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Submitted on Wednesday, 21st July 2004
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The Birch, Woburn
Woburn
MK17 9HX
Served areas
Reviews of The Birch (Average Rating: 5 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Komakino . left this review about The Birch
No change from Blackthorn_'s spot-on review 4-and-a-half years ago, with the exception of Mortimer's Orchard replacing Aspall's as the cider option. Dead on a Tuesday evening, it's outside the main Woburn drag, and, aside of the excellent Woburn Ale House, like most of the other options in town, it's not worth bothering with unless you're ticking boxes.
On 13th June 2017
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1074 recommendations about 1074 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Birch
The sign outside proclaims that this is a "bar and restaurant" and this, together with the fact that when you arrive you see neatly trimmed tress adorned with fairy lights and a car park full of prestige German vehicles immediately gives you a good idea of what to expect and the market that they are aiming for.
Within about five minutes of arriving, three different people had attended to me - a barmaid who kept calling me Sir, poured my pint and insisted that I take a seat and she would bring it over; a waitress who arrived with cutlery, serviette, complimentary olive bread and a tray of olives and a oil and balsamic dip; and a waiter to bring the menu and explain about the specials. My pint arrived on small paper napkin printed with the pub's name, although of course only a starched linen one was suitable for actually using as a serviette.
Decor is modern and contemporary with dark wooden flooring, deep red paintwork on the upper part of the walls and khaki green wood panelling below along with some modern artwork on the walls. The bar area at the front is a U-shape with most of seating being tables for two or four and upright chairs with chocolate brown leather upholstery. A brick fire-place and wood burning stove was off to the right, and although this was not in use on this occasion, a pile of logs stacked up next to it suggested that it may be more than just decorative. Recessed down lighters in the ceiling provided the lighting along with a few candles around the fire-place and there was an open glass shelf running around the top of the bar.
I didn't investigate the restaurant area, preferring to eat in the bar as I was dining alone. I got the impression that most people using the bar were in fact diners having a pre-dinner drink before going in to the restaurant, although there were three or four guys at one table who did not appear to be eating. The loos were similarly plush with smart tiling on the floor, more recessed down lighters and a choice of hand lotions.
The food menu was, as expected, a cut above your usual pub grub and included half a dozen or so dishes priced at around the £15 - £20 mark, along with a selection of steaks, many of which were available by the ounce which was unusual. My Gressingham Duck Breast with cider braised red cabbage, raisins, potato fondant and a honey and thyme glaze was a tasty enough dish, but for £17.95 I felt that perhaps the portion size could have been more generous.
Beers on tap were Adnams Southwold and Doom Bar. The solitary cider was Aspall's Suffolk. A tricky one to mark - if you want to treat someone to a nice meal, I'd definitely recommend it, but this is of course a pub review website and it's really not very pubby.
On 14th November 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1947 recommendations about 1860 pubs]
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- Official site of the Birch, with menu - birchwoburn.com
- Facebook - The Birch, Woburn
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Birch - whatpub.com
Woburn Sands, 2.42 miles, 46 min walk (show)
Ridgmont, 3.24 miles, 1 hr 2 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Car Park : Yes last updated 14 November 2012 by hondo .
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 29 July 2013 by Dave McNally
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 14 November 2012 by hondo .
- Real Cider : No last updated 27 May 2015 by Blackthorn _
