Saxon Mill Latest Review

Saxon Mill at Night

I had the best bit of pork I’ve ever had at the Saxon Mill once, but unfortunately it is no longer on their menu. It was Spit Pork Loin, Truffle Mash, Black Pudding and Roasted Pear – an exceptional combination of flavours, and one that left my taste buds dancing with glee for hours afterwards. It is good to see the Saxon Mill developing their menu, changing it with the seasons and making it ever more tempting and exciting – looking at the menu on their website in order to write this review is making me salivate in anticipation of our next visit!

My fiancé is an expert in the burgers served at the Saxon Mill as this is his most frequently ordered dish. I think it has something to do with the size of the burger. It is good to see they are retaining the typical pub fare-based dishes on their menu as well as the fancier foods, as it means there is something for just about everyone.

I have found, however, that some of the dishes don’t quite live up to my expectations: on my last visit I ordered the Tagliatelle Bolognaise as a main from the pasta section, and it was ok. But not stunning. It may be years of perfecting my own bolognaise recipe which has prejudiced my taste buds against anything which doesn’t quite fit the bill, but I still felt slightly disappointed by it. The dish tasted sweet, but not much else – rather a let-down after having had the wonderful pork dish on my previous visit. That’s the problem with producing outstanding dishes: it creates expectations in the diners and if other dishes don’t quite stand up the let-down is all the greater. But these fairly minor disappointments would certainly not discourage me from returning.

I haven’t often ordered desserts from the Saxon Mill through a combination of being too full and finding nothing particularly exceptional or exciting compared with the mains on the menu. Having said that, I can vouch for the Sticky Toffee Pudding as being most excellently delicious and sticky, if you can find room in your stomach for it.

The service is generally very good. The staff are polite, helpful and attentive. Food is served promptly and with a smile. It’s quite an informal affair, however, which sits slightly at odds with the quality and grandeur of the food. But then again, it is a pub restaurant, and I find the atmosphere relaxed and not at all stuffy as a result.

I do see a slight problem with the menu and that is the choice: there is so much tempting food on there that I always find it really hard to make a decision. A perfect excuse for return visits, though! The Saxon Mill makes great food affordable and accessible – an attribute which deserves to be celebrated.