The Royal George, Appledore

...and spend to excess for the sake of the festive season. I generally avoid works 'dos' like the plague as a general rule - they normally deteriorate into lengthy discussions about work issues and then everyone has too much to drink. This is normally followed a day or two later by a piece by piece dissection of how drunk everyone got and what silly things were said and done. However, a certain few of us have developed the tradition of having two meals ...
...Christmas and one at the beginning of the summer holidays (I work at a school).

Today was our Christmas lunch - pre-booked at the Royal George in the village of Appledore where most of us live. It's a stones throw from Westward Ho and is situated at the mouths of the Taw and Torridge estuaries.

If you look at the picture at the top of this review, The Royal George is the building to the right of the picture, one of ... more

It's that time of year isn't it? When everyone is off out in groups for Christmas lunches and dinners - we eat, socialise and spend to excess for the sake of the festive season. I generally avoid works 'dos' like the plague as a general rule - they normally deteriorate into lengthy discussions about work issues and then everyone has too much to drink. This is normally followed a day or two later by a piece by piece dissection of how drunk everyone got and what silly things were said and done. However, a certain few of us have developed the tradition of having two meals a year together, one just after we break up for Christmas and one at the beginning of the summer holidays (I work at a school).

Today was our Christmas lunch - pre-booked at the Royal George in the village of Appledore where most of us live. It's a stones throw from Westward Ho and is situated at the mouths of the Taw and Torridge estuaries.

If you look at the picture at the top of this review, The Royal George is the building to the right of the picture, one of the outer walls being integral with the sea wall. The restaurant area is on the right of the building and as you can see, looks right out over the estuary.

I have only been in this pub once before as I'm not much of a pub goer and this is at the opposite end of the village to where I live (ok walking there but another matter when you've had one or three drinks!), but the once that I did go I did notice particularly that although it's a very small pub area, it was crammed to capacity and the landlord, Barry was extremely friendly and welcoming to everyone, even newcomers.

I will describe the pub as it is now, but I do know that alterations are due to be done in the early spring which will change the interior layout.

The pub is situated in a cobbled street full of quaint old fishermen's cottages (rather sham now though unfortunately as almost all along here are now renovated and have become holiday homes). The door isn't terribly high so being quite tall I did feel I had to duck a little as I walked in. To the right just inside the door is a very comfortable room set out with armchairs and settees with a couple of table and chair sets - I assume this to be the lounge although this lunchtime it was unoccupied.

On the left are the ladies and gents toilets. As much as I would like to be able to tell you of the gents, I'm afraid I was just too much of a lady to stick my nose round the door! However, the ladies is absolutely immaculate and although there are only two loos and one sink in there, there is a reasonable amount of space outside the actual toilets to adjust clothing, touch up make-up or have a gossip with your friends - you know, the usual things us women do when we go to the toilet in groups! There is even an armchair in the corner so you can wait comfortably! There is fresh pot pourri in a bowl by the sink and a flower display in the corner. It's all immaculately clean and tidy. Inside each toilet there are framed photo collages of male pin ups in various states of undress - we all had a laugh at those!

Now I've inspected the plumbing arrangements, it's on to the bar. It's quite a small bar area all very traditionally done out in dark wood. There are about half a dozen stools along the bar and I have been reliably informed, the locals all have their own mugs behind the bar. Oppposite that is the serious drinking area - not very large at all - there were 9 of us seated round the first table (we had nicked a couple of stools from the other tables) and I estimate there is space to seat maybe another 20 people. There is another door out onto the street in the corner.

Us 9 ladies who lunch sat down and had a drink, Isabel (the school cook) had done her usual thing and bought with her a couple of quizzes to keep us occupied and a sewn up bag of 12 items which was passed round the table for everyone to try and guess the contents. We were given the menus and also shown the board with specials and made our choices. We did have the choice of having the Christmas meal, but at £25 per head and with Christmas so close we all decided to give that a miss. The main menu didn't have a massive variety but there was steak, surf and turf, chicken in cream sauce, duck, vegetarian lasagne, cream cheese and broccoli bake and scampi. I wish I'd looked at the menu a lttle harder as it's all a little hazy now, but I don't remember seeing a childs menu at all. The speciality of this pub restaurant is freshly caught fish and I noticed whole plaice and skate wings on there amongst other things - the plaice was £10.50 and the skate wings £12.50. I'm guessing this board will change daily depending on what fish has been caught.

