Shield & Dagger, Whitchurch, Bristol

Shield & Dagger page at the Sizzling Pubs site - www.sizzlingpubs.co.uk

Shield & Dagger page at the Sizzling Pubs site - www.sizzlingpubs.co.uk

A fairly typical 1970’s estate pub. There are a few bench seats out the front which is a pleasant enough spot to watch the world go by with views of the Dundry hills in the distance. Inside it’s divided in to two with a lounge bar on the left and a public bar on the right. From memory the public bar used to have a pool table, although I didn’t go in there on this visit so cannot confirm if it’s still there. The lounge bar could do with a bit of TLC but it does the job reasonably enough. There’s a rather worn carpet leading to a bar counter at the back, and a selection of tables, chairs and some brown leather bench seating around the perimeter, including a raised section in one corner. Various non-descript artwork adorns the walls. Food is very much of the cheap and cheerful variety, and seems to concentrate on sizzlers and burgers. Most of the mains are less than £5 so expectations should not be too high, but at these prices you can’t really complain. My BBQ Chicken sizzler with bacon, cheese and fries was good value at £3.99, although the iron skillet it was served on was so hot that the sauce was virtually incinerated and the chicken had stuck fast to the dish. They also do a curry deal on a couple of nights. The only real ale on tap was a pleasant pint of Bass. There was also a pump for EPA, although this was unavailable on a recent visit, and there was keg Worthington Creamflow, whatever that is. Cider’s faired slightly better with Blackthorn, Thatcher’s Gold and Bulmers.