Tuesday 3 April 2007

Home Sweet Home Inn. Roke, Oxfordshire


We arrived at Home Sweet Home Inn on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. This picture-box pretty pub, excudes country living. Still partly thatched, surrounded by excellent walking country, and set in beautiful countryside this pub was already bustling with contented visitors enjoying the sun, enjoying the outdoors and most of all enjoying the food. Whilst retaining the traditional much loved charm of the family village pub proprietor Andy Hearn, has certainly made his mark since purchasing the freehold. With years of local pub and fine dining experience, Andy is also the owner of The Horns at Crazies Hill, (Berkshire Dining Pub of the Year 2001) he has the charisma and genuine hosty part to play that ensures new and old customers alike come back time after time. Alongside him is Karin Peacock, the joint licencee, who manages the staff and ambience beautifully. The Home Sweet Home Inn has been given a gently and sympathetic face-lift and updated with Andy’s hallmark laid back style making this a great place to relax and enjoy being looked after. Gone are the pink chintzy pink carpets and walls, the dark black beams and the overcrowding of trinkets and copper. We now have softer, more ambient feel, retaining the original charm by re-exposing existing interior brickwork. Beams cleaned and stripped back to a glorious natural finish, gorgeous wooden floors, and softer terracotta tones. The large dining room has all the same charm plus added intimacy with its warm red walls for dining elegance.


We were seated at a charming table overlooking the front gardens. The table was pretty with a posy of fresh cut flowers and white linen napkins. The menu is certainly comprehensive, catering for vegetarians and fish lovers as well as offering the more traditionally loved favourites from Prawn Cocktail or cheese Ploughman’s, to the more modern Aubergine and Goat’s cheese bruschetta or Nachos with sour cream and guacamole. It was not easy to decided, but I finally chose the Chefs soup of the day, which was Carrot & Orange, it was hearty yet light, the fresh chives on top finished it off beautifully, my partner opted for Chicken liver, & Cointreau Pate, beautifully presented. He found it really smooth, and loved the accompanying picante sauce.


We chatted and relaxed whilst we had a pause for our main course, which were equally traditional and exciting with firm favourites such as Aberdeen Angus topside of beef with Yorkshire pudding or Pork and Leek sausages with Spring onion mash and onion gravy, as well the wonderful sounding Pan-fried Monkfish with a light green Thai cream sauce, or Seafood and dill pancakes served with salad. Tempted by all the fish on the menu I had delicious Tuna and chilli fishcakes, I found theses to be pleasingly consistency, and cooked on the outside leaving the inside soft, moist and flavoursome, the salad and sweet chilli sauce were perfect accompaniments.


My partner chose the Beef and Hoppit Ale pie with a puff pastry Lid, it was a hearty traditional Sunday kind of lunch, which he particularly enjoys, accompanied by an additional generous dish brimming full of sauté potatoes, we shared these, and they were perfect.


I had no intention to try the dessert, but with the choices scribed up onto a blackboard in my full view all afternoon, I knew exactly what I was going to have.. the Blackcurrant and almond cheesecake with cream. It was light, fruity and rounded off a lovely afternoons lunching. Why not pop in for a great value midweek lunch which offers a Ploughman’s platter or a selection of fresh filled baguettes,
(Brie and Mango, smoked salmon and cream cheese, ham and English mustard) from as little as £4.25


We found the whole team are professional and very attentive; the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed making it the perfect mid-week or weekend treat for families, couples, walkers, and ale drinkers alike. Easy travelling distance from Henley, Wattlington, Wallingford, and Ewelme, Home Sweet Home Inn is fast becoming an epicentre of good food, laid back dining style and an assured warm welcome. Another restaurant/pub with fine dining from Andy Hearn, you heard it here first. This is the perfect way to spend a few relaxed lazy hours away from the hustle and bustle. Country living at its best.

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