National Pie Week was at its peak and The Man and I hadn’t yet ventured out to sample any! What a shocking state of affairs you may well be thinking, and you’d be right; time to rectify the shameful situation! We flew in hot, fast - and under the radar - to The White Hart Inn at Moorwood Moor for their Thursday evening ‘Pie Night’ offering: Pie and a Pint (or equivalent, from a selection) for £14.50 per person.
One thing I love and hate in equal measure about the ‘Shire is those windy, quirky, single-track roads, and we found ourselves traversing along one of them en-route to The White Hart Inn. Thankfully we didn’t come across any dusk-roaming critters such as Rabbits or Pheasants, and pulled into the ample car park unscathed. As well as the usual marked-out parking bays, there is also a pretty large overflow area which I imagine comes in pretty handy for the weddings and functions that happen in the designated suite to one side of the premises. There’s no denying that The White Hart Inn is pretty from the outside; the trees were strewn with twinkling lights which looked lovely in the waning hours, and the well is always a talking point.
Inside is no less impressive. The open-plan space is broken up into several smaller, cosier areas by the clever use of faux foliage-adorned open shelves and frosted glass screens that have the business logo on. The same faux foliage had been twizzled around to provide décor for the ceiling, and modern pendant lights with fancy bulbs cast a warm glow over each table. Both the chairs, high chairs and tables were chunky wood types; we were seated at the raised table that was paired with mid-back chairs and had a great view of the ‘middle’ area. The floor was laid with large, natural flagstones and there was exposed red brick- and stone- work to really ramp up the rural vibe.
As we were being seated, water for the table was offered and we were left to peruse the Pie Night menu as it was being fetched. The pie night offer includes a pint in the price, but the team appreciate that a) not everyone likes beer/lager and b) there may be a designated driver that isn’t drinking at all that night; to that end, you can substitute a medium glass of house wine or a soft drink to accompany your pie. I ordered a glass of Merlot and The Man had a pint of Estrella, and a few minutes later we were ordering our pies; Lamb and Mint for me, Beef, Red Wine and Onion for His Nibs.
Most of you will be aware that, when I have a pie, the ‘norm’ is for me to have Chips and Mushy Peas but, on this occasion, there were so many other scrummy-sounding choices! Hard as it is to believe, I eschewed my beloved Mushies in favour of Parmesan and Truffle Fries and Sautéed Green Vegetables, and The Man went for Cheddar Cheese and Chive Mash, and Garden Peas. We both thought it was nice to have a choice of two sides (from a range of 10, no less) included in the pie night price.
Whilst we waited for our pies to arrive, I looked across at adjacent tables to see who our fellow diners were, and there was a good mix: couples, groups of friends, families with children, and even a furry with their ‘pawrents’ in the first area by the entrance. Dogs are very welcome at The White Hart, but the preference is to keep them at tables that are furthest from the kitchen so, please do mention that you’d like to bring Fido along when you book, and the team will allocate you a suitable table.
Before we knew it, a pair of fully laden plates were being placed in front of us and, by golly, they smelled divine! Now, we’ve encountered many a stonking pie in our time, but I don’t think we’ve ever seen one quite as filled as these beauties! Smothered in their respective, thick gravy, the tender chunks of Lamb and Beef were literally battering on their pastry confines, and what beautifully short, fat-rich pastry it was. Put it this way, grannies up-and-down the country would be cooing over it. Both of us remarked that, if it says the Beef is cooked with Red Wine you can taste the wine and, if it says the Lamb is minted, you can taste the Mint; I do love a place that doesn’t muck abaht [sic] or flim-flam its customers.
So, having established that the pies were spot-on, what about the sides? I’m happy to say that they were just as fab. The Parmesan and Truffle Fries were superbly crisp, housed in their own separate pot to avoid any gravy making them soggy. If you love punchy, earthy flavours, these fries will be right up your alley; the Truffle was certainly able to match up to the Parm’s pungency, and both complemented the nutty taste of the fries. Whilst I’m on the subject of spuds, The Man’s Cheddar and Chive Mash was blinking excellent, packed with the comfort factor we all crave from super-smooth mash, but ramped up with the allium notes of Onion and a fabulously punchy Cheese.
My sautéed veg medley was comprised of sliced baby Leeks, Sugar Snap Peas, Green Beans, and Cabbage, all of which still had that smile-inducing squeak to them that allowed all their natural flavour to bounce on my palate like a sugar-rushed kid on a trampoline! Glorious. Mind you, the Garden Peas on His Nibs’ plate weren’t shabby, either; nice and sweet and bright in the mouth.
Speaking of sugar has just prompted me to mention our rather smashing desserts (£8 each): Lemon, White Chocolate and Raspberry Mousse with a pistachio Crumb for me, and Toffee Cheesecake with Whipped Cream, Chocolate Bits, Pretzel Pieces and Chocolate Drizzle for The Man. My Mousse was splendid, bursting with crisp fruit notes and tempered with a lingering creaminess from White Chocolate. Sitting prettily in its glass, the rosy hue smacked with the promise of spring and summer, and the flavour did nothing to diminish this fantasy. Some welcome texture came via the pieces of pastel green Pistachio, and the colour of the nuts complemented the mousse beautifully.
The White Hart Inn at Moorwood Moor pulled the proverbial rabbit out of the hat with His Nibs’ choice of Cheesecake; rather than being a ‘base, body, topping’ set-up, this minx was more like a bombe. The Biscuit sphere surrounded a toffee-pimped, wickedly creamy ‘body’ and the Whipped Cream perched delicately on top of it. A entire circus of Pretzel, Chocolate Sauce, and crunchy Toffee and Chocolate pieces danced over the whole and around the plate to produce a sensational confection that tantalised The Man’s palate. I did mention to our wonderful server that the only criticism of the whole evening would be that a dessert fork was needed to lessen the grappling with the bombe, and she said that she would carry that forward.
Throughout our time at The White Hart Inn, our every need had been taken care of: check-backs were done in a timely fashion, checks on our drinks were carried out, and we were asked if we needed extra sauces or condiments with our mains. Hot Wings very happily given to this superb team – we’ll definitely see you again.
To book a table call 01629 534888, and for more information visit www.moorwoodhotelcollection.co.uk/white-hart/
