On Wednesday, the day of the England vs. Argentina match, I stopped into Ye Olde Hob Inn in Bamber Bridge expecting some pub grub, maybe a little more elevated, but generally still what you might expect in your local.
Upon arriving, I was greeted by the familiar smell of beer on tap, a crowd of early arrivals in the beer garden getting ready for England’s impending clash, and some wonderfully friendly staff who appeared to be in good spirits despite being inside and on shift while the sun was beating down and the match approached.
I chose to dine in the appropriately named dining room, though visitors are welcome to sit anywhere in the venue while enjoying a meal. After passing through the small doorway, I was delighted to see incredibly clean tables, beautifully decorated walls, and a range of neat wooden tables where large comfortable chairs welcomed guests to sit down and take a load off. I have to say, I was charmed, and it gave off the sense of being very homely.
Seconds after taking a seat, another cheery server approached and took my drink order, which was brought back moments later, filled to the brim which I hugely appreciated.
After examining the menu and asking about the days specials (Ye Olde Hob Inn has a soup of the day, pasta of the day, fish of the day, cheesecake of the day, and so on), I was ready to order.
I ordered the soup of the day, which was Leek and Potato, accompanied by a few pieces of buttered bread for £6.45. For a main, I selected the 5oz Rump Steak from the special £12 menu, which is available from Monday to Thursday from 12pm to 8pm. And finally, I ordered the Hot Alabama Fudge Cake with vanilla ice cream for £5.95.
It wasn’t long before the soup arrived, and I soaked up the wonderful atmosphere in the cosy room with some laidback popular music playing over the speakers at a very moderate level.
When the soup did arrive, I was delighted by the incredible smell, and looking into the bowl, you could see just how thick and creamy the soup was by the way the small green garnish was resting on top without sinking into the liquid.
I was slightly disappointed by the fact that there were only three small, thinly cut pieces of bread on the side, but the fact that they were warmed up was a pleasant touch. The soup had distinct bursts of flavour with pepper, cheese, and onion all coming through as some of the most prominent. And considering the fact that the pie of the day was cheese and onion, it makes sense for the leftover ingredients to be used in a soup, and honestly, I was pretty pleased with the result. Especially considering the generous portion size of the soup itself.
Shortly after finishing the soup, the bowl was taken away and a steak knife brought to the table, and moments later, the rump steak arrived. This dish was served with the “Handmade Hob Chips,” which were chunky with a clear golden brown colouring and a variety of shapes and sizes that further highlighted the “handmade” nature of the product. Perfectly crisp on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside, despite the larger size, these were delightful and had no oily residue to speak of despite the frying process.
I had also ordered a small side of peppercorn sauce to go with the steak for £1.95, and similar to the peppery flavour of the soup, this sauce packed a punch. In this context though, it was warming, intense, and perfectly paired with the tender steak.
I should mention I ordered the steak to be done medium-well, and it was perfectly cooked to that level, as well as being served with a flat mushroom and tomato that were both fried. There was also some broccolini on the plate, which was buttery and maintained a slightly firm bite, though not overly so.
Next, I took a bite of the steak on its own, cutting through the stunning crust and being sure to get a little of the fat and meat in one small slice. This was incredible. juicy, tender, full of flavour and even the fat melts in your mouth.
However, it was served with the tomato and mushroom on top, so I opted to get a little of each in the next slice, and this took things to a whole other level. I am not often a fan of fried tomatoes, and mushrooms can be hit or miss, but the combination, the way each component melted and blended together to form an incredible lineup of complementary flavours, was just fantastic.
I put the rest of the peppercorn sauce to use on the steak and chips, and thoroughly enjoyed wolfing down the entire plate of food, which was again, a very generous portion that had me feeling pleasantly full.
Of course, my job wasn’t done yet, however, as I had yet to try the dessert.
Now, I will say, the dessert took considerably longer to come out than everything else, but I do think that more tables started to fill in and maybe dessert wasn’t high on the priority list. Either way, make of that what you will.
As mentioned above, I ordered the Hot Alabama Fudge Cake, which has the choice of being served up with vanilla ice cream, custard, or pouring cream. For fans of a hot chocolate brownie as a dessert, this is a pleasant and subtle change.
It was served swimming in the fudge sauce frosting that melted to bathe the rest of the crumbly cake. It was rich and flavourful, but the best thing about it was the wonderful contrast between the hot and the cold as the punchy chocolate flavours mingled with the creaminess and sweetness of the ice cream.
Throughout the meal, the staff checked in warmly and always appeared genuine and sincere in their approach. This made a great meal all the more enjoyable and added to the charm and impression that this is a place that wants you to feel at home.
