The Ginger Pig

Roast Dinner: £10.00 (Fried sage polenta dish) to £16.00 (Scotch beef)
Avg drinks prices: Bottle house wine £16.00; draught lager £4.05; soft drinks £2.90
Desserts: £5.00 - £7.00

I'd been looking forward to this.  The Gingerman restaurants and public houses are a Sussex institution, and when we moved into a flat that was just over the road from The Ginger Pig, we'd made a vow to visit as soon as possible.  However, warm weather just didn't lend itself well to a roast and so we had no choice but to wait it out, until the temperature dropped and it was no longer time for a barbeque.  I mean, this is an expensive place - we weren't willing to part with our hard-earned until the timing was exactly right.

That time came with the arrival of the in-laws - they were looking for somewhere lovely to eat, and we knew just the right place.  We made our booking and headed there at 1pm - it's wise to get in there early, as it's a popular place and if you don't, you run the risk of choosing from a very limited menu. 

We spent fifteen minutes at the bar before sitting down, which was no big deal - they have an amazing selection of drinks, including organic soft drinks of such adventurous flavours as orange, ginger and elderflower or mango and lime.  Not your average coke on tap, then.  The selection of ales was varied and unique; none of your same-old, same-old here.  The bar staff were attentive and polite and actually took the time to talk to us, and even when we overstayed our welcome (our table was ready and they have an extremely quick turnaround due to the popularity of the place), they did not push us to sit. 

When we got to our table, I was immediately preoccupied with the feel of the place - it's a little like a canteen.  If you like your roasts in a quiet, relaxed setting, this is not the place for you.  The wooden floors and high ceilings provide ample opportunity for the sounds of chatter, cutlery and the clinking of glasses to carry in the air.  However, I liked it - it reminded me of a French cafe, or an Italian trattoria.  OK, so we needed to raise our voices at times, but rather that than complete silence, yes?  Well, I'm biased, I suppose.

I chose to go for the traditional beef dinner, my partner the loin of pork and the in-laws the fish and the beef.  The interesting thing about the Ginger Pig's menu is the disclaimer at the bottom that states that as all meat comes from a local farm, some game dishes 'may contain shot'.  You can't say fresher than that.  Hey, at least you know it's organic and local, even if you do end up with lead in your teeth.  The waitress was patient and attentive and not at all pushy or rude, even when we couldn't decide what to have (honestly, we're the worst customers ever).  She was on hand to offer advice and even make the choice for me when I was truly stumped as to whether to go for the lamb or beef - in my eyes, a good waiter or waitress will always push you towards their favourite, and enthusiastically so, with the ability to comment on flavour, texture and the history of the meat.  She knew it all.

I was expecting brilliance, beauty and an explosion of flavour - the menu, being a typical Gingerman menu, promised original pairings of unusual tastes; a description consisting of extremely middle-class sounding words and farmer-speak that the average Joe would have trouble deciphering.  That's one of my problems with this place - a roast is surely just meat and two veg, at the end of the day, and calling a gravy a jus does not detract from the fact that it is simply a gravy.  The same gravy you'd get anywhere else - meat juice, stock, a bit of wine - why dress it up?  I like the word gravy.  It's warm, and reminds me of childhood Sundays. I bet 90% of the population would say the same.

When my food came, I was slightly disappointed.  The first thing to stand out to me was the sheer amount of meat - this was not a bad thing.  My beef was pink and bloody in the centre and crisp on the outside, served in whopping great slabs at least an inch thick.  The pork loin was juicy and salted and the fish was whole, crisp and stuffed with herbs.  However, the veg was a different story.  I know I said a roast is just a simple meat and two veg, but these guys take that phrase a little too seriously, as that was exactly what I was served - roast potatoes, carrots and green beans (OK, that's three, but I rarely count potatoes as true veg - how can something so full of carbs ever be good for you?).  The carrots and beans were boiled - there was no sense of adventure, no explosion of flavour, no assault on the senses - it was almost as if they'd put so much effort into the meat, they'd forgotten the importance of the veg in the whole thing.  I mean, to me, vegetables are the backbone of the roast - in my time eating roast dinners, I've encountered honeyed carrots, roast parsnips, cider and cinnamon cabbage, braised leeks, roasted butternut squash - a good chef can make a simple green bean seem like nothing else.  It was what I'd expected of the Ginger Pig - a riot in my mouth; especially as I was paying £16.00 for the privilege - but it just didn't happen.  It was slightly lazy and did nothing for me.  Saying that, the potatoes were crisp, slightly burned and gooey in the centre, cooked in beef dripping and sprinkled with herbs and a generous helping of salt and pepper.  The gravy was sweet and exactly right in the seasoning department - not too powerful but a nice backdrop to the whole thing.  The Yorkie was also a highlight - HUGE, crisp and slightly soggy underneath (this is never a bad thing), soaking up the gravy like a sponge.  It was an absolute delight to eat and a welcome change from the overcooked, overcrisp excuses that some places serve.  They'd definitely practised the recipe, and the time spent paid off.

For all my criticism, the roast was a good size - unlike the Foragers, you got enough food for your money to fill you up - and I did feel like I got my money's worth as the amount of beef was simply epic.  The potatoes were special and the table service adds a certain something to the experience - it's nice to be waited on in a pub.  The drinks were different and the service was quick and polite, with smiling staff always on hand to help and assist.  The Yorkies alone are a reason to go!

If you like your meat plentiful, organic and local and you don't really mind having a simple veg accompaniment, then I fully recommend this place - if only to make you grin on a rainy Sunday.

7.5/10

3 Hove St, Hove BN3 2TR
Tel: 01273 736123
Booking absolutely essential, even for a party of two; credit/debit cards accepted
http://www.gingermanrestaurants.com/