We went to The Farmers Arms in Combe Florey simply because it was the only place open…
It was Jack’s birthday so we wanted to go out for lunch to somewhere we had never been before which really should have been an easy mission. Except that it was a Monday, and it was the day before New Year’s Eve.
This happens every year. Admittedly the day of the week changes annually but the fact remains, the day before NYE does not offer the widest range of choices when it comes to eating out. This frequently results in Jack feeling downhearted and deciding his birthday is simply not worth celebrating. He has berated his poor mother for not “hanging on” another hour or so, for so long now that this year she finally told him: “pick a day, any day, and that can be your birthday from now on.”
Still, credit to Jack, he continued to browse options and finally settled on a place a mere ten-minute drive from home – The Farmers Arms in Combe Florey. And what a cracking choice it turned out to be.
The Venue
The Farmers Arms is a thatched, 14th-century listed building set just off the road in Combe Florey, outside Bishops Lydeard. The extensive outside area with covered seating and patio heaters suggested this was a popular good weather venue but today was freezing cold so we headed directly inside.
A wood-burning stove set into an impressive fireplace provided a wall of warmth as we threaded our way past the bar beneath a low, panelled ceiling to our cosy nook with its banquet seating. The atmosphere was casual and relaxed with dogs lying quietly alongside tables, and one or two groups of friends, one with toddlers and babies in tow, the other a group of girlfriends.
We felt instantly relaxed, cosy and welcome.
The Menu
A mere glance at the menu told us this was a chef with culinary ambition who had judged his clientele well. For both starters and mains, he presented a menu that encompassed more adventurous dining along with ‘safer’, more traditional options. Starters included pan fried baby squid in truffle & parmesan butter, and game terrine with toasted sourdough and red onion marmalade, alongside homemade French onion soup. Mains offered game pie with creamy mash, tenderstem broccoli and red wine jus; venison with fondant potatoes, brown lentils, seasonal veg and a port jus, sitting cheek by jowl with pub classics like haddock and chips; burger; and shepherd’s pie.
The Food
We ordered the pan fried baby squid between us for starters. When it arrived, I didn’t think the squid looked particularly appetising, like slightly anaemic snails but they tasted sensational. We lapped it up, soaking up every last drop of the sauce with our bread.
For mains, Jack ordered the game pie while I opted for the venison.
The game pie looked flawless – a neat little pie with buttery-soft pastry sides and a beautifully browned crust. Paired with the savoury jus, it hit exactly the right balance of rich and earthy with a mellow aftertaste. It was quickly demolished to a soundtrack of hmmms. My venison was perfectly cooked for me – pink, tender and juicy – and the brown lentils provided a good contrast of texture and almost bitter taste to counter the jus. The fondant potato was soft and buttery.
For dessert, we shared a nicely-wobbly pannacotta topped with crunchy honeycomb, sweet figs and savoury toasted pistachios.
Jack decided that, as it was his birthday and I was driving, he would have a mulled wine. It duly arrived, steaming hot and aromatic in a jam jar-style tankard. We sat back and enjoyed the friendly atmosphere and hum of conversation around us while Jack sipped his hot wine.
All was good in the birthday world. We will return to The Farmers Arms.
The Details
The Farmers Arms in Combe Florey is open for meals: Mon – Thu noon – 2pm, 6pm – 8.45pm; Fri & Sat noon – 3pm, 6pm – 8.45pm; Sun noon – 5pm
Starters average £12; mains average £23; the wine list is as good as any restaurant and better than many; they serve a range of local beers and ciders, real ales and craft beers; in summer they operate the outside pizza oven and pizza bar.
