Having recently experienced a Christmas menu over the other side of the Pennines that was twice the price and only half as good as the one at the Thatch and Thistle – part of the Hungry Horse chain – it’s nice to have proof that you can still discover good value over the festive period.
Situated just off the M65 at Nelson, the Thatch and Thistle has been established in the town for a number of years. The large car park was almost full when we arrived on a wet and windy Monday evening, always a good sign.
As we walked through the front door the warm atmosphere soon made us forget any winter blues. The friendly staff, which the pub is noted for, all seemed to be proud of working as part of a team.
No short straws here
The Festive menu, available until 1 January, costs £16.99 for two courses. If you are feeling hungry, three courses will cost you £19.99.
Starters include a true winter warmer tomato soup and peppery mushrooms, both ideal for vegetarians. I decided upon the very berry brie bites served with a cranberry sauce dip. I always find brie slightly bland. If you want a real French cheese, go for a rustic Camembert, which might have been a better addition to the menu. While served piping hot, the bites were a bit drab to my palate.
The star of the show is the traditional Christmas dinner, which really was a first class act. Turkey breast served with sage and onion stuffing, a pig in a blanket, Yorkshire pudding, crispy roast potatoes, winter vegetables, cranberry sauce and rich gravy all served in generous helpings and most importantly extremely hot, no doubt helped by the correct method of serving, on a hot plate. If you get the basics right the rest always follows.
Puddings come with choices of warm fudge cake, raspberry trifle cheesecake and what appears on every proper Christmas menu – the traditional Christmas pudding. Moist and full of fruit with a touch of sweetness, it made it hard to leave the Thatch and Thistle still hungry.
The mushroom treatment
With my sister being vegetarian she was spoilt for choice with options on the main menu. She decided on the pan fried garlic mushrooms and her starter was a copious one, though the idea of serving the mushrooms on top of the slice of garlic ciabatta might not be a good one, with the bread being too soggy to complement the mushrooms.
The mushroom and ale pie served with chips, peas and gravy, often considered a pub classic, was exactly that. A light, tender pastry gave way to enough mushrooms to satisfy even the most discerning fungi lover.
The apple and berry crumble served with hot custard was equally sweet and very buttery. If you are not a fan of a standard Christmas meal, at least you have lots of different choices here. If you ask nicely, they might even give you a Christmas cracker to share with other members of your party.
This is a bustling establishment that might appear to be cheap and cheerful, but there are definitely no short straws as regards the quality and quantity of the food.
Access for all
The car park has at least five disabled parking bays with easy access into the pub for wheelchair users or anyone with mobility issues. There is only one step to negotiate, and you would only encounter that if you decided to sit at the rear of the pub.
The disabled toilet was unlocked, so no Radar key was required, though that does mean able bodied customers can also use the toilet. My sister, who is not too mobile, found it clean and tidy.
All pictures by Graham Clark
