Owd Nell's - A Tasteem Review
After a couple of semi-negative reviews, today I will give you an excellent one.
Owd Nell’s Tavern is a haunt that we have visited many times and for good reason; good food!
Let me first explain the word ‘Owd’. This is an English slang word for ‘old, and old this place is.
Situated on the Lancaster canal this thatched residence has been going forever.
Our Thatched Canalside Tavern, originally School House Farm, built in 1798 two years before the Lancaster Canal was completed, sits right next to it. The farm was renowned for Porter first brewed in 1832. Reverend Thomas Duell, vicar at St Lawrence’s Church, Barton resided here while his vicarage was rebuilt after a devastating fire in 1832.
Thatched properties are rare in the North of England but are relatively commonplace in the Midland and South.
The place does stick out somewhat bearing this in mind and attracts a lot of people.
I could well imagine this was a popular stopover for canal users in the early 1800’s when they were the main source of travel in England.
It was not such a nice day when we arrived at around 12.30pm and so the tables outside were mostly deserted.
Come any later than this time and you may have to wait to get one inside. Today was an exception and it was quiet indoors for once.
Ordering is easy here as we eat the same thing every time, Nells Chicken at £11.50 each plus the mandatory glasses of full fat coke.
I have tried a few other things in the past but always come back to this custom dish.
The menus are quite flavoursome with cartoons of a chef character named ‘Guy’.
To order you need to go and queue up by the bar, and sometimes the queue is enormous. Not today though, I didn’t even have to wait.
Some places you pay in advance and some you don’t. This one is in the former category. I don’t really have a preference on this.
The service at Owd Nell’s is always similar regardless of how busy it is. You should expect to wait around 15 minutes for your food, 20 at worst.
As for the food photography, we ordered the same dish and there was little point in taking duplicate photographs, but just check that pot of sauce that is resting on the breaded chicken.
That is the secret of this dish; the sauce. We always ask for an extra pot each as it is just mind-blowingly tasty. To describe it is difficult as with all the best things it’s unique.
It is a little spicy but not enough to blow your balls away, yet its slight sweet too. They used to provide mashed carrots but don’t anymore. A shame as they were great.
The chips are always cooked nicely, and the extra vegetables just really fill up the plate.
We rarely leave anything after a visit here and today was no exception.
@bingbabe wanted a ice cream for dessert and as they have their own parlour that is quite handy for us.
Toffee Crunch Ice Cream was our buy today that proved very runny and sticky. Some fast eating was required to stop our little problem.
I took a few snaps of some of the indoor décor before I left. Like I said, this place has loads of character and there are crazy signs everywhere.
The food bill for both of us including drinks was less than £27, a great deal I think.
It’s a shame this place is around 30 minutes drive one way or we would be back a lot more often.
Owd Nell's, St Michael's Rd, Bilsborrow, Preston PR3 0RS
http://www.guysthatchedhamlet.co.uk/home.html
Restaurant Information
Owd Nell's
Bilsborrow, Preston PR3 0RE, UK
This post participated in the Tasteem contest Your weekly choice
I'm always good for good food, particularly at a good price.
I know that you all live in the midst of history but eating in a hall built in 1798? I think there are 3 buildings in all of Arizona that claim to be that old. You have to get well east of the Mississippi to really find anything that age.
So. Historically good dining or good dining historically placed?
Thanks for a wonderful review.
There are older places here, some are from the middle ages. I suppose that's why american tourists like it here. Its a great place to eat, just too far away.
We all live "in the midst of history" - haha! You make it sound as if we're part of an episode of Outlander! But I think you've got a point Tom. When I was driving to do another big hillwalk yesterday there were so many castles around. It's nice. As long as the food isn't history.
Lovely old building. As a non meat-eater there's not much for me on the menu - maybe the basket of scampi, or the nachos - yum. I love jalapenos.
The sell pizza's too, I didnt add that extra menu,
I'm there! :)
At first, thanks to explain the word ‘Owd’! It's always a pleasure to know a new (even if "old") wrd in English ^^ That tavern looks a very nice building and a good place where to eat something good! ^^
What a lovely looking building! We don't eat in pubs that often and when we do I usually have a beer as my wife doesn't drink and ... well I like beer. I never knew coke was so expensive!
That's where they make the money, on soft drinks. The sugar tax has not helped either, coke zero is cheaper.
Great review. It looks like a really unique place to eat at! I am not a fan of that many veggies with my fried chicken, but it still looked mighty tasty. The sauce would be interesting to taste. There is a chain the states called Raising Canes that just sells chicken fingers. They have a really amazing sauce that looks a little similar to that.
I always say, its the sauce that make the meat. You can make a lot of boring things taste good with some interesting sauce. Of course, it helps if the underlying meat is decent.
I hear you. I think that is probably why a lot of people like Ranch dressing in the US. Especially kids. They might not like the food itself, but throw some ranch on it and they will eat anything!
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