On a dark autumnal evening in October, me and Theo headed down to reopening of The Black Horse Great Linford, a local pub with a wonderful atmosphere. The pub has a long and varied history with it’s ideal location along the Grand Union Canal, being one of it’s most well-known aspects. A summer’s day here in the sunshine is one of my favourite things to do!
I was invited along to The Black Horse Great Linford for their opening night, to sample their new seasonal menu and to see the refurb in its entirety before they properly opened on October 13th to the public. From the moment we arrived we felt incredibly looked after; we were welcomed on arrival by the lovely bar staff, who asked for our preference (of course G&T for us!) and we were then shown to their flavouring station, where you could add your own garnish. I opted for juniper berries, grapefruit peel and rose petals!
The decor within the pub has had a complete overhaul, with log fires, fluffy carpets, detailed furnishings, warm lighting and comfy chairs. The colour scheme they’ve gone for is one of my favourites, reminding me of home instantly. I especially loved the patterned mismatched chairs dotted around the pub, which added an eclectic twist to the decor. It still manages to retain it’s classic country pub feel, but has added modern touches with stylish decor to really make the most of everything they’ve got to offer.
So are you intrigued to visit The Black Horse Great Linford?
The Black Horse Great Linford
They’ve got a maze of rooms, at each end of the buildings; at one end you will find the more formal dining room, and access to the roof terrace from here and then at the other end of the pub you will find the more relaxed dining room, with informal seating in the bar and private dining room at the far end. The terrace has also had an overhaul and now features florally decorated pods, where you can look out across the canal.
To begin our foodie experience, whilst finishing our drinks we were served a platter for share between us, with some lovely easy bites including battered brie, pate and chutney, crispy duck, falafels, lobster and crab croquettes and mini fish and chips. My favourite was the crispy duck – it was incredible! It was a lovely start to our evening, and we had to be careful not to eat too much, in case we ruined our appetite for the rest of the evening.
As we were waiting for our mains to come, they bought us some crispy tortillas which were very tasty, and something I’d really like to replicate at home!
For mains, I started with a Diablo Pizza, with chorizo, pepperoni, bacon, pork & fennel sausage, mozzarella, jalapeños and red chilli (£13.95). This was a beautiful looking dish and was served with an array of colour, and fresh flavours. The pizza was light and flavoursome, with some incredible contrasting tastes. It was a super thin pizza which I love, with lots of toppings! I managed to finish the entire pizza, and didn’t feel full, instead leaving me feeling content.
Theo opted for his favourite dish, 9oz Rib-Eye Steak, with twice-cooked chunky chips, crispy onions, grilled mushroom, confit tomato and baby kale (£20.95). He said the steak was tender and full of flavour, whilst the peppercorn sauce added a quick kick for added effect!
The Black Horse Great Linford
For pudding, I opted not to have one, but Theo chose the impressive melting chocolate and peanut bomb (£7.95) which was filled with sticky toffee pudding and peanut butter sauce, and served with bourbon vanilla ice cream. It was exactly like you see on Instagram, as soon as the waitress poured the hot chocolate source over the top, the bomb began to melt, to reveal the pudding inside. This dish wasn’t too heavy, which was needed after filling ourselves with food on the other courses.
Overall, I was highly impressed with this wonderful country pub, with an incredible selection of food and drinks. The refurbishment has really upped the game for this establishment and will certainly make it stand out from the crowd when it comes to local Milton Keynes pubs. Price wise, it’s not cheap, but if you’re after a special-occasion meal, this is the place to come with the family. The food was also incredible and we can’t wait to return again soon for a Sunday Roast!
The Black Horse Great Linford
Example Menu
They’re welcoming the change of season with a delicious range of brand-new dishes. Their top-quality, seasonal menu includes premium grill dishes, such as prime steaks cuts from selected British & Irish farms, hand-cut by skilled butchers and expertly aged for superb tenderness and flavour, four-bone lamb rack with chorizo, chimi churri and butternut squash or maple glazed pork belly with pig cheek. With fresh fish delivered daily, there’s everything from wild Atlantic scallops and King prawns to sea bass fillets.
JAnet DAVIS
10/28/2018 at 06:19Great idea for a Sunday.