This blog follows Rebecca, Dave & Mark's quest for the perfect steak.
Mostly in Surrey and Hampshire, but our quest will continue wherever we may be.
We aren't looking for fancy surroundings or flamboyant service, just a good, honest steak properly cooked with appropriate trimmings.
Marks will be given in the following categories:
The steak
Choice, value, cooked as requested, texture and overall enjoyment.
Condiments
Sauces, choice of mustards and others. Availability and whether served on plate or separate.
Accompaniments
Chips, mushroom (preferably field), onion (including onion rings), and tomato are desirable on-plate accompaniments. All other vegetables should not be on the plate, but are acceptable as sides.
Venue
Ambience and service
Wine
Choice, temperature & taste
Each member (including guest reviewers) will mark individually, results will be given as average, with notes for any significant variance.
I hope you enjoy your journey with us!
If you want to be a guest please let us know!
Thursday, 12 September 2019
Monday, 8 May 2017
The Good Intent, Puttenham
Date of visit: Saturday 6th May
Guest reviewer Tim Merricks
The reason for choosing The Good Intent was that it performs very well as a traditional country pub - unspoiled, simple and welcoming to locals and visitors alike. As a rule, this would reflect in the food - hearty, straight-forward staples. To an extent, this was true.
Having booked a table for 8.00PM, we arrived and had a pleasant drink at the bar (Timothy Taylor's Landlord), we were pointed towards the dining area - effectively an extension of the bar, which only had one occupied table. So took our choice of table and waited to be served. It was a long wait - we had failed to notice a sign requesting that we order at the bar. The barman came over anyway and took our order - there was only one steak on the menu, rib-eye (8 oz at a guess), so choosing was easy; 3 medium rare, one rare.
Unfortunately no mushroom were available, even as an extra. Sides were somewhat uninspired so we didn't order any.
We allowed the barman to talk us into a cheap Italian wine at £10. Our mistake - in truth it tasted like a cheap Italian wine (and was served a little cold). The wine list was short, but Rebecca followed with a glass of Rioja which was good.
The medium rares arrived first - causing jokes about why rare took longer to cook. In the event, the rare was actually more cooked than the medium rares - much to Tim's disappointment. They also brought the peppercorn sauce separately (full marks for not smothering the steak with it) - which was slightly anemic and not terribly inviting.
The quality of food was good. Rebecca encountered some gristle, but we agreed that it was inevitable on occasions.
On the wall were blackboards featuring desserts - including sticky toffee pudding as a special. We were tempted and went to order only to be informed that the kitchen was closed so no desserts were available.
Overall, The Good Intent offered the basics done fairly well, but really didn't present itself as dining experience - probably more suited to hearty nourishment after a long walk
Go there for a great country pub vibe, decent beers and some lunch - not for a special dinner!
Steak:
Choice 5 (universal)
Value 7.5 (universal)
Cooked 7 (marketddown by a 3 from Tim)
Texture 7 (averaged from 6 - 8)
Overall 7 (averaged)
Condiments:
Mustard 7
Peppercorn sauce 5 (but not ordered so no real loss)
No others ordered
Accompaniments:
Chips 8 (average 7 - 9) Not enough of them!
Mushroom None
Onion 9 - onion rings, hand made
Tomato 8 - on the vine baby tomatoes
Veg None
Wine:
Choice 3
Temperature 3 - a little cold
Taste 5. Bought cheap and paid for it!
Service: 3. Friendly but very bar-centric
General notes:
Still a great little pub. just not a steak night winner.
http://www.thegoodintentpub.co.uk/index
Guest reviewer Tim Merricks
The reason for choosing The Good Intent was that it performs very well as a traditional country pub - unspoiled, simple and welcoming to locals and visitors alike. As a rule, this would reflect in the food - hearty, straight-forward staples. To an extent, this was true.
Having booked a table for 8.00PM, we arrived and had a pleasant drink at the bar (Timothy Taylor's Landlord), we were pointed towards the dining area - effectively an extension of the bar, which only had one occupied table. So took our choice of table and waited to be served. It was a long wait - we had failed to notice a sign requesting that we order at the bar. The barman came over anyway and took our order - there was only one steak on the menu, rib-eye (8 oz at a guess), so choosing was easy; 3 medium rare, one rare.
Unfortunately no mushroom were available, even as an extra. Sides were somewhat uninspired so we didn't order any.
We allowed the barman to talk us into a cheap Italian wine at £10. Our mistake - in truth it tasted like a cheap Italian wine (and was served a little cold). The wine list was short, but Rebecca followed with a glass of Rioja which was good.
The medium rares arrived first - causing jokes about why rare took longer to cook. In the event, the rare was actually more cooked than the medium rares - much to Tim's disappointment. They also brought the peppercorn sauce separately (full marks for not smothering the steak with it) - which was slightly anemic and not terribly inviting.
