Out & About Summer 2021

Out&About food & drink

Clockwise from left: Crispy cauliflower, cured salmon and the buttermilk chicken burger

Sticky toffee pudding

burgers (another play on words!), choosing the Buttermilk Chicken Burger (£15.50). There are very few buttermilk dishes where you can actually taste the tart dairy ingredient but Dijana said you could on this. Topped with lettuce, a fat gherkin and chilli mayo and in a brioche bun it towered over the plate and was served with sweet potato fries. The substantial portion of fries meant I got to finish them off. Desserts balanced the meal for us – after her burger Dijana’s Buttermilk Pannacotta with Strawberries and Meringue (£6) was light, delicate and fragrant with vanilla. She loved it, said it wasn’t too sweet, it passed the wobble test, and the shards of

Thai marinated monkfish

Pictures: Dijana Capan/DVision Images

meringue were good. The remains on her plate were strawberry tops and nothing else! My Sticky Toffee Pudding (£5.50) upped my carbs, but in fact was way lighter than it looked. Served with toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream it was lightly fudgy and datey and lovely. We noted that dietary requests are well catered for – many dishes come dairy-free and vegan on request. This charming pub does also cater for events – there’s a lovely space which would suit private lunches, christenings or a small wedding.

If Covid has done anything it has made us all appreciate our traditional pubs – and especially those who innovate and are inventive. The White Hart Inn certainly does both of those – let’s show our appreciation by booking a table or popping in for a beer. There’s a lovely walk which takes you round close-by Hamstead Park – 3.5 miles in total – and the pub can supply you with a map. Our message would be keep up with the walks and combine with a good pub! And the White Hart Inn is a great choice for a rest stop.

The White Hart Inn, Hamstead Marshall, Newbury RG20 0HW. 01488 657545/ https://www.saviourwhitehart.co.uk/

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O&A SUMMER 2021