Stag Nights In The Old Town
The Stag Inn in All Saints Street is one of the town’s oldest pubs – it even has its own Wikipedia page if you want to read about its ghosts and 16th century timber-framed architecture.
The pub has always kept local traditions alive with its folk nights and participation in local festivals. But over the past year or so, owners Nick and Nicole have generated a buzz of excitement locally because of their innovations: comedy nights, quizzes and – the loudest buzz – their kitchen. Plenty of Old Town residents will tell you that the Stag serves: “THE best food in the area”.
Their food is fresh and locally sourced where possible. Head Chef, Ben Cumberpatch, is enthusiastic about using high-quality ingredients and loves to experiment with food combinations. He pays close attention to detail so that the flavours really work together. We started with an earthy pigeon, thyme and golden raisin terrine which worked brilliantly with the pickled pear and rhubarb chutney, but for me the delicate cured Sussex trout was a really clever and striking pairing with the tangy blood orange – and the pickled fennel and Guinness soda bread raised it to another level.
Left: Smoked trout; top right: Pigeon, thyme and raisin terrine; bottom right: Cod and samphire with pickled mussels
CREDIT: Fiona Mcgarry
Ben evidently has a passion for baking, pickling and smoking: his sourdough bread is served with smoked butter, and, in autumn, smoked blackberries have appeared on the menu – a menu which changes each day depending on what is in season. (I’ve heard that his citrus and feta arancini with chive butter are not
to be missed – try them while you can!)
For a main course we sampled some baked cod that contrasted beautifully with the accom-panying salty samphire and mussels (pickled of course). If you prefer something heartier, I’d recommend the roast pork belly served with a ham hock croquette and mustard cabbage. My partner would have liked a bit more gravy, but otherwise it really hit the spot.
And finally, pudding – with home-made ice cream. The coffee ice cream complemented the choux bun and hazelnut cream nicely, but, for me, the dark chocolate mousse with mint ice cream was a real discovery. Not the sweet, lurid green version you find in shops, but a smooth, creamy delight with a subtle mint freshness like nothing I’ve tasted before.
Nicole clarifies the Stag’s kitchen philosophy: “Everything served from our kitchen is prepared in the same kitchen, from the main meals to the bread, sauces, pickles and dressings … We are able to grow a little of our own produce in the garden – food miles twenty yards! We have a couple of apple trees, a cherry and a plum tree, some young fig trees and a small herb garden. This year we are growing all our own edible flowers for garnish.”
As a life-long forager, I was delighted to hear that foraging is also a key part of the Stag’s cuisine. Nicole tells me that Ben and trainee chef Grace have regular foraging trips for seasonal produce: Grace is now the proud owner of her first foraging knife. Currently they are keeping an eye on the wild garlic that’s popping up early this year, but their dishes also feature foraged seaweed and mushrooms.
Another commendable part of their philosophy is to keep food waste “close to zero”. Nicole explains: “Food scraps are used for stocks or composted in the pub garden – even cooked food scraps are popped into the bokashi bin and returned to the earth.”
So, if you are looking for a delightful, historic hostelry that serves simple but carefully crafted dishes containing high-quality ingredients – head to the Stag. Don’t worry about the ghosts or mummified cats – I can guarantee you will receive a very friendly welcome.
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