At 12.10 (we had booked our meal table for 12 but a couple of us were a little delayed) we were shown to our table, through the door into the restaurant area.

The very first thing you have to notice as you go in is that the entire end wall which stretches the width of the pub is almost competely picture windows. The entire vista of the estuary lays stretched out before your eyes. The day was beautiful and sunny, although cold, and the tide was on the way in. Brightly painted fishing boats lay along the edge on their sides, the dunes just across the water were gleaming and the sunlight bounced off the water making it sparkle as though it had been strewn with a million diamonds. Basically it was breathtaking, and to be honest, even if the meal had been terrible, the experience would have been a positive one just on the strenth of this sight.

Our table was to the right of this wide, shallow room and they had pushed several tables together to get all of us 9 diners on together. It was laid up very nicely with a couple of mini xmas trees, crackers at every place and wine glasses with xmas serviettes. There was another long table to the left with a Christmas party of around 12 people going on and between us was a table for 4 laid up with a reserved label on. Im guessing the entire restaurant can seat up to a maximum of 30 diners, all of them getting an equally amazing view of the river.

The food was brought out immediately. I didn't have a starter but those that did had either pate, soup or prawn cocktail All were pronounced delicious, all dishes were served together. Those of us not having a starter busied ourselves with Isabel's quizzes (and very frustrating they were too!)

There were 2 very friendly and helpful waitresses serving the whole restaurant and making an extremely good job of it. Within a few minutes of the starters being finished, the dirty dishes were whisked away. Shortly after the main meals were brought in. From memory we had ordered variously steak, cream cheese and broccoli bake, duck, chicken in cream sauce and scampi. I had the scampi. All dishes were brought out quickly in relay by the two waitresses and they were quickly followed by the separate dishes of chips, sliced seasoned potatoes, mushrooms and carrots. All the dishes were lovely and hot and all the meals were cooked to perfection. I didn't hear even a slight complaint about anything which is pretty good coming from a table of 9 women, two of them being cooks themselves!

Besides having just the right amount of attention from the waitresses (we weren't abandoned nor were we harrassed), Barry the owner and chef came to our table 4 times during the meal, partly to check we were enjoying our meal and partly to have a general chat. He even took away some of the empty plates and waste paper left from us pulling the crackers.

After our main meal we were left in peace for just the right amount of time before being offered the dessert menu. We all groaned, but most of us ordered one! Again, it wasn't a vastly varied menu but it was adequate. We were offered Xmas pud, apple pie, Hockings ice cream (the local delicious stuff made with clotted cream - yum yum), chocolate nut sundae, lemon torte, and peach melba. I had the apple pie - not a big wedge but sufficient, full of juicy apple, the pastry was melt in the mouth and it was served with a good sized spoonful of clotted cream. We all ordered coffee after which was absolutely excellent (and I'm a coffeeholic so I should know!) Barry bought out 9 complimentary mini mince pies, but nobody attempted one, we were all too full.

We paid our bill and Barry told us we didn't have to rush off but could stay and chat as long as we liked, which was a very nice touch I thought. We had bought a box of chocolates which had been given to us all by the headmistress and he snaffled one of those before he left us to it, showing how friendly and informal the atmosphere in here is.

All in all it was a very well presented, nicely cooked meal with friendly efficient service in breathtaking surroundings. What more could you ask for? The only thing I would say is that I found it a tad pricy - maybe it's just me as I don't eat out very often, but I think the steaks were £12.50, my scampi (which was around 12 pieces with a little salad garnish and a large spoonful of chips) was £9.50. The apple pie was £3.75 but not clearly stated on the menu was the extra £1 charge for ice cream or clotted cream to go with it. My whole meal then, scampi and apple pie with a £1 tip for the waitresses came to £16.

I do know they do a very brisk trade in meals in this pub and with it not seating a huge amount, tables need to be booked well in advance. Obviously this gets much worse during the summer holidays and I do know it's tremendously popular with tourists, so if you do come on holiday here and would like to eat at The Royal George, it might be worth while ringing a couple of weeks before your holiday starts to book in. Phone number is 01237-474335.

Thanks for reading and ta ta for now.
Jacky x 

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