The Woodman goes a fair way to a winner
And to be honest the result was far better than anything I could have hoped for with club in hand.
It was my first visit since a refurb by Greene King last year, and it is fair to say they have made a nice job of it. The Woodman is a lot smarter and brighter than I remember, and the outside seating area is much improved.
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Hide AdThe food offering had more appeal too. Take your pick from sandwiches and jacket potatoes, light lunches or the main menu.
There are a dozen or so starters, including scallops and crispy bacon, calamari rings and garlic mushrooms, plus an extensive range of mains – steaks, burgers and pub classics such as fish and chips and a whopping mixed grill, plus some tasty looking chef selections; ribs, pulled pork and seabass and scallops risotto leapt out.
My chicken wings came in a Tardis-like little bucket -I don’t know how they all fitted in. They had plenty of flesh on the bone and the sweet and fruity mango, pineapple and chilli dip added a welcome bit of flavour.
Donna’s Stilton and peppercorn mushrooms were okay; a nicely toasted muffin, topped with sautéed Paris brown mushrooms, but made very soggy by the peppercorn sauce. A tasty sprinkling of crumbly blue Stilton though.
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Hide AdI kept it simple with my choice of a main course; what’s not to like about sausages and mash? Three thick and meaty, and not too herby, bangers duly arrive atop a mound of champ mash, which certainly benefitted from a rich and delicious beef dripping gravy. I enjoyed the crispy shallots scattered around too.
Across the table a beautifully cooked medium rare sirloin steak arrived and was dispatched with glee alongside a reasonable but unimaginative salad (exchanged for the usual chips/mushrooms and tomatoes accompaniment). Meanwhile two pretty large children’s meals kept the little ones more than happy to round off a lunchtime experience complete with prompt, helpful and attentive service.
Brad’s rating: 7
Venue: The Woodman, Thorpe Wood, Peterborough, PE3 6SQ
Tel 01733 267601 Email [email protected]
From the menu:
sharing starters
House sharing platter
Chicken wings, onion rings, garlic ciabatta, crispy breaded garlic mushrooms, rosemary-salted fries and chicken nuggets.
Antipasti board
A mix of salami, served with olives, cherry tomatoes,
buffalo mozzarella, houmous and white bloomer bread.
mains
British beef & ale pie
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Hide AdBritish beef in Ruddles ale gravy, in a hot-water pastry, with champ mash, peas, carrots, fine beans, broccoli and gravy
Grilled sweet chilli salmon
On a warm kale, sweet potato & mixed-leaf salad,
tossed in our mango, chilli & pineapple dressing and
topped with a blend of lightly toasted mixed seeds.
Sizzling chicken fajitas
With warm tortillas, served with grated mature Cheddar, smoky tomato relish, guacamole and sour cream.
Mushroom & goat’s cheese risotto
Creamy woodland & Paris brown mushroom risotto,
with Italian hard cheese.
Seafood puff pastry
A pastry case filled with prawns, smoked haddock
and salmon in a white wine sauce, served with carrots,
broccoli, fine beans, roasted cherry tomatoes and sea-salted-&-thyme-sautéed potatoes.