Wow, It's be SO long since we've been inside a pub! A friend recommended the George & Dragon because of one thing: a whole lobster for under £20. So we thought we'd try it out for a Sunday lunch and get back into the swing of pubs.
When you search on Google for The George & Dragon, it's no surprises that hundreds pop up! It's almost as popular as The Red Lion (the most popular pub name in the UK did you know?) But the one we are talking about is on Berko High Street opposite St. Mary's Church. It doesn't look like much from the outside so you'd be forgiven for walking straight past it, but once inside, you immediately get that lovely local pub feeling. It's a hot-spot for local sports teams to come post-game, there's footie on the telly (or in the case today -on our request- they kindly popped the Formula One on!), and there's tattered beer mats on each -no-longer-sticky-due-to-Covid- table.
The menu is a Aerial font list of dishes covering pub favourites like Gammon, Egg & Chips, Scampi & Fries, and Sausage & Mash alongside baps and some interesting Sunday roast options: Smoked Quarter 'Cord' fed [sic] Chicken, Smoked Brisket and Smoked Aubergine Roast. Smoked Brisket was right up J's street, and I asked where the legendary lobster was, to be told that it wasn't on the menu today but the chef kindly said he could do it for me which was epic and great service!
Looking back though-I perhaps shouldn't have been that delighted. If a chef can "whip up" a whole lobster that's not on the menu for that day in 20 minutes, you know 2 things: #1 that lobster was certainly not scuttling around in the ocean anytime in the past 48 hours, therefore most definitely frozen, and #2 you won't be getting something that's defrosted in it's own time. This will be a microwave job. I may as well have been chewing on a bath-towel. The texture of my lobster certainly confirmed both of these points as it was so dry from the nuke in the microwave and a further grill. Any juicy sweetness that gorgeous crustacean had, was sadly lost. The fries were nice though!
In happier news, J's brisket came with ALL the trimmings you'd expect from a Sunday roast and Christmas combined: Yorkie, roasties, green veg, mashed roots, cauliflower cheese, red cabbage and vegetable puree. And whilst smoked brisket is an unconventional offering for a Sunday roast, the sweet, tender meat was delicious.
Rolling things back a bit, it's worth mentioning that for starters, we had some GLORIOUSLY crispy, fluffy, light halloumi fries. Served without pomp and ceremony naked in a bowl. They didn't last long. We also got some BBQ wings, which were a bit tough from a microwave reheat, but tasty enough; served on a bed of lettuce.
Would we go back? Yes, oddly we would. I think it's fair to say their food offering is not the best, however I'd probably go again for filled baps, or gammon & chips and nice beer in a friendly, local pub with really lovely service.
Service:
Really friendly and welcoming. We felt like regulars straight away. And they accommodated my lobster and switching the TV to the Formula One which was so kind of them. The service was speedy and attentive too.
Quality:
Hits the spot if you want something easy and tasty alongside your pint.
Value and price:
Two mains and two starters for £45. On the pricey side considering the quality.
OVERALL:
GOOD: The service and homely feel of a pub lunch gave us all the good feels, even if the food could have had a bit more attention to detail on some dishes.
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