White Hart, Lydgate, Nr Oldham

[Harters]

Presumably the Good Food Guide’s cooking score 4 is based on dinners in the restaurant rather than the lunch “brasserie menu” served in the pub. Today, however, lunch was served in the restaurant and, even though we were the only customers and there were three members of staff working, service still managed to be dilatory.

As we sat down, we were asked if we wanted drinks but, on the giving the order, the server had so little English that she had to go and get another member of staff. Not a good start but a quick look at the menu suggested that this was certainly going to be much better than average pub food.

Soup of the day was red pepper and tomato. Mrs H thought it needed a bit of sweetness. Good texture though. She followed that with what was described as roasted herb crusted cod. Generous portion of fish, properly cooked with large white flakes. The herb crust was a disappointment, having neither a crusty texture nor any discernable taste of herbs. Came with a bubble & squeak cake, a little spinach and some cream sauce – all were a bit underflavoured.

I started with smoked haddock croquette. These were good. As I cut through the crisp breadcrumb coating, the smell of smoky fishiness was evident. Good pieces of haddock, rather than the mush you get with fishcakes. A little pea puree, salad leaf and pleasant homemade tartare sauce. No sign of the advertised potato salad.

My main was slow roast belly pork, pork fillet, pressed potato & black pudding. The menu suggested that Lancashire cheese would feature somewhere (perhaps in with the pressed potato – the punctuation didn’t make it clear), but I couldn’t taste its presence. Belly was good, even though there was no crackling. Fillet, which sat on some spinach, was overcooked and tough. Potato was good but what’s not to like with spuds and black pud. A smear of apple sauce brought some welcome sharpness.

Although not faultless, this was still four plates of pretty reasonable food which with a drink each and a tip came in at just over fifty quid. A better bargain might have been the two course set menu at £13.50. It’s not a place that I’d go out of my way for, but it’s less than 30 minutes from home and might well be worth a return for dinner sometime.

Oh, and if you’re going to go, don’t rely on your sat nav. Mine took me to two different wrong places around Lydgate before giving up. We had to phone to get proper directions.

[Bapi]

Aaah, you've been to my neck of the woods again John. I've been to the White Hart a few times myself and have always been a little underwhelmed to be honest.