravy. It was far too much for a starter. As my old man used to say "My eyes are bigger than my belly". He wouldn't say that if he could see my rapidly expanding mid-rif!

The mains were nothing to write home about, roast lamb for Bec and roast beef with Yorkshire pudding for myself. Two plates of slightly over cooked meat, with a large bowl of seasonal veg to share. The highlight was my mountainous Yorkshire, large and crunchy. Just like mother used to make (and still does).
It was a very average Sunday lunch, certainly not worth the drive, but for the locals I'm sure it hits the spot. It was chock-a-block today and almost claustrophobic.
I noted there was nothing in the main course selection for vegetarians.

Food 5/10
Venue 5/10
Service 4/10

Tel: 01283 702330

"Hey little rich boy.Take a good look at me.Why should I let it worry me.I'll never believe your better than me" (Hey Little Rich Boy, Sham 69, 1978)