(This venue is in the Discount Directory)

Visited June 2005  (see below for Jekyll & Hyde)

Decided to try this pub, it was a lovely day & we wanted to make the most of it & sit outside.  Have heard from site regulars that  St Jacques  has been completely refurbished & now called The Empress of Blandings (apparently a breed of pig!).  It is very attractive inside, a cross between a wine bar & a pub, great decor, lots of amusing sayings on the walls.  The garden has a lot of seating, in the shade at the front of the pub & in the sun at the back.

Usual routine, get your table number & then order your food & drinks at the bar.  The food is then served to your table.  Friendly bar staff. We decided to have a bottle of house white, approx £8.50 a bottle, plus soda to make spritzers, they were happy to give us a jug of soda.  Tables comfortable for garden furniture but we managed to get one of the newer ones!

Good idea, all dishes can be ordered as small or large portions, guess which we chose?  Yes, the large sizes! L-R Warm chicken & bacon & new potato salad,  Steak & Tanglefoot (ale) pie, & a double starter of Crab & Prawn salad for my vegetarian friend who was not that impressed as all the vegetarian dishes were a bit stogy.  Chef's please note, veggies are quite often also watching their weight so do not want everything either wrapped in pastry or with a cheese topping!  Finished with one lemon cheese cake & 3 spoons. All the food was very pleasant.

Cost £ £ £

Yummy factor 7/10

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Very funny, we suspected that this pub must be part of a chain but didn't expect to find out so soon that we were right!  The next day I had to go to Reading & on the way back on A 33 we stopped at...

Visited June 2005

As soon as we walked in I spied the menu, exactly the same as at The Empress of Blandings!  How funny, found out they belong to Woodhouse Pubs in Dorset.

Again we sat in the garden & again the staff were very friendly but this pub is not so smart as its not so new.  Today I had the Mediterranean Vegetable Pot topped with sliced creamy potatoes & my partner had a sirloin steak which was only so, so.

There are lots of choices on their varied menu & a specials board.

Cost £ £

Yummy factor 6/10

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