We all love the idea of heading down to a country pub when it’s cold & dreary outside to huddle round a big fire and tell stories over a couple of pints. The problem is that when the weather does take a turn for the worst, making your way past the end of the street is effort enough, let alone braving it out of town. However, with a few rays of sunshine starting to creep through and the worst of winter past us, a trip to the rural parts of the Home Counties on a Saturday evening or Sunday afternoon is far more interesting than hanging around the bustling city.
Set in a 300 year old converted barn, The Red Barn is a traditional country pub full of character and charm. The expansive beer garden sets the perfect scene for summer drinks, while warming fireplaces and a spacious rustic interior make it just as suitable for private parties as a hearty evening meal. Serving traditional pub comfort food, The Red Barn offers classic British favourites, while a drinks list featuring approximately 60 bins and a range of weird and wonderful beers is sure to satisfy even the thirstiest of guests.
Starters of Caramelised onion & goats cheese tart was light and full of flavour, but less successful was the carrot & coriander soup, which lacked any real bite. For mains, the Game casserole, with pheasant, rabbit & partridge, creamy mash & red cabbage was everything that pub food should be, with succulent pieces of meat and a rich, gamey sauce. However, whilst beautifully cooked, the Slow cooked lamb shank with a root vegetable & white bean casserole was devoid of any real flavour from any of the components. Fortunately, a wonderfully stodgy dessert of Steamed syrup pudding with custard brought things back on track as a top finish to a somewhat mixed meal.
Food: 3/5
Venue: 5/5
Value: 3/5
Cuisine: British pub grub
Dinner for two (excluding drinks): £45
Beer: £3.50
Wine: £5
The Red Barn
Tandridge Lane, Blindley Heath
Lingfield
Surrey, RH7 6LL
