The Vine at Hannington

Hannington, Tadley, RG26 5TX

01635 298525

thevineathannington.co.uk

IT WAS an unusually dark and stormy May evening when a friend and I ventured out to Hannington to sample the fare at The Vine.

The pub was quiet, as you’d expect for a midweek, when the rain was pouring down, and we took a seat near the lovely fireplace.

A young man presented us with menus and a quick scan of everything revealed hearty pub standards for around the £10 mark, including beer battered fish and chips, ham and egg, and sausages and mash.

Our tastebuds were tickled by the thought of some of the starters, so we opted to share the fried brie with caramelised red onions at £5.25 and the smoked salmon with dill and lime aioli and granary bread at £5.50.

They arrived quickly and we tucked in. Both were very tasty, even thought I missed the lime in the aioli.

They were swiftly followed by our mains, my steak and ale pie with mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables at £9.45, and my friend’s spinach and ricotta cannelloni with salad and garlic bread for the same price.

All of the food in the pub is home-made, so it was nice to sample home-made pastry and the like. My companion was very keen on his simply presented cannelloni, and believed that the pasta was also home-made.

I was slightly disappointed with my pie, as the gravy was not as rich as I would have expected. The three vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower and carrot, were on the plate in the same state as they’d been removed from their cooking pot, and the pile of mash was too stodgy for my tastes. I’d been dreaming of something creamy and light, but this was not it.

I was, however, totally charmed by our shared dessert of a warm chocolate and raspberry brownie with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream for £4.95.

It was presented to us a mere minute or two after we’d ordered it, and was delicious. I’d have described it as more of a cake, but that’s just nit-picking, given how quickly we demolished it.

The Vine’s extensive back beer garden, which includes huge wooden play equipment, will be a prime spot in summer. I am sure we’ll be back for a pint and to sample the bar snacks.