Our little flock was at a loose end the other week and my culinary inspiration had deserted me dear reader. I think it was because the weather had been so dismal and I was generally feeling “meh“, but I just really wanted pizza - not a stodgy takeaway affair but a proper “ whisk me away in my imagination to Italy “ job. Anyhow, The Boy Wonder saved the day by booking a table at The Village Inn so off we flew, chirruping in anticipation. The focal point of the eating end of the pub is the Pizza Oven, and quite rightly so because it really is something to behold. The staff were tending the coals very judiciously throughout our stay, to keep the temperature nice and even.
I could go on and on about the Pizza Oven for ages, but you really want to know whether the Pizza itself is any good not how magnificent the cooking vessel is, I’m sure!
For starters we ordered 2 portions of the Sweet Chilli Beef Strips on a Bed of Leaves and a Grilled Goats Cheese on a Bed of Mixed Leaves. The Beef Strips were just spicy enough to appeal to all palates and The Man Bird and Chickadee both really enjoyed them. They were lovely and juicy, not tough at all, and were obviously from quality beef joints not gristly leftover bits. My Goats Cheese was excellent too, a nice thick wheel of cheese not a measly little slice that you barely taste.
Duly impressed with our starters we were all looking forward to sampling the Pizzas; I ordered the Greek Pizza with its Feta Cheese, Cherry Tomatoes and Rocket topping, The Man went for the Hot and Spicy option with Pepperoni, Spicy Chicken and Jalapenos, and Baby Bird had the Ham and Mushroom Pizza. All the Pizzas had beautifully thin, crisp bases and were loaded with plenty of toppings and garnished with fresh herbs - our taste buds had died and gone to heaven with all the magnificent flavours hitting them. We also ordered Garlic bread with Mozzarella and Caramelised Onion to come with our main courses. That too was delicious, just enough of the sweet nutty onion to compliment the cheese without overwhelming its delicate flavour. We cleaned our plates with huge grins on our beaks; it was a great meal so far, so the only question remaining was whether the dessert could measure up. Now you know that we like to complete 3 courses if we can reader, just to balance out the culinary options - some people prefer a starter and skip dessert; others would rather forego a starter and indulge in something sweet at the end of their meal. To round off our meals we ordered Bread and Butter Pudding, Meringue with Summer Fruits and Cream, and Chocolate Ice Cream Cake. All 3 desserts were superb and were a decent portion size too, so we were really happy with all aspects of our meal.
The staff were all very friendly and polite, and dressed smartly too. Service was very efficient without being rushed at all, and they checked back to make sure we were enjoying the food.
A great evening was had by all, so I can thoroughly recommend you paying a visit in the near future if you haven’t been already. There is a large car park directly opposite the Pub, so it has great access too. All the food was great value for money, considering the food quality and size of the portions. Hot Wings ahoy at The Village Inn, Marehay :)
