Alvanley Arms

Cotebrook

The Alvanley Arms at Cotebrook is an attractive country pub in the traditional mould. Set on a bend in the road not far from Tarporley, it has a good-sized car park and an attractive cobbled frontage. Inside, we were struck by the cosy atmosphere, created by the lighting, the gleaming horse brasses and the fact that design of the interior, with no fewer than three dining rooms in addition to the bar.

The pub is a Robinson's house and the real ales comprise the Unicorn Bitter and Hatters Mild, together with the latest seasonal offering.

Here is a link to their Website.

The menu is interesting without being challenging, and the Specials Board offered some appealing options. We resisted the lure of the starters despite such appetising choices as Creole Prawns, Wexford-style mushrooms with bacon and stilton and Smoked Salmon Bruccetta.

Turning our attention to the main courses on the board, we considered Duck a l'Orange, Boeuf Bourgignonne and Barnsley Chop before selecting Cajun Chicken and Fillet of Plaice Caprice.
The first was very tasty in a creamy sauce, the chicken breast fillets being seared and tender. The vegetables were very nicely cooked, not overdone.
The Plaice was delightfully tender in a surprisingly enjoyable banana and mango sauce. The decision was spontaneous and unanimous; "We are coming back here."
We usually opt for the specials rather than the printed menu, although this did include a number of notable options, including Smoked Salmon & Prawn Galette, Moules Bonne Femme and Whitebait.

The pudding menu gives a special mention to Elsie the Patissier. The house speciality is Meringue Crush, with whipped cream, drizzled with home-made butterscotch sauce and fresh cream. Another tempting morsel is Malt Tease; malt ice cream strewn with chocolate coated honeycomb balls.

A repeat visit as the winter drew on, saw a Specials Board featuring Game. We took advantage of this and our party chose Scottish Venison Casserole, Boned & Rolled Pheasant and Venison Steak. The greedier members of our party indulged in a pudding, choosing Forest Fruit Cheesecake and Meringue with spun sugar.