There are few things better than a classic roast dinner on a cold autumn evening. Photographer and food reviewer Charlotte Bond visited The Swan pub in Westerfield, part of the popular Deben Inns group, to try out their offering.
My partner and I decided to make a visit and try out their Sunday menu. We arrived at the pub at 5pm on a sunny autumn evening.
Thankfully, they have a large car park with plenty of space to park.
We went to the bar and ordered our drinks before being shown to our table, which was situated in the bar area.
I opted for a glass of rosé whilst my partner had a pint of Peroni. Having been to the pub a few times there is always a warm, relaxed and friendly atmosphere which is just what you want on a Sunday evening.
The menu contained a variety of classic dishes from traditional fish and chips to burgers and sausage and mash, as well as lighter options and a sharing menu. We had our eyes set on the roast dinners which were on the special's board.
There were three options for the roast: sirloin of beef, roast chicken breast or beetroot and butternut squash Wellington.
We both opted for the roast sirloin beef, served with Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, green beans, carrots and parsnips with a rich gravy. We also decided to opt for a side of cauliflower cheese to share.
This was clearly a very popular dish as the beef was taken off the specials board soon after we had ordered. We also discovered that after 5pm you were able to get buy one get one half price on all roast dinners which was a bonus.
Our main courses arrived promptly after we ordered and the staff were friendly and helpful.
On first impressions the presentation of the dish didn’t disappoint. The Yorkshire puddings were huge and fluffy, whilst the tender beef was a thick slice with plenty of green beans and gravy which tasted rich and delicious too.
The side dish of cauliflower cheese was sufficient for the both of us and made a nice addition to our roast.
We both wiped our plates clean and were very happy with our choice of main, it was the perfect way to round off the weekend.
The roast beef came in at £18.45 but with the offer we got the second roast half price and the side of cauliflower was an extra £1.95.
We then had a peruse of the dessert menu which had a variety of delicious sweet treats on offer including a Biscoff sundae, Mango and Vanilla Pannacotta and a very tempting Swan Classic Sticky Toffee Pudding with vanilla ice cream and butterscotch sauce.
I opted for the dark chocolate torte and my partner went for the white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake.
My dessert was a generous portion with two small rectangular slices of torte with a nutty base to it.
The rich dark chocolate dessert was served with a refreshing raspberry sorbet and some summer berries.
The white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake was presented with a large shard of white chocolate scattered with dried raspberries.
My partner loved his cheesecake, with the white chocolate running through it and it was also a good sized portion.
The dark chocolate torte dessert was £7.50 and the white chocolate and raspberry cheese cake was £7.95.
Overall we thoroughly enjoyed the Sunday menu at The Swan in Westerfield.
There was a nice variety of dishes including lots of classics.
The pub was very cosy with a great atmosphere and it was clearly popular by the stream of people coming and going.
I would recommend booking a table if you are visiting, especially on the weekend to avoid disappointment.
The service was good and gave us just enough time to have a look at the menus and decide what you were having without feeling rushed.
The staff were helpful and friendly. I would definitely recommend this pub if you fancy some comfort food in a cosy and friendly environment.
Our food reviews are always independent. They are the opinion of the reviewer based on their experience of the venue when they visited. The establishment is not aware of our visit, is not informed we intend to write a review and bills are paid by the reviewer.
The choice of places reviewed is also independent and is not based on venues which do or do not advertise in our publications.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here