I pass this pub tons of times as it’s on my cycle training route but never stop. I was seeing a friend whom I hadn’t seen for a few weeks and we needed to catch up and as she’d never been there before I thought it would be nice to take her to the Hare & Hounds at Stoughton, Nr Chichester, West Sussex. I had been there about 3 or 4 years ago for Easter Sunday lunch and always remember they had ‘lumpy custard’ on the menu. Unfortunately for those in our party that love lumpy custard – I don’t – they didn’t have any and we’d booked in advance! I remember small details like that. It was very quiet on the Friday evening we chose to go to The Hare & Hounds at Stoughton, only a couple of other tables were taken. But it was very prettily decorated inside and a nice cosy atmosphere. I chose the goat’s cheese for my starter, served with dressed leaves and beetroot pesto. I can’t say I tasted the beetroot pesto but the dish was tasty, fresh and well presented.
I don’t generally go for a salad as a main course but I like chicken and salad and there wasn’t much else on the menu I fancied. I looked online beforehand and there were dishes I liked but unfortunately the menu was not the same. My salad was rather disappointing. I had large salad leaves smothered in dressing which I had to scrape most off and mixed with the parmesan cheese it wasn’t a nice combination. Croutons were there but they certainly were not garlic croutons as stated in the menu. Perhaps it was my mistake. I was expecting more for £12. Anyway lesson learnt, I shan’t be ordering chicken Caesar salad anywhere anytime soon. The chicken breast was nice however and fresh.
My friend went for the lamb, apple & mint meatballs with smoky tomato & chilli sauce and spring onions. I tasted some and they were very nice, although I don’t generally like ‘smoky’ food. Perhaps I should have ordered these instead.
Ah well, you win some you lose some. Thought I’d play it safe and go for the chocolate brownie for dessert. Thankfully it saved the day. It was fresh and crisp on top and gooey in the middle, served decorated with a halved strawberry and pistachio & almond ice-cream which was truly delicious, topped with a physalis and dusted with icing sugar.
Stoughton is deep within the countryside and a pretty little place with plenty of country walks, some leading up to Kingley Vale which is a National Nature Reserve with tons of old yew trees and Bronze Age burial grounds. Somewhere I should like to retire to – when I’m rich that is, which will be sometime never.
Living life, loving cake
A x