By Pub Spy

EACH month, the SNJ’s Pub Spy visits a local eaterie to give his verdict. This time, he gives his verdict on The Bisley House in Middle Street, Stroud.

This year, the Bisley House was recommended in the Michelin Guide and Michelin Eating Out in Pubs Guide – and I can see why.

Having only been around for two years, the newly renovated bar and restaurant is quickly making a name for itself.

Visiting on a weekday evening, a big group of us took a table in the sharp, modern–looking restaurant.

With smooth and stylish grey interior the restaurant feels almost Scandinavian in its decor, but with a warm and cosy decor.

I have visited a couple of times now, and as always, the staff and the food were the two best aspects.

The friendly waiters and waitresses were all really helpful in explaining the menu and the ingredients and suggesting what dishes to have. The bespoke menu itself is very artistic, with a very appetising meze plates and starters.

There are only ever around five different mains to choose from, usually with two or three specials – but each is hand crafted with interesting ingredients.

You can tell immediately that a lot of thought has been put into each dish.

One reservation is the lack of vegetarian options – with only one dish available in the mains. This is perhaps the one flaw in the relatively small menu.

To start I shared a charcuterie board of sliced continental meats and pate with toasted sourdough, olives and caperberries (£6.50), which was absolutely delicious.

For the main I went for a crispy pork belly with pease pudding, cavalo nero and apple sauce (£15), which I thought was very good value.

And to drink I chose a pint of Cotswold Premium Larger (£3.29) – which was hoppy and refreshing.

Again, the beer section isn’t huge, but what they do have is good, with a lot of locally sourced beers and ales, including a good size wine list.

Though 10 of us ordered our mains at the same time, the plates all arrived within half an hour.

My pork belly was perfectly cooked, with the perfect combination of crispy on top and tender underneath, while the apple sauce gave the whole meal and tinge of sweetness which complemented the meat well.

I also couldn’t resist trying a bit of my friend’s eight oz ribeye steak, (£17.50) which came with its own home cut chips, and was also very good.

I’m sure part of the reason The Bisley House is recommended by Michelin chefs is the amazing presentation – every single plate looks really professional. My own was exquisitely presented and full of colour.

The rest of my group were also singing the praises of the Bisley House after the meal, so much so that we actually went back again a week after.

Overall, dining there was a delight. The Bisley House is a hidden gem, and the exquisite food, relaxed atmosphere and amazing staff make it well worth a visit.

SCORES:

  • Atmosphere: 8/10
  • Decor: 7/10
  • Staff: 9/10
  • Drink: 6/10
  • Food: 9/10
  • Prices: 6/10
  • Overall: 8/10
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