The Victoria Inn, Ashburton food review.
Wednesday 16th December.Food review for The Victoria Inn, 77 North Street, Ashburton, Devon.
Telephone 01364 652402
Just before Christmas I asked Jane our office wonderwoman/secretary/PA/coffee maker bird if she and her partner accountant, reserved firefighter Pete would like to join us to sample the Curry Night at the Victoria Inn in Ashburton
in lieu of a tin of Quality Street that she wouldn't have thanked me for, so that we could all give it a food review.
We set off on what was one of the first nights of real cold weather, and as the chaps nipped into the bar to order drinks
in readiness, Jane and I called in at number 44 on the opposite side of North Street, to say hello to Adrian Webster, one of our new bed and breakfast providers who showed us round his pleasant home. He knew that we were on our way to the Victoria and he told us that the food is good and that he always recommends it to his guests.
Across the chilly road and into a warm welcome in more ways than one.Friendly staff and a large warm bar with a settee in front of a good fire. Nick the landlord soon had drinks in our hands, and we were introduced to the focal point in the room - Baxter, a golden retriever puppy who was petted and stroked by a large majority of the pub's customers.
After a busy day at work it was good
to relax in this popular Inn.
The fact that the price for the curry £6.95, includes a pint of Carling or Otter beer was an added bonus.
The curries are served from 6.30 with last orders taken at 9. Sadly for us, they had run out of our 2 first choices, but I don't mind this at all, it shows me that the food is most likely cooked fresh, and as happens with good fresh food.
It soon sells out. Our fault for arriving late. Three of us had the chicken Korma and Rob had the one remaining Jalfezi. With a bowl of chopped onion and cucumber, and poppadums all round, it was all good, lots of meat, not too spicy and we all presented clean plates at the end. Throughout the meal no less than 4 people came and asked us "Is everything alright with your meal?" The 2 girls behind the bar, Nick and the lady who arrived with the puddings.
Here again the Apple Crumble had all gone, but the boys were more than happy with the Cherry Bakewell and ice cream option at £3.50. My passion is ice cream; I asked the waitress Gemma to bring me any flavour and I was delighted with the huge fancy glass bowlful of locally made honeycombe ice cream. Yummy. I'm sorry now that I forgot to take pictures of the puds, I think we were talking about politics at the time, and you know how that gets !!
I asked Nick if he would show me the bedrooms and I am happy to tell you that of the 3, they only had one free which
was the family room. A double bed and single in a large warm room at the front of the hotel. With a cracking en-suite shower room, again toasty warm. Nick has been updating the bathrooms since he and Gemma took the pub over, and a fine job they seem to be making of things. I am planning to go down to Ashburton again in the next week or two so that I can take photos of the bedrooms in daylight. One thing I shall be doing is timing it to cover lunch my lunch break.
The bill for the evening came to just £54.40 including drinks and 2 coffees.
As with all my food reviews, I ask the question - would we go again ?
The answer is YES and I would recommend it to visitors to Dartmoor and locals alike. I spotted a high chair in a back room. Something tells me that the puppy will grow into one of the most mauled and adored pub dogs of the lot ......lucky mut !
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