Gascoyne Place, Bath

A good sized pub in an old Georgian building opposite Bath’s Theatre Royal, this is a handy spot for a pint or snack and they capitalise on this by offering a pre-theatre menu option. It doesn’t feel much like a pub in the traditional sense, more of a bar / restaurant type place, but it’s nonetheless pleasant enough and I’d happily return. It’s split in to several different areas, some of which are clearly more geared up for dining. The central room which houses the bar is fairly narrow and has little, if any, seating. To the left was a room with dark wooden flooring and plenty of tables and chairs which looked as though it could equally be used for dining or drinking. At the other end of the bar was some green tiling of a hue that always reminds me of public lavatories, but seems to be somewhat in vogue these days. To the right of this it split’s in to two levels. Up a few steps was a small landing with flock wall paper, pale wood panelling and a few pictures on the walls. Down a few steps was a subterranean area used as a restaurant, and this was where we were shown to as we were dining on this occasion. It’s quite attractive with exposed stone walling down one side, khaki green paintwork on the other red boards on the ceiling. A beer barrel sat in an alcove at one end with some illuminated twig lights on top of it. The food menu was short and concise, but offered a few interesting sounding dishes. These were a cut above your normal “pub grub” and the main courses were mostly priced in the £10 - £15 range, although they did still offer more traditional dishes such as Fish & Chips or a Burger if that’s more your thing. I had the Pan-Fried Chicken Breast, Confit Leg & Chestnut Fritter, Fondant Potato, Shallot Puree & Baby Carrots and whilst not the cheapest option at £15, I nonetheless thoroughly enjoyed it and would certainly recommended it. A desert of toffee mousse with caramel crisps was equally impressive. The two beers on tap were both from the Plain Ales brewery with their Arty Farty and Intrigue. The solitary cider was Stowford Press. All in all, I quite liked this – friendly young waitresses, decent food and a pleasant ambience – but if you’re after something a bit more “pubby” then you may not be quite so keen.