The Pack Saddle, Reading

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Quinno _ left this review about The Pack Saddle

Now a freehouse after Wadworth relinquished the lease back to the Mapledurham estate. Has been tarted-up after a fire last year destroyed a large part of the place, fairly tasteful décor. Set up for the dining trade (large car park, large grassed area outside), there were nonetheless four ales at the bar: 2 x Loddon, Pride and Doom Bar. The two I tried were sadly over-vented and flattened quite quickly; the Doom especially was brown water towards the end (£3.70pp). Bar to right as you enter with minimal (if plush) drinking space, restaurant area down a couple of steps further on. Ate here and had the Sunday roast, food was meat-heavy but decent value (12 quid for delicately-cooked slices of cow). The service was good, even though they had a strange aversion to condiments. If they can go beyond ‘read-the-manual’ with the ale (and remember that traditional Sunday roast beef also means the need for horseradish sauce) they could do well.

May 2009
Large Wadworth pub, with attractive family-friendly grounds. Quite large, bland knocked-through interior, clearly aimed at the Sunday lunch crowds. Decent half of Wadworth from a fairly small selection. Pleasant 10 minutes outside with my half. Dead on our 5pm weekday visit. I don't care for Waddies beer so I doubt I'd be back in a hurry but others might like it a bit more. Rated 5

On 7^th April 2014 - rating: 6
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