Whining and Dining

In my last post I mentioned a couple of eating houses and said I would post more! As those of you who know me well would agree, I do like the 'odd pint or three' and are not one for 'small portions' I am not that keen on beer that has the bubbles inside it instead of on the top ( like certain soft southerner friends of mine) as a Black Country lad I was raised on Bank's mild and always enjoyed a head on my beer and served my apprenticeship on that brew until about 15 years ago when I took a liking to 'the black stuff'.

It's Guinness' porter that has me this way,

For it's sweeter than buttermilk and stronger than tay'

And when in the morning I feel kinda rough,

Me curse on Lord Iveagh who brews the damn stuff!

Any way one of the things I enjoy when out boating is stopping at different pubs along the cut and eating out and after having a rather poor meal and even worse beer one night last week end I thought I would make a blog entry each time we have either a good/bad meal/drink (as do quite a few) so here's the first.

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The Clifford Arms

Clifford Arms,Main Rd ,Great Haywood

Trent and Mersey canal. Off the canal at Trent Lane Bridge 73 walk about 100 yards to pub.

Saturday 23^rd October 2010

Cajun Chicken DAWN 1 2 3 4 5 QUALITY XX QUANTITY XX SERVICE XX SURROUNDINGS XX VALUE FOR MONEY XX 14 12 oz horseshoe Gammon BLOSSOM 1 2 3 4 5 QUALITY XX QUANTITY XX SERVICE XX SURROUNDINGS XX VALUE FOR MONEY XX 11 TOTAL SCORE :50% COMMENTS: The prices charged were restaurant prices but the meals did not live up to restaurant quality. Both meals were served with cheap greasy frozen chips, and my horseshoe of gammon had been cooked far too much and as a result was dry and tough (fit for shoeing a horse) and Dawn’s Cajun chicken was nothing like any Cajun chicken she had ever had before. It came in a bowl and consisted of chunks of chicken breast in a very liquid sauce that resembled a Balti sauce. The best part of both meals was the salad dressing on the side of the plates, it was a pity as much effort had not been put into the meal itself. MENU RECOMMENDATIONS: Would not recommend the meals that we had although some of the other meals being eaten looked ok.. TOILETS: Ladies toilets Clean if not a little dated. Gents toilets smelt terribly. BEERS: Looked like a very good selection of six ‘real ales’ including Adnams, Speckled Hen, Bass, Directors however the Guinness was like vinegar and so was the cider so we both ended up drinking Vodka. COST: About £24 in total for both meals which, had they been restaurant quality meals would not have been too bad but the meals were no more than ‘pub grub’ meals. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX The Fox and Anchor Brewood Road, Cross Green, Wolverhampton, WV10 7PW Telephone: 0190279 8786 Alongside the Staffs and Worcester canal at Cross Green. With excellent deep moorings directly outside.. Sunday 24th October 2010 Beef Mushroom ale pie followed by Butterscotch & Toffee steamed pudding DAWN 1 2 3 4 5 QUALITY XX QUANTITY XX SERVICE XX SURROUNDINGS XX VALUE FOR MONEY XX 19 Beer battered fish and chips followed by the cheese board. BLOSSOM 1 2 3 4 5 QUALITY XX QUANTITY XX SERVICE XX SURROUNDINGS XX VALUE FOR MONEY XX 21 TOTAL SCORE :60% COMMENTS: This is about the fourth time we have stopped here and eaten and I can not fault the meals/service etc. This friendly canal pub does not try to pretend it is anything more than it is, a pub that does value meals. MENU RECOMMENDATIONS: We would both recommend the meals that we had this time and the times before which were a really succulent lamb shoulder and a gammon. (Every time Dawn has had the Beef Mushroom ale pie. TOILETS: Ladies toilets clean BEERS: A good selection of ‘real ales’ including Bank’s, Bass and Marston’s Pedigree. The Guinness was how it should be, not too cold and creamy. The bar also sports a wide range of wines. COST: £25.65 in total for both main meals and two deserts. which, had they been restaurant quality meals would not have been too bad but the meals were no more than ‘pub grub’ meals.