We had a meal at this pub on a Saturday night without a booking and could not have been treated better. We were staying at a cottage near this village, Swinton, in the Scottish Borders and the pub came well-recommended by the owners and previous visitors of the cottage. It was easy to see why.
We had spent the day in nearby Berwick-upon-Tweed and decided to try the pub after we got back to the cottage. It was around 6:00 pm and though the restaurant may have been full with bookings, we were shown to a table in the window of the lounge pub overlooking the town green and were served a delicious meal.
We had lavender and coriander bread with our drinks. As you can see from the photographs, the food was very nicely presented and the portions were just the right size to leave room for dessert. Our mains were: shoulder of lamb with dauphinoise potatoes, broccoli rabe (rapini), parsnips and carrot purée (£18.95); chicken breast with haggis, mashed potatoes, fennel, carrots, turnips, broccoli rabe and spinach (£14.75); mixed grill consisting of chicken, steak, sausage, blood sausage and mushrooms with chips (£20.95); steak and ale pie with a large puff pastry topping, a bowl of salad and chips (£15.50)– the best way to eat it would have been to put the crust on the plate, tip the pie filling on top and put the salad next to it on the plate. For sweet we had vanilla profiteroles with chocolate sauce, raspberries, strawberries and pineapple (£6.50); mille-feuilles that were light and flaky (£6.95); and mango and passion fruit ice cream served in a brandy snap bowl (£1.75 per scoop). We rounded off the meal with coffees and decaf lattes (£2.75 each). Sublime! I should note I’m guessing at the price of the pie as it is no longer on the menu which changes often.
The lounge is also dog friendly. After we were seated a couple came in with a dog. They were seated at a table near us for their meal. The staff made a fuss over the dog – in a good way. One brought a bowl of water for the dog to drink. Later on someone else brought over a bag of treats and asked the couple if their dog could have one. The well-behaved dog sat under their table and received many friendly strokes from the staff throughout the evening.
All around the Wheatsheaf left a very good impression with us and we’d certainly return if we were ever in the area.
“Wheatsheaf”:http://www.wheatsheaf-swinton.co.uk
