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A Good Meal and a Decent Pint
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The Spread Eagle
,Estcourt Road, Darrington WF8 3AP
(01977 699698)
This time our gastronomic tour of real ale houses takes us to the Spread Eagle in
Darrington. It is on Estcourt Road on the left as you enter the village from Pontefract direction. Buses 410, 420 and 430 will take you there. Apart from a rather large new car park, the building hasn't changed much; in fact it looks as if it ought to have a Bass triangle hanging outside.Expectations are raised when you enter. As well as cask Tetley's and John's they have two frequently-changing guest beers featuring something a little different.On the day we visited the beers were Bradfield Farmers Bitter and Bowland Dragon. Both were excellent, with the Lancashire offering getting my vote.
There are separate eating areas which give a little more of a restaurant atmosphere. A printed menu offers a variety of mostly traditional pub food but there are some imaginative vegetarian dishes too. The choice is further enhanced by restaurant-style "specials boards" in lunchtime and evening versions. (They're a bit cheaper at lunchtime)
As with the ale, the specials offer something a little different, for example venison and chorizo stir-fry. We decided to select from the specials board. For starter we tried creamy garlic and stilton mushrooms and roast duck spring rolls, each at �4.25. Then we had beef stew in giant Yorkshire pudding (�8.95) and tuna steak which came with a Mexican salsa and side salad at �10.95 Incidentally, they do real chips. This was all very wholesome and rather filling, so the sweets board (around ten choices at �2.95) will have to be sampled on another occasion.
We liked the little touches like fresh bread and olives on the table and service was very good. Meals are served 1200-1400 and 1730-2030 (2100 Fri and Sat) and 1200-1500 and 1800-2030 on Sundays.
Beware of the ghost. The pub is haunted by the ghost of a 14 year old boy who was foolish enough to indulge in a bit of horse-stealing and paid for it rather dearly. He didn't disturb our meal, anyway.
It�s ably run by Alan Hopkins & Susan Tree, who were previously at a traditional ale pub in the Doncaster area.
Review by Colin Williams in the Winter 2007 Edition of O-to-K, branch magazine of Wakefield CAMRA � This review may not be reproduced without consent.