The Plough, Cobham

When you see the signage proclaim "pub and kitchen" in these parts you tend to expect some form of gastro type place. To some extent this place is just that, a large proportion of the floor space being given over as a formal restaurant, complete with the maitre d' on hand to seat customers. There is however seating for drinkers both opposite the bar and in the "Stewards Room" to the left. An upmarket feel, background music playing, round tables with "Pommerol" written on an inlay piece. Narrow covered benches in the side bar, very warm despite the fire not being lit. Some wood panelling, part purple walls, TVin the corner (off) and a couple of dog bowls on the floor. Decent enough beer, the Hogs Back Brooklands Gold Star was first rate, also Pride, Courage Best and Old Speckled Hen. A choice of mug or straight glass offered.

The interior of this pub is probably very different to the basic country pub that it undoubtedly once was. Its raison d’etre now is as a restaurant. There are a few tables and chairs in the immediate bar area, and a separate room on the right (The Steward’s Bar) for those who just want a drink, but the main area to the left of the bar counter is now a restaurant. It looked quite an attractive place to eat, and had one of those open-plan, see-through fireplaces that you always see in Ember Inns pubs. The Steward’s Bar had a handful of small round tables, with narrow (too narrow for comfort in fact) upholstered benches, and small stools. All the tops of the tables had wooden panels embedded in them bearing the names of various champagnes, and all bore small candles. It’s that sort of place. Table service for drinks was apparently provided in this bar, as when we were in there a young, apron wearing, foot long pink ballpoint pen wielding South African chap brought a tray of drinks in for the other occupants. That’s not something you see every day in a pub. But on the plus side they did have four ales on – GKIPA; OSH; London Pride, with the star (literally) of the show being Hogsback Brooklands Gold Star (no doubt a reference to the old motor racing circuit of that name), which turned out to be a superb and fulsome 4.7% brew, at £3.35 a pint. This is essentially a restaurant, with some seats for those who aren’t eating. It’s not really the sort of place I look for in a pub, but I have no reason to doubt the quality of the food (I didn’t look at a menu), and the pint I had was superb.