To coin a phrase… “pigs in muck”
I’ve followed The Pig’s journey with interest since it’s beginnings back in 2011. I’m not really sure how it first came to my attention – probably some good marketing! Today, The Pig has several locations and the one I’ve come to is The Pig-near Bath – and it’s one of the most exciting places to eat in this part of the UK.
It’s the end of June and I’ve come here with some friends to celebrate a significant birthday (not mine I might add…I’ve a few years to go before then!). Having had a wonderful few days down in Bath and North Cornwall with a mix of sunshine and hiding from the sudden rainstorms, we arrived at The Pig on a rather overcast, muggy day. In fact, this set the scene wonderfully for a warm welcome and cosy afternoon of food and cocktails!
The Pig is a wonderful 17th century country house set amidst vast parkland with 29 bedrooms and plenty of space for guests to spread out, relax and ‘pig out’ in rustic luxury. The whole place is full of character combining homely charm with a touch of modern luxury. The decor comprises muted colours and feature walls, with quirky finishing touches and funky, modern design influences. Roaring fires, big chairs, squashy sofas and a relaxing bar are completely conducive to chilling out… and then there’s the food!
Walking through the hallway past the dresser lined with rows of colourful wellies, the long bar area awaits. Rows of lovely coloured glasses dot the shelves in front of the huge sash windows, and there `are bottles full of weird and wonderful homemade syrups and concoctions everywhere you look. I couldn’t wait to get stuck in!
You don’t really need a cocktail menu because the staff are incredibly knowledgable and will serve you anything you want. Tell them what base spirit you like, whether you like sweet or sour, and leave them to work their magic. It’s definitely worth trying one of the cocktails on the menu though; they’re all unique to the venue and far too easy to drink.
There’s also an extensive wine list if you’re not really the cocktail-drinking type. And true to their identity of doing things a little differently, they offer they own wine too – The Pig Cut. It’s a collaboration between the Tenuto Fertuna winery in Tuscany and it’s definitely different. A blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, it’s fruity and spicy with just the right balance of acidity, providing a richness and depth that works well with lamb or rich meats – and on its own!
As we weren’t eating for quite some time (I like to arrive early to places and enjoy the atmosphere), we decided to order some nibbles to go with our drinks. You can’t go to The Pig and not order some snacking crackling, but as that would be demolished in seconds, we also ordered a couple of flatbreads – one topped with wild garlic and another with fresh tomatoes – from the wood-fired oven, and a baked Camembert which came beautifully decorated with edible flowers and soft red onions. Delish! We would have ruined our meal if we had been eating any earlier but it was just the right amount for our group.
Casual dining that makes local produce the star of the show
Making our way through to the restaurant after drinks and nibbles, we were seated in a corner of the vast greenhouse/conservatory overlooking the gardens. It’s a lovely spot that brings the outside in – lots of greenery, pots of fresh herbs on the table and solid, natural wood tables create a relaxing atmosphere and plenty of interest whilst you peruse the menu.
The Pig has what they call the 25-mile menu. That is, whilst much of what they cook is grown in the kitchen gardens, they aim to source everything they use from within a 25 mile radius of the restaurant. Which means the menu is constantly changing and that’s no bad thing at all.
One of our friends merrily tucked into a plate of heirloom tomatoes. Tomatoes that were huge and juicy and full of sweetness cut through with the smooth sharpness of a homemade ricotta and rounded off superbly with homegrown purple basil and a fresh herb dressing.
I love a scotch egg (you’ll see a few of them mentioned throughout the articles on this website!) so I simply had try the quail scotch eggs. Two perfectly runny eggs encased in soft, succulent sausagemeat and a crispy crumb were swiftly demolished. The apple sauce sticking them to the plate was light and sweet and balanced the richness of the scotch eggs themselves.
Mrs HB – surprisingly – had carrots. She wouldn’t normally opt for carrots as they’re really not a favourite of hers. But these are not just any carrots. Homegrown, yellow, purple and orange carrots, gently roasted and served with colourful chive flowers and homemade salsa verde. I have to be honest, I wasn’t sure about the attraction of a plate of carrots, but they were simply delicious.
Our other friend opted for asparagus. Great big stems of blanched asparagus with a soft poached egg and toasted almonds. Good food doesn’t need to be complicated and this was a perfect example of how to do it well.
Opportunity to indulge and unwind
The mains for the men comprised lamb, simply roasted and perfectly pink, served with braised lettuce, broad beans and peas; and chargrilled steak, a huge garden salad and triple cooked chips and tobacco onions – ever had those? Onions soaked in buttermilk, lightly seasoned and fried until golden and crispy. Yum.
There’s local fish on the menu too and the ladies opted for the mussels in a lip-smackingly good wild garlic and white wine sauce, and whole roasted ‘Atlantis’ black bream served with agretti (a lesser-known green veg similar to the flavour of spinach), mange tout and a lovely light lemon beurre blanc. Accompanied by a crisp glass of New Zealand sauvignon blanc which balanced both dishes perfectly.
By this time you’d think we wouldn’t be able to manage a dessert. Which was just as well as we were then presented with the most stunning little pots of raspberry sorbet with frozen blackcurrants hidden in the depths providing a pop of sharpness against the sweetness of the raspberries. And then Mrs HB noticed the foraged elderflower and Hambledon granita with cacao nibs. A very light pudding, it was delicately floral and refreshing.
As the weather was starting to turn to drizzle, we ordered some coffees and very alcoholic(!) espresso martinis to finish off our gastronomic experience. The rain clearly didn’t seem to bother the large group of people in the garden. Two generations of adults laughing and relaxing whilst the children played freely in the extensive grounds. It was rather lovely to watch families getting together after so many months of not being able to see one another in the same space.
And I think that’s what The Pigs represents: a place with bucket loads of character making it the perfect place to casually indulge and unwind.
If you fancy a day out in the countryside then The Pig-near Bath would be a good spot for lunch with the possibility of walk in the woods nearby. I love this restaurant as much as pigs love muck. It’s extremely popular so you will need to book – several months in advance. Alternatively, you could choose to have a weekend break and stay overnight in one of their rooms; something I intend to do next time I visit. Watch this space…
The Hospitality Boss Rating
Overall rating (out of 5)
