The Plough at Kingham

We went to The Plough as a family trip. It was my Grandmother’s treat to us when my cousin came to visit. We arrived in the car park full of pot holes on a day in February when it had just rained, but the only clue was the water on the ground. The staff were very friendly and seated us quickly. The pub itself was homely and welcoming, though before a few more people arrived it lacked ambience. The tables were good solid country affairs with character and a history, much like the owner who was on this lunch time.The menu was nicely printed on thick paper daily. A large pewter jug of iced tap water was brought promptly without needing to be requested which after my cousins train journey was a nice addition. The wine list was complete, offering a wide variety of new and old world wines, though perhaps their wines by the glass could have shared in this variety. I had a glass of the Chateau Malbat which was nothing special and not worth the five pounds a glass.

The table had a wide variety of dishes, the Venison, Burger, Zander and Battered Cod. The Venison was divine, with its jus and potatoes cooked to perfection. The burger was meaty, and juicy, served with their triple cooked wedges which were possibly the star of the meal. Zander was revelation, a lovely fish we had never had before cooked with skill. The Cod was as one would hope from a pub, well cooked, with fluffy batter a good rustic tartare and triple cooked chips which were nice but not quite as good as the wedges.

The puddings too were very nice, dark chocolate ice cream, Blood Orange Tart, Apple Baked Alaska, and Cheese. The Blood Orange Tart was delicious, but the Apple Alaska needed some work. There was a good variety of cheese on offer, and the ice cream was homemade and good quality.

The whole meal was generally very nice. I would certainly recommend a visit to The Kingham Plough, though the price was not cheap, however it was certainly affordable and worth the money. The Plough is worth a detour to visit.