Author: footloose

Sticky toffee pudding is a warm sponge cake made with dates and black treacle, served with toffee sauce. A contemporary classic English dessert.

Created in the 1970s by Francis Coulson and Robert Lee at the Sharrow Bay Hotel on Ullswater near Pooley Bridge, in the Lake District, from a recipe given to them by Patricia Martin.

One of my regular stops in town is the Chantry in Chichester

It’s a Stonegate Pub so expect some faceless executive, lost in a back office somewhere, no one quite knows where, to change the menu in the near future.

But for now my order is for their bread & butter pudding dipping fingers.

Tt is typical of the local pubs in Chichester. Their prices are competitive and affordable. But the menu is sufficiently different to be worth a second look.

For the late risers and brunch crowd they offer the best value for money breakfast in Chichester. With two of everything. And their burgers do what burgers are supposed to do.

 

The boxed pudding that travels cross country before being popped through a letter box cannot by any stretch of the imagination, be referred to as home cooked.

 

Whereas a light steaming sponge plucked straight out the hot pan, drenched in golden syrup and served in a bowl of fresh farm cream is what I look forward to at the Royal Oak Hooksway.

 

A 16th Century pub, it might well be.

But they are pushing boundaries a bit when it comes to traditional Sussex pub food. Not with the desserts though. Besides my sponge pudding there is a crumble of the day

 
as well as a chocolate fudge cake. Not strictly exclusive to Sussex. But close enough.

It is the Main menu which, besides the sausages which are served with chips, holds no surprises.

A simple standard menu. Exactly what you would expect from a country pub. The ubiquitous burger, pies, ham and eggs, lasagne, curry of the day and jacket potatoes.

Which is what appeals to me. Unassuming, perfectly ordinary, no pretensions. Stricly ordinary hopefully home cooked pub comfort food .

 

And a Sunday Roast which ranks amongst the better ones I have found in the South Downs.