Food review - The Bells of Peover, Lower Peover, Knutsford

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Venue

Splendid country pub near Knutsford, close to the grade 1 listed church of St Oswald and boasting landscaped gardens. The Bells of Peover dates back to 1839 and was once called the Warren de Tabley Arms. When American soldiers were billeted at nearby Peover Hall, General Eisenhower and General Patton made plans for D-Day over lunch here.

We sampled the December a la carte menu - two courses for £18.95 and three courses for £23.95. The pork pie with piccalilli (£6.95) was a delicious starter in which the piccalilli - sitting in little puddles of barbecue sauce dotted around a slate, was the star of the show. Across the table, the mushroom tart with parmesan, onion and truffle (£5.95) was pleasingly pungent and full of foresty flavours. Other starters on offer included spiced parsnip soup, beef cheek with puffed barley and celeriac, and foie gras and chicken liver parfait.

Onto the mains, and the pan-fried hake with cockles and chorizo (£14.95) was satisfyingly Spanish, the chorizo punching hardest in the taste stakes, inevitably. But my companion’s sirloin steak with kale, peppercorn sauce and potatoes (£18.95 or a £3 supplement) was declared only passable.

Warm pear frangipane with rum and raisin ice cream (£5.95) was nicely done.

Decor and ambience

Nothing says ‘old English pub’ like a gnarled tree half-obstructing the doorway. Inside, the Bells of Peover has been given little touches of understated modern style, but the layout of several different eating areas on two levels, with booths, upholstered window seats, nooks and crannies retain the country pub ambience and make it a very cosy place to be, particularly when you are looking out on a hedge sparkling with white Christmas lights.

Service

Friendly and efficient

Cost

Three courses for one of us, two for the other, plus several drinks came to a total of £73.

The Bells of Peover

The Cobbles

Lower Peover

Knutsford WA16 9PZ