Eating Out
The Parrot off ers unhindered views
Great pub with a nice farm shop attached
The Parrot Inn We bring you the best Surrey pubs for food and drink
• The Parrot at Forest Green has been run by the Gotto family for six years and is rather like Dr Who’s Tardis. The outside looks like an inviting country pub, with tables and chairs on the wide frontage overlooking the village green, but inside you discover an inviting restaurant and a well-stocked farm shop.
• The surprises start when you venture either left or right of the bar. To the left, you see an inviting space with a large central table, leading through French doors onto a paved terrace – where you can sit in the sunshine with all-round protection from any prevailing winds.
• On the other side of the bar, you fi nd the restaurant. It’s sort of churchy, sort of modern, sort of regular and full of lovely bits and bobs that make it inviting and comforting. More French doors lead onto another terrace where you can eat overlooking the lawns.
• In this garden, you can peek at the progress of the vegetable patch which the Gottos use to grow produce for the restaurant.
• When visited on Saturday lunchtime,
the restaurant was busy, but the waiting staff weren’t fl ustered. Highlights were the pan-fried scallops with minted pea purée and home- cured bacon, and the rib-eye steak. The Home
Farm burger was delicious, with a generous helping of fries and a small salad.
• The Parrot really is a family aff air. Lucinda Perks and her mum Linda Gotto are front of house, Lucinda’s brother Ollie runs the farm shop, and her sisters Vicky and Emma also help out around the place.
• The family started running the pub and nearby Home Farm because it was Lucinda’s late father Charles’ dream to rear and serve his own meat. Linda now looks after the farm.
• Meat sold in the shop is either from their own or the neighbouring farms. The hen and duck eggs are from Hope Farm; pickles and preserves are made at The Parrot from vegetables and fruits supplied by Secretts (see page 27).
• The standout dessert was hot chocolate pudding with salted caramel ice cream and crushed honeycomb. The menu advises allowing 15-20 minutes for this, but we waited barely ten. The results were nothing short of spectacular. Our meal, including wine, cost around £25 a head.
The Parrot Inn, Forest Green, Surrey RH5 5RZ 01306 621 339
theparrot.co.uk
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We asked one of The Parrot’s regulars why they love it so much
‘What I really like about The Parrot is that it doesn’t matter if I come in wearing my jodhpurs and wellies or whether I’m dressed up for a night out, it’s always a friendly place to come and get a good drink and well-cooked local food, served by and enjoyed with nice people.’ Alice
Dunsdon JULY 2011 23
PUB OF THE MONTH
View from the bar
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