It’s been a while since me, The Man, Mummy Bird, Fledge and The Beau all got together for a meal out, so it was nice when, last minute, ‘the kids’ said that they’d join us at The Tiger Inn at Turnditch for Pie Night. Yes, that’s right folks, we were having Pie at The Tiger; admit it, you all just sang that, didn’t you?!
As well as Thursday’s famous pie night, The Tiger team do offers pretty much every week night: Mac n Cheese, Burger, Steak Night, Fish n Chip Friday etc. etc. I must admit, the Mac n Cheese night has got my name ALL over it for next time we visit. There is a decent amount of parking, both to the side and at the front of the beautiful Inn, and we managed to grab a spot in front of the entrance.
The Tiger Inn has run continuously for over 150 years, and still has that wonderful traditional feel to it with a welcoming bar and wood-burning fire for cosy nights when the nights are long and dark. The restaurant is light and airy, thanks to the double-aspect windows with fantastic views over the hills and the décor palate is neutral with country touches.
Famous for its 150+ varieties of Pie (as well as a daily specials board!) there is literally something for everyone – the only difficulty is whittling your choice down to a single one. After much deliberation, however, our flock did eventually manage the task: I had Moroccan Lamb, His Nibs had Honey Jack Daniels and BBQ Chicken, Fledge had Chicken and Wild Mushroom, Mummy Bird fancied the classic Steak and Stilton, and The Beau opted for Steak and Sausage. You can choose from Puff Pastry or Shortcrust, and within our group there was a 3:2 split of the two sorts. All the pies come with a selection of Vegetables and Chips.
Chef cooks food to order at The Tiger Inn, so there was that interlude whilst he wove his magic but we didn’t mind; we just supped our drinks and yapped among ourselves, as families do. Now, I’m just going to head-off all the nay-sayers and pie purists by saying, yes, technically, they weren’t fully encased pies, and were ‘topped’ with pastry lids. However, this doesn’t mean that the pies were any less tasty; in fact, on a warm evening, the lesser amount of pastry - both types of which were amazing, btw - was quite welcome, believe it or not.
Without exception, the pie bowls were filled to the brim with chunks of tender, juicy meat and poultry that bathed in their respective thick, unctuous gravy’s. I loved the inclusion of Apricot in my Moroccan Lamb morsel, and His Nibs commented on how beautiful his Honey JD and BBQ pie was. Fledge was more than happy with the balance of Chicken and Mushroom in her choice, and was impressed by the white sauce that wrapped around it all. Two of our group had gone with Beef Steak and, as with the Chicken and Lamb, there was no shortage of scrumminess to enjoy.
Two sizeable bowls were placed in the centre of our table; the chips were golden and delicious with crisp outers and comfortingly soft inners. If chips aren’t your thing, there was also plenty of choice with the veg: Red Cabbage, Garden Peas, Green Beans, and Carrot – all of which were cooked to retain a hint of firmness. Priced at £12 per person, I don’t reckon you’ll find much better value than this, especially when you take into account the quality and quantity on offer at The Tiger Inn.
Hot Wings are happily given to this fab venue and its hard-working team. To book a table call 01773 550200 or visit www.thetigerinnturnditch.com and hit the ‘reservations’ tab on the left-hand side of the page. Open every day from Noon-11pm, the restaurant is open Mon-Sat Noon-9pm, and Sunday Noon-8pm.
You might also enjoy:
