In the Mood for British Pub Food?

Have you ever found yourself thinking, “I could sure go for a good Steak & Kidney Pie”? No, me neither, but once in awhile I DO find myself thinking a good cottege pie or lamb stew would be nice, and then I start thinking, “Mr. Pickwick’s!”

Mr. Pickwick’s used to be our friendly neighborhood pub, but then they tore the building down for apartments or condos or whatever, and Mr. Pickwick’s relocated to its “new” location in Concord, which is where the old CC Ole’s used to be. The menu hasn’t changed in the new location, though I do miss the fireplaces.

The food at Mr. Pickwick’s is hit or miss, in my opinion. The lamb stew (Named Mr. Brownlow on the menu) is a good bet. The lamb is tender and flavorful, the veggies are fresh tasting, and the sauce is yummy. It is served over a nice bed of rice. On our most recent visit, however, Ted tried the Shephard’s Pie (named Bill Sykes on the menu), and he found it fairly tasteless. Very unhappy. In fact, the solution was for me to make some Shephard’s pie for dinner last night. Good thing I know how. 🙂 Maya had the Cornish Chicken Pie (named Tiny Tim, it’s basically a chicken pot pie), which was very nice…the crust was tender, the chicken flavorful, and the veggies had a nice texture and taste. My only question was, why serve it with mashed potatoes? Strange. You can choose your side dishes for these meals…carrots, peas, or mushy peas, and either chips (steak fries) or mashed potatoes. I’ve never tried the mushy peas, but all of the other options have proven to be quite good. I overheard someone at the next table saying that the “bangers and mash” is quite good, though I’ve never tried it.

If you are looking for a good English Beer to drink with your meal, or while you play darts or watch the game, Mr. Pickwicks is a great place to come. They have Bass and Guiness on tap, as well as many others with which I am not familiar. I don’t drink beer. The wine list is limited, which is about what you would expect from a pub. Overall, this is a fine, family friendly pub, with some good dishes. I still miss the old atmosphere, though.