The Kings Arms, Heath Common, review by Colin Williams
reproduced from the Winter 2008 edition of O-to-K, branch magazine of Wakefield
CAMRA. Copyright Wakefield CAMRA 2007 - may not be used for advertising or
promotional purposes without consent.Wakefield CAMRA Homepage index to pub food reviews
The Kings Arms, Heath Common, review by Colin Williams
reproduced from the Winter 2008 edition of O-to-K, branch magazine of Wakefield
CAMRA. Copyright Wakefield CAMRA 2007 - may not be used for advertising or
promotional purposes without consent.
Whenever I think of the Kings Arms at Heath, I think of gaslight, stone floors, sloping tables, Old Peculier and the drawer full of wet banknotes that passed as a till. Then I remember the arrival of carpets, an electronic cash register and a conservatory. Anyway, I thought, it was now time to consign nostalgia to the dustbin of history and to pay this charming pub a long-overdue revisit.
On entering the pub, we turned left and found a delightful little room still with a stone floor, a gaslight making a reassuringly roaring sound, a collection of old photos and a very warm open fire. This room was much as I remembered it. In the absence of a steam wireless set, Shania Twain was serenading us not too loudly. It was time to see what fayre was on offer.
Since the Kings Arms belongs to Wakefield's very own Clark�s Brewery it was a fair assumption that good real ale would be available. There was Tetley Bitter and Landlord along with a selection of Clarks beers. We chose the excellent Classic Blonde at a very reasonable �1.88 a pint.
A small but interesting range of bar meals is complemented by a specials board which included an interesting-sounding fillet steak burger at �7.95. There is also a good "young adults" menu with starters and sweets at �1.75 and main courses at �3.75. For starter we ordered fish cakes with chilli dip at �4.25 ("definitely home-made" was the verdict) and a very large bowl of creamy garlic mushrooms with baguette at �3.85.
Our main course selections were a spicy bean casserole which may not be spicy enough for some (�6.95) and beef and ale pie (�6.95). It is always with trepidation that I order a beef and ale pie, fearing a pot of runny gravy with a couple of lumps of meat or gristle and maybe a stray mushroom if you're lucky topped with soggy, tasteless pastry. Not so here, this was a superb pie with loads of tasty meat, rich gravy and a crisp pastry crust. By now Ms Twain was singing "That don't impress me much" but she certainly didn't mean the Kings Arms pie.
A small sweets menu was hastily written out for us. They were all at �3.95 and tempting enough but we'd eaten so well that they would have to be sampled on another occasion. We checked out the food opening times ready for our next visit. Food is served daily 12.00-14.00 and 18.00-21.30. Sunday times are 12.00-17.00
The Kings Arms restaurant is next door but was closed when we visited (it was Monday to be fair). A restaurant with real ale is indeed a rarity. Buses 184 and 185 will drop you nearby and a bracing walk on Heath Common can be enjoyed.