Lincolnshire Poacher is a small Castle Rock pub halfway up the hill on Mansfield Road behind Victoria Centre. The fact that it is Castle Rock already tells you that it will have a plethora of lagers and ales but it also has the best pub food in Nottingham. The best.
I have ventured here on several occasions, this one particular visit taking place on a Thursday evening. We grabbed ourselves a drink from the bar, one Black Iris Ale and pint of Cider (each around £3.80) and sat in the conservatory. We took a quick look at the menu which is very limited. For mains there are perhaps no more than 10 options, and dessert only 2. Do not let this deter you however as the food that they do offer is superb. On the menu are things such as burgers, sausage and mash, meatballs and pie. They also have specials boards above the bar for other options as well as the ‘burger of the day’ and ‘pie of the day’.
I chose the burger of the day which on this occasion was beef and chilli with hallumi cheese and my friend opted for the Mediterranean chicken. We paid at the bar and went back to our seats where we waited for around 15 minutes before our food appeared. As usual it was far from disappointing. The burger was succulent and juicy, the red chilli peppers giving it an added kick and the hollumi topping it off beautifully severed in a crispy ciabbatta bun, it was the kind of burger God would eat. The Mediterranean chicken came with roast potatoes and all manner of roasted seasonal vegetable, draped in a deliciously creamy sauce that tasted like a masala sauces’ continental cousin. The chicken was moist and the vegetables perfectly cooked. Yet another triumph.
On this occasion we only had the one course but from experience, the desserts and starters also pack a delicious punch and if you go on a Sunday, they offer one of the finest roast dinners around. I really don’t have enough good words to say about the food here.
The pub itself is one of two halves. You have the bar area and the indoor seating around it which, in all honesty, has seen better days. The tables are still clean and the pub as a whole is tidy but looking around it just seems a little shabby. The conservatory however is a different story. It is light an airy with new, comfy leather seats, great to sit in on those summer days if its too packed in the beer garden.
The staff here are also friendly and polite. They aren’t wooden in any way and seem genuinely happy to be working and will help you out with recommendations on beer or food or if you require anything to make your stay more pleasurable.
As previously mentioned the food here is pure pub grub heaven. Most maim meals will set you back between £7-£10 but it is the kind of meal that I would have quite happily paid more than that for. Whether you are a beer connoisseur, in the area, or want the best pub meal you’ve ever eaten in Nottingham, be sure to go-cher.
The Food Sheriff of Nottingham 