The Nut and Squirrel, Milton Keynes

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Blackthorn _ left this review about The Nut and Squirrel

A relatively modern pub in the corner of a supermarket car park, it lacks much in the way of any character but is nonetheless pleasant enough and includes a few picnic tables on a patio at the front as well as a covered smoking area.

Once inside the corporate look continues, and although this pub is part of the Ember Inn chain it might just as well be a Premier Inn or a Brewers Fayre. That’s not to say that there’s anything at all wrong with it though, it is what it is. Paintwork is a mix of burnt orange and grey with some pale brown wood panelling. Flooring is mostly carpet with a few tiles around the bar, and there was a gas fire burning away. The main bar area is at the front of the pub, with a restaurant off to the left. To the right is a slightly cosier area with some leather bench seating and wallpaper. Staff seemed friendly enough, and it was only really let down by some rather rowdy guys at the bar who seemed a little out of place in such a family orientated/dining establishment.

The food menu was extensive and consisted of a number of options divided in to sections such as burgers, pub classics, fish, chargrill, etc. Most of the main courses were somewhere around £8 or so, although many were also available as part of a “2 courses for £9.95” deal. My Chargrilled Salmon with Chowder Sauce was a generous portion, although not quite as tasty as I had hoped with only a minimal amount of sauce and the advertised “mixed green vegetables” consisted solely of beans. Together with a Millionaire Chocolate Brownie though, this was good value and I would happily return to try something else.

The most surprising aspect of this pub though was the beer choice, with no less than ten pumps on the bar and all but one being available whilst the other one was apparently just settling. Many of these were quite unusual, and tasting notes were helpfully provided on the tables. The range consisted of Roosters 41° South, Adnams Southwold, Adnams Explorer, London Pride, Stewart Zymic, Exmoor Ale, Downton Chocolate Orange Delight, Whitstable Bay, Lancaster Blueberry Ale and Sunny Republic’s Huna Red. After that lot, the cider choice was somewhat disappointing with just Strongbow and Aspall’s Suffolk.

On 29^th January 2014 - rating: 7
[User has posted 1947 recommendations about 1860 pubs]