REVIEW: The Swan, Sherborne St John (From Basingstoke Gazette)

REVIEW: The Swan, Sherborne St John

1:00am Monday 10th October 2011 in Taste and Tell By Emily Roberts

The Swan

Sherborne St John

RG24 9HS

01256 850165

swan-pub-basingstoke.co.uk

I WAS rather overwhelmed by the enormous amount of choice on the menu at The Swan.

With 27 different main courses, plus a specials board, it was hard to imagine how the kitchen staff coped on a busy night.

After much perusal I opted for the £7.29 sharing deli board for a starter, which was meant to include cheese, ham, chicken and chutney.

Unfortunately, after ordering, the waitress came back to inform us that they were out of the honey roast ham, so would we mind swapping it for cheese?

Although presented well, the starter ended up more like a cheese board, suited to after dinner, rather than the starter it should have been had the ham been included. But the portion was suitable for two people, and tasted as expected.

I chose chicken fajitas for my main, costing £10.29, whilst my partner selected the beef and ale pie.

The fajitas came out sizzling, accompanied by three tortilla wraps, cheese, guacamole, salsa and sour cream.

The strong cheese overpowered the slightly burnt chicken and peppers, but it tasted nice enough.

So far, I wasn’t hugely impressed with the food, but I couldn’t fault the service. The waitress was attentive, polite and friendly, checking at suitable intervals if we needed any more drinks.

Choosing dessert wasn’t difficult as I had already noticed the selection of hot mini puddings, and thought it would be great for sharing.

But sadly it wasn’t to be and after ordering the waitress again came back to tell us it wasn’t available.

I felt rushed to pick something else, opting instead for cheesecake with fruit compote at £4.49.

I couldn’t help wondering that perhaps if the menu were less diverse, the kitchen might be able to cope with the orders.

But perhaps it was down to the amount of people at The Swan that Tuesday evening which I later realised was quiz night.

I probably won’t go back to The Swan for the food, but I might return for a drink in the relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Or perhaps for the pub quiz!

Oh, and if you think I’ve forgotten to mention how the dessert tasted, I haven’t. It just wasn’t worth mentioning.