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Restaurant review
THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING...
Food
TO
DINE
FOR
THE INN OF HAPPINESS
The Hawkley Inn is well known by
real-ale enthusiasts, but it’s also now
becoming renowned for the quality of
its food.
Nestled in a leafy lane in the secluded
village of Hawkley, in the heart of the
beautiful South Downs National Park,
the inn will soon celebrate the first
anniversary of ownership by Simon
Emberley.
We were greeted upon our arrival for
lunch by the popular Nikki, who handles
the front-of-house role with some
aplomb. And, even at lunchtime, a quick
look at the menu showed us we were
spoiled for choice.
We decided to start with a Mediterranean
vegetable and goat’s cheese tart (£7)
and seared scallops with a parsnip puree
and chorizo (£9). Not surprisingly, the
food was well presented with generous
portion sizes.
We asked Nikki to recommend main
courses for us and, after being advised
that all the food is sourced and produced
locally and all the fish delivered fresh
on a daily basis, we decided on the
Cumberland sausages with mash and
vegetables (£12) and a steak-and-kidney
pie with roast potatoes and vegetables
(£13).
The food again came in generous
portions sizes – but this isn’t all about
quantity over quality. No, the food was
amazing. Having said that, I admit we
declined dessert as we were full! I would
certainly recommend it to anyone who
was looking for a good place to go and
eat in the countryside.
With seven different ales on at any one
time, £9 steak-and-chips nights on
Mondays, and five AA four-star B&B
rooms – from just £69 per night complete
with delicious home-cooked breakfast
– it’s no wonder that what was a well-
kept secret is fast becoming a must-visit
venue.
It’s also child and pet friendly, which
may go some way to explaining the
great atmosphere as people enjoy the
warmth of both the open fires and the
welcome.
01730 827205 |
Pococks Lane, Hawkley Liss,
Hampshire GU33 6NE
