The White Hart, Buckingham

A quaint thatched pub that is somewhat off the beaten track and is hence unlikely to attract much in the way of passing trade. Not only is it in a quiet village, but it’s not even on the main road through the village, instead being up a small side road. As a consequence, it does not open Mondays or Tuesdays, and this was my second attempt at a visit. The landlord is a friendly and talkative Chinese guy called Kevin and since I was the only punter in there on a recent early evening visit, he engaged me in conversation to the extent that I couldn’t take any notes and had to scribble them down in the car once I’d left. There’s a solitary picnic bench out the front which is a pleasant enough spot, and inside it’s divided in to several small, interconnected rooms with low, beamed ceilins. The main bar at the front has a red tiled floor, bench searing around the perimeter and a brick fire-place with a wood burning stove. There were a few pictures dotted around the wall, many of the local cricket team. The other rooms looked to be broadly similar decor wise, although perhaps slightly cosier with carpeted flooring. The menu was chalked up on a large board next to the bar, and despite the owners previous experience with Chinese restaurants and takeaways looked to be a decent enough selection of traditional pub grub dishes, with options such as Chilli Con Carne, Thai Green Chicken Curry, Beef & Ale Pie, Ham Egg & Chips and Pan Fried Salmon. Prices were perhaps a tad above your usual pub prices though, with the main courses being in the £9 - £12 range. Unfortunately food is generally only served on a weekend and so I was unable to sample anything, although Kevin did offer to rustle me up a pie. The solitary beer on tap was Hooky Bitter, although there was a second pump that appeared to have run out. A number of beer mats pinned to the ceiling suggested that they do perhaps have a wider range on occasions, or at least some variance. The solitary cider was Strongbow, unfortunately.

White Hart site - www.thewhitehartpub.webs.com

White Hart site - www.thewhitehartpub.webs.com