Sunday Lunch At The Bulls Head Inn, Foolow
Published On Thursday 12 Jun 2025 by Sticky Beak
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The Man and I had kindly been invited along for the Sunday Roast at The Bulls Head Inn at Foolow and, I tell you what, you’d be hard-pressed to find a traditional English village pub with more kerb appeal than this one! There is a pristine white-washed exterior, mature tree-lined car park, beer garden and it’s nestled in the heart of the village; what’s not to love?! Having parked the jalopy in one of the spaces, we headed inside, to a very warm greeting.
Dogs are welcome in the bar area; there was a very handsome terrier, relaxing with his dad when we arrived, and children are welcome in the restaurant. Even though our booking was later in the day, The Bulls Head was still very lively – both with diners and with those partaking of a leisurely pint or glass of wine. Most days, there is an offer of some sort: I glanced that Wednesday was Steak Night, Thursday was Pie and a Pint Night and, of course, Friday heralds Fish-n-Chip time.
Having been shown to our table, handed the menu and ordered drinks, it was time for me to appreciate my surroundings a little more fully. The interior of The Bulls Head is just as lovely as the outer, with wood panelling, stone walls (complete with stone fireplace and log-burner) and wood ceiling beams all providing a heritage charm. A calming duck egg blue paint coated some of the space and there was some ‘olde fashioned’ kitsch in the form of copper pans, pots and kettles; there was even a copper bed warmer (we have one, too!) and a hunting horn.
Deciding what to have to eat was a bit of a task – there was simply an over-flow of scrumminess on offer, whether it be for starter, main or pudding! In the end, I plumped for the Red Onion and Goats Cheese Tart with Beetroot Salad and Balsamic (£8), followed by the iconic Roast Topside of Derbyshire Beef (£21), and His Nibs fancied the Confit Derbyshire Pork Belly with Fennel and Apple ‘Slaw and Soy Caramel (£8) to start, with Roast Loin of Derbyshire Pork (£19) as his main. All the roasts at The Bulls Head Inn come with Duck Fat Roasties, Carrot and Swede Mash, Honey-roast Parsnips, Carrot Purée, Buttered Greens, Braised Red Cabbage, Yorkshire Pudding and Gravy. You can add on Cauliflower Cheese for an extra £4.25.
Having been outside and occupied with garden tasks all morning, we had both worked up a hearty appetite which, looking at our starters when they arrived, was perhaps as well: Chef is certainly a feeder! Presentation-wise, both offerings looked superb, and we tucked in eagerly. My individual tartlet had the most exquisite pastry to it; it instantly melted in my mouth’s heat, leaving its rich butteriness on my tongue. Within the pastry confines was a gorgeously sticky confit of mellow Red Onion, topped with a log of musky Goats Cheese; these two elements married together superbly well. Contrasting with them were deliciously earthy wedges of ruby Beetroot and an intense Balsamic glaze. This was a flavour-packed starter, and one that was nice and light on the tummy; personally, I couldn’t wait to see what my main course had in store for me, if this was the standard of the starter.
The Man was just as smitten with his starter of Confit Derbyshire Pork Belly, which was no less generous than my tart had been. It was certainly a flavour-packed piece of Pork Belly, and its creamy taste had been partnered with a superb Sweet/Umami Soy Caramel glaze that seemed to intensify the meats’ character. Contrasting with the super-soft, tenderness of the Pork Belly was a gorgeously crunchy Asian-inspired ‘Slaw that had His Nibs smiling happily. Seriously, these veggies were a smidge sexy; crisp, bright Apple notes bounced joyously alongside the Anise hints of the sliced Fennel Bulb, flirting as if they were having a silent disco!
Our server had done check-backs to ascertain that we were happy with our food, the empty plates confirmation that we had indeed been. Our starter paraphernalia was taken away and fresh cutlery and napkins (which were good quality, thick-ply ones) laid down for us. Water had been offered when we’d first sat down and a discreet check was made as to whether we needed more bringing out; there was no faulting the guest care here, that’s for sure.
Soon enough, two huge plates laden with all manner of temptation were being carefully placed down in front of us, with a cautionary instruction that the plates were hot (they certainly were!) and an inquiry as to whether we’d like any sauces: I requested some Horseradish, The Man said he was fine as was. An accompanying wooden platter bore the bowls of Buttered Greens and Cauliflower Cheese, and the jug of extra gravy.
