March Pub – The Hare – Brentwood Brewing Company

Our March/Easter Pub of the Month is an easy choice. We’ve picked a giant Easter Bunny, a short hop away in Roxwell … It’s The Hare. This country pub and restaurant is managed by General Manager Craig Sunter, whose career has taken him to New England, USA to a top country inn, French hotels for ski seasons and UK pubs and restaurants. The Beer at The Hare is jolly marvellous too.A Pie and Pint Inn, The Hare at Roxwell is renowned for excellent food and especially – yes, the clue is in the name – its scrumptious home-cooked pies along with best quality cask ale.

On their own, these attributes are enough to entice customers but add superb service, bright, cheerful surroundings and a relaxed ambience too and you see why The Hare is such a popular hostelry.

Warmly greeting customers, overseeing a team of 22 staff and making sure the whole operation runs seamlessly is General Manager Craig Sunter.

“Behind the scenes the team works really hard to create a friendly, relaxed atmosphere for our guests.

“Everything, except some puddings and desserts, is made from fresh ingredients, sourced locally, freshly prepared and cooked on site.

“For example, our meat comes from a supplier in Chelmsford, we use Maldon Sea Salt and our pork comes from Great Garretts Farm at Barnston near Great Dunmow.”

The house beer, Golden Crust Cask Ale 3.7% ABV, is brewed to Pie and Pint Inns’ requirements at Brentwood Brewery. An additional Brentwood-brewed bitter is available on tap depending upon the season. Golden Crust Winter Ale 4.8% ABV will be on the bar until later in the spring.

Head chef, Gabor Gyorgy, runs a busy kitchen, starting at 10am with cooked- to-order breakfasts and brunches from the pub’s Cafe Crust service which runs until noon. From 25th April, Cafe Crust at The Hare will open from 8am.

There are four menus at The Hare: breakfast, lunch and seasonal main (currently winter). Also Sunday. Deliberately, there is no separate children’s menu. It’s the pub’s philosophy to serve children the same range of food as adults – just in smaller portions. The Hare’s Smaller Plates equate to half an adult portion. Hearty appetites are well catered for as standard portion sizes are generous.

A lunchtime Ploughman’s costs £10.95. Sirloin steak served with Golden Crust Ale onion rings, garlic mushroom, seasoned chips and roasted vine tomatoes is £19.95. Golden Crust Ale is also in the beer battered fish and chips (£13.50). A full English breakfast with Garretts Farm Old English Sausages costs £9.95.

“We use local suppliers for our meat, fish and vegetables as well as handmade cakes and desserts,” said Craig.

For the sweet-toothed, the lure of the cheesecake display cabinet will likely prove irresistible. Prepared by Tiptree Patisserie, costing £5.95 a slice, the real dilemma, once your eyes lock on, is not whether to deny yourself this delectable indulgence, but which flavour to plump for. If you’re too full, good news – a doggy-bag takeaway can be arranged for any leftovers.

A quote by Virginia Woolf from A Room of One’s Own is emblazoned on the wall facing the bar: “One cannot think well, sleep well or love well if one does not dine well.” An apt sentiment. Amusing too when you discover Woolf’s culinary skills were spectacularly lacking. Famously, whilst on a cookery course, she accidentally baked her wedding ring into a suet pudding. Be assured, The Hare has no intention of introducing such bizarre pie fillings.

“The management team has a vast experience of working in the catering and hospitality industry. This knowledge is a resource we tap into for staff training, making sure we routinely meet the incredibly high standards we set ourselves,” said Craig.

What you will find in The Hare’s delicious speciality pies is good quality, locally sourced, fresh ingredients, cooked to perfection – particularly when the filling contains Brentwood-brewed beer.

Beer & Food Match Suggestion

Try a pint of Golden Crust Ale with a speciality Chicken, Smoked Bacon and Leek or Steak and Ale Pie (made with Golden Crust Ale) £13.95 each. Or take up the Thursday Pie and Pint special offer: Pie of the Day (£12.75) and enjoy a free pint of Golden Crust Ale.

The Hare

01245 248788
Bishops Stortford Road, Roxwell, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 4LU

Facebook: Pie and Pint Inns
www.pieandpintinns.co.uk