quality and dishes different from your “run of the mill”
Travelling from Richmond to Bridlington via the A170 and Sutton Bank, taking my parents home after the Easter weekend, had been planned for a few weeks so I had booked a table at The Hare Inn for 12:30. On arrival there were three other people there, but the place began to fill quite quickly after that.
Drinks from the bar (half pepsi £1.60, pint Peroni £4.20, Large dry white wine £4.95) whilst we browsed the slightly shorter, abridged menu for the Bank Holiday, before being shown through to our table.
A piece of homemade focaccia was dealt onto each of our side plates, butter and a tapenade of olive, capers sundried tomato and chilli was on the table to go with it.
My mum and dad had both chosen the mushroom and truffle soup to start, served in an individual “crock”, declared very rich and tasty with that “je ne sait quoi” from the truffle, whilst I indulged in pigeon breast, garnished with pickled cauliflower, a dice of turnip, wilted spinach and a salsify puree and lime gel, red wine sauce (pic attached). This was well presented, the pickled cauli giving a good contrast to the meaty flavoured pigeon breast, although it could have been a little hotter.
For main course, mum and dad both had venison, duck and lamb casserole. This was served in a similar “crock” to the soup and topped with mashed potato. A flavoursome and hearty dish for a cold day, though my dad found a couple of long stalks from thyme in his, a little attention to detail needed in the kitchen!
I opted for sea bass on a bed of linguine with samphire, crab, squid and seaweed, with a beetroot puree, lemon powder and herbs. (pic attached) This was very tasty overall, but only filled one half of a long rectangular plate. I wondered if anything was to accompany it but no. The lemon powder, whilst providing a hint of lemon and another texture, may have been better replaced by just a skinned segment of lemon, or a lemon jelly, as to me all it really provided was a nod to the current trend of “molecular gastronomy”. The linguine, samphire, seaweed strips, squid and crab were well combined and the bass perfectly cooked, but a soft not crispy skin on it, although palatable.
We declined a dessert, as we still had the best part of 50 miles to get to Brid’ and I would still have the return to Richmond!
Total bill came to £71.20 so whilst not a cheap option, it does provide quality and dishes different from your “run of the mill” carvery or pub grub menu.