REVIEW: Nextdoor at The George, Odiham (From Basingstoke Gazette)

REVIEW: Nextdoor at The George, Odiham

3:09pm Wednesday 21st December 2011 in Taste and Tell By Simon Moss

Nextdoor at the George

High Street

Odiham

RG29 1LP

01256 702081

georgehotelodiham.com

I HAVE always been a fan of Odiham, whether taking a walk along the picturesque High Street or hiring a rowing boat for a canal trip.

I also know that The George Hotel is something of a community hub, so the chance to review its “stylish café bar” – imaginatively titled Nextdoor at the George – was too good to pass up.

Unfortunately, due largely to my own choices, my experience of the eatery on a chilly Friday night in December could be summed up in one word – cheesy.

When my partner and I were shown to our table, we were pleased to find ourselves in what I would describe as a proper pub, complete with a painted mural showing local characters on the back wall. It was a nice start.

However, the initial charm soon wore off when we became aware of the speakers, almost above our table, playing a well-known local radio station far too loudly. Being a Friday night, it was cheesy disco classics – and this theme continued.

Let me interject by saying I love cheese. Grilled cheese sandwiches formed a large part of my student diet and I will always seek such dishes when I am eating out. With this in mind, we both ordered the cheese-topped garlic bread.

It arrived with the layer of piping hot cheddar almost as thick as the bread itself. I was delighted. But get through the first two slices of this four-piece assault and your appetite quickly wanes. With no prospect of finishing the dish, I began to regret my decision to order the chef’s home-made cheese burger.

My partner, being a vegetarian and someone who would, therefore, not appreciate the delights of a proper burger, opted for a tomato and mozzarella salad, which was immaculately presented.

As I peeled off the top layer of my burger, complete with not-one-but-two layers of the same thick cheese, I began to doubt my ability to finish the meal. And so it proved. Not even the excellent chips could tempt me.

A scan around the other tables showed a pleasing array of dishes that I’m sure would have been lovely, had I opted for a less heavy meal. But in December, comfort food is the order of the day.

For the sake of rounding off the meal, we shared sticky toffee pudding with custard, which would probably be worth a return trip alone. It was fantastic. Paying £40, including a tip, seemed a fair price as well.

I will definitely return to Nextdoor at the George – but next time, I’ll try the lighter bites.