Nestled along the Sandstone Trail, The Pheasant Inn boasts arguably some of the most stunning views of Cheshire and beyond.
It’s those views that always entice me back to the award-winning pub and restaurant, and make the winding journey up to it all the more worthwhile.
But the stunning panoramic outlook is not alone in making this place truly special – it’s the delicious food and cosy furnishing waiting inside its sandstone buildings.
It’s a firm favourite with walkers because of its positioning among the Peckforton hills and 34-mile Sandstone Trail, but it also attracts those looking for a top-notch meal, a good pint or glass of wine and a comfortable chair to sit and enjoy it on – as well as those wanting to warm up next to a roaring fire in winter.
My previous trip to The Pheasant was after a long walk in nearby Bickerton. My husband and I stopped off and enjoyed a drink while sitting outside so we could soak up our surroundings.
But our most recent visit took place on March 30, during which we both sat down for an evening meal.
We booked – because I’ve never known it to be quiet – and were seated quickly by one of the pleasant waiting-on staff.
While I wasn’t best pleased to have been seated right next to the toilets and kitchen entrance, in the end we weren’t too bothered by the frequent comings and goings of customers and staff – and the armchairs were particularly comfortable and allowed us to sit back and relax in between courses.
After ordering one glass of red wine – a Chilean Merlot, – and one Pinot Grigio we surveyed the menu.
We were pleased with the amount of choice on offer and found it difficult to select our dishes, impressed too with the reasonable prices.
I was pleased to see the usual pub and restaurant classics, such as homemade pie of the day, had made it on to the menu, and found many of the other choices intriguing, with interesting accompaniments such as aubergine caviar.
In the end, I chose the potted Morecambe Bay shrimps, served with blade mace and toasted bread croutes, for my starter (£7.25), while my husband enjoyed the warm confit of duck leg, served with duck egg gribeche, cranberries and toasted hazelnuts (£6.50).
Stand-out dishes of the night
The portion sizes were quite generous and both went down very well. We admired the presentation of both dishes, but although I liked that the shrimps were served in a cute jar, I wasn’t given a spoon and they were a little difficult to get out – but that’s perhaps a little picky of me.
Moving on to the mains, I chose the chicken Kiev, served with Parmesan and truffle gnocchi, crispy skin, savoy cabbage and smoked pancetta (£14.50), while my husband opted for the herb crusted venison haunche, served with creamed garlic wild mushrooms, parsnip champ potato and chocolate oil and fig (£16.50). Well, they were certainly the stand-out dishes of the night.
High praise
The chicken Kiev was cooked to perfection and the gnocchi – which I’ve been disappointed with in the past at other restaurants – was absolutely stunning; I could have eaten a plate of that by itself.
My husband’s remark on the venison was that it was ‘the most tender meat I’ve ever tasted’ – high praise indeed – and he said the hint of chocolate really went well with it.
Rich and filling
To finish our meals, I had The Pheasant sundae – honeycomb ice cream, toffee sponge and chocolate brownie pieces with caramel sauce, honeycomb and hazelnut praline – while my husband opted for the warm treacle tart, served with candied orange and pistachio ice cream. Both cost £5.95 each.
I actually didn’t think it was possible to finish our desserts having just consumed two other rich and filling dishes.
But we persevered – I’m not one to waste good food – and they were once again delicious.
The huge chunks of honeycomb and the praline added that ‘something extra’ that I always think sundaes are missing. The Pheasant has managed to turn what I often view as quite a ‘run of the mill’ dessert into a special treat.
The treacle tart looked divine, and I’m assured it tasted every bit as good as it looked.
Overall, it’s very hard to pick faults with The Pheasant. The staff are friendly and attentive, the food beautifully prepared and presented and the surroundings inviting and cosy.
It’s easy to see why it’s picking up so many accolades, most recently being named a runner up in BBC Countryfile Magazine’s Pub Of the Year.
Its Sunday roasts were voted one of the top 10 in the country by Esquire Magazine in 2014, and Nelson Hotels, which runs the inn, was named in the Northern Restaurant and Bar show’s Top 50 list of operators for 2016.
I wouldn’t hesitate recommending a trip out to this place, even if it’s just to admire the views.