The quality of food was good. Rebecca encountered some gristle, but we agreed that it was inevitable on occasions.
On the wall were blackboards featuring desserts - including sticky toffee pudding as a special. We were tempted and went to order only to be informed that the kitchen was closed so no desserts were available.
Overall, The Good Intent offered the basics done fairly well, but really didn't present itself as dining experience - probably more suited to hearty nourishment after a long walk
Go there for a great country pub vibe, decent beers and some lunch - not for a special dinner!
Steak:
Choice 5 (universal)
Value 7.5 (universal)
Cooked 7 (marketddown by a 3 from Tim)
Texture 7 (averaged from 6 - 8)
Overall 7 (averaged)
Condiments:
Mustard 7
Peppercorn sauce 5 (but not ordered so no real loss)
No others ordered
Accompaniments:
Chips 8 (average 7 - 9) Not enough of them!
Mushroom None
Onion 9 - onion rings, hand made
Tomato 8 - on the vine baby tomatoes
Veg None
Wine:
Choice 3
Temperature 3 - a little cold
Taste 5. Bought cheap and paid for it!
Service: 3. Friendly but very bar-centric
General notes:
Still a great little pub. just not a steak night winner.
http://www.thegoodintentpub.co.uk/index
Thursday, 20 April 2017
The Donkey in Tilford
Date of visit: Friday 14th April 2017
Guest reviewer Tim Merricks
Set in a dip, on a bend on the B3001, the Donkey is not very visible or accessible - parking can also be somewhat tricky.
However, once inside you are greeted with a good, old fashioned pub, set mainly for eating with a small bar area.
We were seated at a table in a conservatory-style room overlooking the eponymous donkeys.
The greeting and service were warm and friendly, and immediate bonus points were scored for a 16 ounce rump steak. (One for the boys!) - at £20 it also represented great value.
Inevitably the 3 males opted for the 16oz rump, whilst Rebecca chose a more demure 8oz fillet.
Standard accompaniments included tomato, mushrooms and chips - we also selected onion rings as a side. A small markdown as the mushrooms were button not field.
Steaks were generally of good quality. In fact one 16oz was 2 8oz, but that wasn't a problem. We didn't order sauces, so can't comment - mustard French & English was delivered, though portions were slightly on the small side.
Overall, a good start to our Steak Quest! Marks below:
Steak:
Choice 7 (universal) - surprisingly no rib-eye
Value 8 (universal)
Cooked 9 (10 from Tim)
Texture 8 (averaged from 7 - 9) Unsurprisingly the fillet was 9
Overall 8.5 (averaged)
Condiments:
Mustard 6
No others ordered
Accompaniments:
Chips 8
Mushroom 8 (would have preferred field)
Onion 9 - onion rings, extra
Tomato 8
Veg 9 Ordered asparagus & spinach, served as sides and good
Wine:
Choice 7
Temperature 9
Taste 9
General notes:
We note that The Donkey has Steak Night on a Monday, with steaks from £10.95 (presumably not 16oz!)
http://donkeytilford.co.uk/
Guest reviewer Tim Merricks
Set in a dip, on a bend on the B3001, the Donkey is not very visible or accessible - parking can also be somewhat tricky.
However, once inside you are greeted with a good, old fashioned pub, set mainly for eating with a small bar area.
We were seated at a table in a conservatory-style room overlooking the eponymous donkeys.
The greeting and service were warm and friendly, and immediate bonus points were scored for a 16 ounce rump steak. (One for the boys!) - at £20 it also represented great value.
Inevitably the 3 males opted for the 16oz rump, whilst Rebecca chose a more demure 8oz fillet.
Standard accompaniments included tomato, mushrooms and chips - we also selected onion rings as a side. A small markdown as the mushrooms were button not field.
Steaks were generally of good quality. In fact one 16oz was 2 8oz, but that wasn't a problem. We didn't order sauces, so can't comment - mustard French & English was delivered, though portions were slightly on the small side.
Overall, a good start to our Steak Quest! Marks below:
Steak:
Choice 7 (universal) - surprisingly no rib-eye
Value 8 (universal)
Cooked 9 (10 from Tim)
Texture 8 (averaged from 7 - 9) Unsurprisingly the fillet was 9
Overall 8.5 (averaged)
Condiments:
Mustard 6
No others ordered
Accompaniments:
Chips 8
Mushroom 8 (would have preferred field)
Onion 9 - onion rings, extra
Tomato 8
Veg 9 Ordered asparagus & spinach, served as sides and good
Wine:
Choice 7
Temperature 9
Taste 9
General notes:
We note that The Donkey has Steak Night on a Monday, with steaks from £10.95 (presumably not 16oz!)
http://donkeytilford.co.uk/
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