Eat My Works review: The Spread Eagle in Hockerton, serves proper pub food with a smile

While on our way to an event, a friend and I decided to make a stop off at The Spread Eagle in Hockerton — we didn’t regret it.

This village pub is well placed, just a short drive from Southwell and Newark, and seemed like the perfect place to drop in for something hearty.

Arriving in the early evening, we were greeted by two incredibly friendly members of staff and although they were expecting some reservations, they quickly found us a table. It seemed nothing was too much trouble and they were happy to help.

This great start was made better as they were quick to bring over the menus and take our drinks orders — no long waits, only good customer service.

With a good range of non-alcoholic and soft drinks available, alongside draft beers and ciders, and a wide selection of bottles, cans, spirits and wines, there was a lot of choice.

As I was driving I went for a Guinness 0.0, which I’d argue is just as good as the original, and my friend had a fruit cider — but you could definitely enjoy a good evening here working your way through the bar.

As a near-life long vegetarian I have come across my fair share of disappointing meat free meals in country pubs, so browsing the menu I was wondering if I was in for a repeat.

Being a slightly chilly Autumn evening I found myself drawn to the vegetarian sausage and mash, and after our server informed me of how delicious the sausages were — having sampled them herself — I was sold.

The veggie sausages were indeed incredibly delicious. Served with buttery smooth mashed potato, peas and lashings of onion and red wine gravy, this was the type of pub food I’d been hoping for all these years.

Although it may often be an overlooked part of a menu, at The Spread Eagle it seems just as much care was put into creating a quality meat-free experience as with the more traditional dishes.

My dining companion went for another pub staple featured on menus up and down the country — the humble fish and chips. What arrived more of a whale than a piece of fish.

This impressively portioned and beer battered fish was paired with home-made chips, mushy peas and tar tar sauce. It’s hard to get fish and chips wrong, but it’s even harder to get it really, really right.

The batter was crispy, the fish was flaky and soft, and with a drizzle of lemon juice on top no extra seasoning was needed. As my friend put it, “the flavour speaks for itself” and she ended up eating more than she expected because it was so good.

After our plates were taken away, the inevitable question of “would you like to look at the dessert menu?” was asked, with an equally inevitable “go on then” in reply.

Although my friend was so stuffed from her huge fish and chips that she also ‘felt like a whale’, I had just enough room for something sweet and I almost didn’t need to read the menu to know what I wanted — a classic sticky toffee pudding.

With custard, it wasn’t overly rich or too dense, and filled just the right spot to finish off a lovely meal.

All in all, this was proper pub grub, done well, and served with a smile.

Food: A good range of options including all your favourite pub classics, as well as a good range of vegetarian and vegan options. There wasn’t a long wait, everything was delicious, and the portions were very generous. *****

Drinks: With a wide selection of drinks available, as well as local beers on draft, there is something for everyone. *****

Decor: Although the place was quiet when we arrived, it still felt comfortable and quickly filled up. Furniture and decorations were minimal, but everything was clean and well laid out. We finished our meal just as a live band was setting up to play and it was starting to feel a little cramped, but overall it was a nice experience and if we’d had more time I’d have liked to have stayed to hear some music. With jars of local honey available behind the bar, you could definitely feel the community spirit. ****

Staff: Our server Natalie was incredibly nice, as were the rest of the staff, serving food with a smile. They were knowledgeable, quick, and no question was too much trouble. All I can give is praise. *****

Price: With main meals averaging around £15 to £20, I thought the food was very reasonably priced for the quality and quantity of what we were served. The addition of drinks and a dessert brought the bill to less than £50 for two people. Not necessarily cheap, but this would be a good place to enjoy a date night, or a catch up with friends. ****