What to say about the meats except, wow!! Both my Beef and The Man’s Pork Loin were absolutely divine; tender beyond belief and with a flavour that mesmerised the palate, and three slices to really let you savour them. I loved the fact that my beef was still pink in the middle, and His Nibs was impressed by just how moist the Pork was - I also delighted in the minx that was the crackling; this was seriously crunchy and no trace of grease anywhere at all. Now, the Duck fat Roasties were super-tasty, there’s no denying that, and they did have lovely soft inners: but…they weren’t the crispiest we’ve had recently. They were still lovely, but if you get a kick from that crunch on their outers, you will be left waiting.
Both of us were pondering if we’d ever had mashed Potato that was zhuzhed with mashed Swede and Carrot mixed in, and concluded that we hadn’t. All I can say is that it is de-lic-ious, and that I need it in my life from now on; it also looks pretty, too, a bit like a tortoiseshell kitten, and it certainly was kitten-soft in texture. Both the Carrot purée and the honey-roast Parsnips were rich and sweet, with a comforting velvety texture that was echoed in the spice-pimped, jammy, Braised Red Cabbage. Courgette wedges had been softened nicely and complemented the other greens brilliantly; Kale, Green Cabbage, whole Green Beans and Tenderstem Broccoli were perfectly cooked and pleasingly glossed with butter.
A homemade Yorkie sat proudly on the plate and, whilst neither of us managed to finish it (due to the mountain of other elements on our plates!), we both enjoyed its flavour. We also didn’t manage to devour all of the Cauliflower Cheese, which is most unlike us! The plentiful Cauliflower florets were a nice two-bite size and were gently firm to the bite. Plenty of rich sauce bathed the vegetable and lots of Cheese had melted to form a golden crust that had been crowned with crispy Onion bits – nom-alicious.
By now we were fully stuffed but, of course, our gluttony reigned supreme and demanded that we order dessert! Always ready to compromise, we had a little siesta before ordering Sticky Ginger Pudding with Salted Toffee Sauce, Rum-soaked Raisins and Clotted Cream Ice Cream (£8) for His Nibs, and Warm Bakewell Pudding with Custard (also £8) for me. I absolutely love Rum-soaked Raisins, so I think it’s testament to the depth of my love for The Man Bird that I ‘let’ him have this pudding – don’t you agree?
Turns out that the Sticky Ginger Pudding was a genius example of a sweet treat…and I was more than a tad gutted that I hadn’t [selfishly] snaffled this for myself, if I’m being totally honest! Ever the gentleman, though, His Nibs passed me a spoonful of the pud, sauce, Raisins and Ice Cream to sample its charms for myself, and what a tremendous pudding it was; certainly, one of the best we’ve had over recent times. Delightfully rich (but not clarty at all), the pudding had a glorious hint of Gingery warmth and paired amazingly well with the [moreish] Caramel sauce that had a tang of salt at its periphery. Melting gently in the warmth of the Sticky Ginger Pud was possibly the most wonderfully indulgent Ice Cream you could dream of, adding even more luxury to this magnificent pud.
I had been sorely torn between the Bakewell Pudding and the homemade Bramley Apple and Rhubarb Crumble; I love both, but was just in the mood for pastry. Ooh, and that pudding pastry was beautifully flaky and buttery, just as it should be. A layer of intensely tasty Raspberry, topped with the irresistible kiss of Frangipane, completed the ensemble and my palate was dancing with glee. I liked that the Custard was presented in its own little jug, as it meant that I could either pour it over my Bakewell Pudding or dunk the pudding into the jug – always nice to have the choice. Fresh Raspberries and a marvellous summer fruit compote added a good dollop of extra flavour to this already boldly tasty treasure. What a perfect conclusion to a memorable meal!
Hot Wings very happily given to this Foolow Gastropub. To book a table call 01433 630873 or visit www.thebullsheadfoolow.co.uk and hit the ‘book a table’ button. If you fancy staying in one of the rooms (and they do a cracking stay-n-dine offer, by the way), then hit the ‘book a room’ button. The Bulls Head Inn is open at the bar Mon-Fri Noon-late, Saturday 8.30am-late, and Sunday 8.30am-9pm, and the kitchen is open Mon-Fri Noon-2.30pm and 5-8.30pm, Sat 8.30am-10.30am and Noon-9pm, and Sunday 8.30am-10.30am and Noon-6.30pm.
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