REVIEW: The Hatch, London Road, Old Basing (From Basingstoke Gazette)
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REVIEW: The Hatch, London Road, Old Basing
1:00am Monday 12th December 2011 in Taste and Tell By John Boyman
The Hatch
London Road, Old Basing, RG24 7JL
01256 807347
chefandbrewer.com
PUB grub certainly has come a long way over the last few years.
With the decline of independent locals serving basic staples such as sausage and mash, the rise of gastro-pub chains has, in many cases, seen the emphasis shift from drink to food.
The Hatch, which is owned by Chef and Brewer, is one of this new breed, with bar stools replaced by dining tables as it looks to attract customers who want a good meal rather than just a few drinks.
The food they serve can hardly be described as traditional pub grub, something proven by my starter of scallops and black pudding.
Choosing this starter, which came in at £5.95, was something of a gamble as I had never tried scallops before – but it proved to a risk well worth taking. The sweetness of the shellfish cut through the strong flavour of the black pudding brilliantly, with pancetta giving the dish a salty tang and a honey and mustard sauce freshening everything up.
For my main course, I plumped for the winter pie platter, which costs £10.65. The platter is something of a signature dish for Chef and Brewer, with four small pies served with mashed potato, mushy peas and gravy.
I was very impressed by two of the pies, the venison and the steak and ale. The chicken and mushroom offering was slightly spoiled by overcooked and dry chicken, while the Cornish pasty was unfortunately more pastry than filling but overall I enjoyed the dish.
The pudding too was a triumph. I chose a chocolate fudge cake at £4.75 and it was excellent, sticky and sweet without being too rich.
The food was most definitely enjoyable and certainly good value, with two starters, two mains, a pudding and drinks coming in at just over £40.
The only drawback with The Hatch is the way orders are taken. Ordering and paying at the bar is fine if there is a big group, but it’s not great if there are just two of you, as my wife found herself sitting on her own for several minutes at a time while I waited to order.
Comments(3)
robertspet8
says...
11:36am Mon 19 Dec 11
And to say that Chef and Brewer has a signature dish is a nonsense. A chef can have a signature dish but a business can't.
The Crown, also in Old Basing, is a Gastropub perparing great food from fresh ingredients while The Hatch is part of a chain of fast food outlets serving the same old menu everyday of the year.
Biriani
says...
10:36am Tue 20 Dec 11
As to The Crown, I'm beginning to think you might have some connection with it robertspet8
robertspet8
says...
5:18pm Tue 20 Dec 11
In the last year I have been once each to The Hatch and The Crown. The Crown is a bit more expensive but, in my opinion, offers far better value if you enjoy good food and good service. The Crown was recommended to me and I wasn't disappointed. I was 'treated' to a meal at The Hatch and was very disappointed - so much so that we had to laugh about it. I intend to return to The Crown but not to The Hatch.
You tend to get what you pay for and you are right that there is a market for what The Hatch offers but it does not suit me.
My original comment was directed at the Gazette reporter for trying to make out that The Hatch is more than it is.
In my opinion The Crown is currently the best Gastropub around, followed closely by The Purefoy Arms.
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