If there’s a better place to eat out in Shrewsbury and district than Saracens at Hadnall I’ll eat my hat… and if the time ever comes when I am forced to devour my trilby, I’ll want them to cook it for me.
It’s always a pleasure to spend an evening at this 18th century coaching inn just five miles north of Shrewsbury – and my visit with work colleague Mary last Friday was no exception.
The Georgian Room
Previously I’ve eaten in the conservatory, where the glass-topped well in the centre of the room always provides an interesting talking point. This time we were shown to the Georgian front room, with its elegant panelled walls.
We arrived in time for me to take advantage of the recently introduced Early Evening Set Menu, which offers remarkable value at £14.95 for three courses. Mary chose to stick with the regular à la carte menu – neither of us was to be disappointed.
My starter from the set menu was the pressing of wood pigeon and cornfed duckleg, with home-made piccalilli. This exotic sounding concoction worked a treat, the duck pressing and pigeon combining for a unique flavour, and the piccalilli rounding it off to perfection.
Mary started with ham and eggs – Bing’s Heath smoked ham and smoked quails eggs with sun-blushed tomato. She described it a perfect blend of flavours and ingredients, the savoury quails eggs and peppery rocket being the ideal accompaniment to the smoked ham.
My main course was the pot roast of Dexter beef from the family farm, with potato fondant, garden vegetables and port wine jus. Again, this was first class – a large helping of delicious beef and tasty veg which couldn’t be bettered.
Mary’s choice was the grilled 10oz rib eye of Welsh beef, with handcut chips and tarragon butter. It was succulent and full of flavour and Mary was still raving about it several days later!
I’m not great lover of anything sweet, so the selection for the third course was simple: Colston Bassett Stilton, with pickled pear, walnuts and crackers. Once I’d worked out that the pear wasn’t some type of onion, it turned out to be another exquisite course!
Mary went for the pistachio creme brulee, which melted in the mouth.
A bottle of Chilean San Elias Cabernet Sauvignon was the ideal toast to a dream meal.
If you’ve never been to Saracens, you really have missed out. In addition to the food, the service and ambience of the place are top class, and help take the “eating out” experience to new heights. I take my hat off to them!
