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In years of travelling to Hereford,The Stagg Inn at Titley has long been on my list of places to visit. However, its relatively remote location meant that if it was a choice between beer and a curry after football or a drive and a meal at the Stagg then the option within walking distance always won. This weekend, however, I had a day to fill ahead of an evening football match so it seemed a good time to check out the Stagg Inn’s lunch menu.
Lying approximately 22 miles northwest of Hereford, The Stagg Inn is an early Victorian coaching inn on the B4355 north of Kington, close to the Welsh border. The pub is owned by the husband and wife team of Nicola and Steve Reynolds and has had a Michelin star since 2001. They grow their own fruits and vegetables and keep their own pigs and hens. Other meats are sourced from local Herefordshire farms and suppliers and Credenhill snails regularly feature on the menu. Fish is sourced from Cornwall with the exception of locally farmed trout. The menu has a seasonal theme so it changes every two months. Although acclaimed for the quality of Steve Reynold’s food it has tried to retain some pub character. In keeping with their local sourcing strategy beers, perrys and ciders are sourced from Dunkertons, Gwatkins, Robinsons and Westons. Chase Distillery in Preston Wynne is well represented too. My drink was a superb apple juice from Clive’s fruit farm in Upton on Severn.
Lying approximately 22 miles northwest of Hereford, The Stagg Inn is an early Victorian coaching inn on the B4355 north of Kington, close to the Welsh border. The pub is owned by the husband and wife team of Nicola and Steve Reynolds and has had a Michelin star since 2001. They grow their own fruits and vegetables and keep their own pigs and hens. Other meats are sourced from local Herefordshire farms and suppliers and Credenhill snails regularly feature on the menu. Fish is sourced from Cornwall with the exception of locally farmed trout. The menu has a seasonal theme so it changes every two months. Although acclaimed for the quality of Steve Reynold’s food it has tried to retain some pub character. In keeping with their local sourcing strategy beers, perrys and ciders are sourced from Dunkertons, Gwatkins, Robinsons and Westons. Chase Distillery in Preston Wynne is well represented too. My drink was a superb apple juice from Clive’s fruit farm in Upton on Severn.
My reservation was a 12 noon and I hadn’t realised that was when the pub opened. As I walked in 15 minutes early rather than being asked to leave I was made welcome at the bar while preparation continued for lunch service. It turned out I wasn’t the only person who wanted to start promptly. My visit coincided with the Presteigne Music & Arts Festival so it filled quickly with an enthusiastic crowd who had their mind on things other than food. The dining rooms are very informal with simply-laid rustic wooden tables while the bar decor relied on jugs suspended from the beams in the ceiling.
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Once food was ordered, a taster of home-made potato crisps balsamic foam was provided. Judging by the buzz from the other tables, the more traditional crowd from the festival seemed to struggle with the concept of foam but I thought it was superb. The wonderful crunchy crisps worked great with the balsamic dip. The use of balsamic dip meant that the vinegary taste on the crisp was quite smooth. I’d been tempted to order some of these but in another example of the excellent customer service was told to hold off because they would be brought to the table anyway.
This was followed by warm thick cut slices of homemade bread. The bread came with salted butter and a ramekin of olive oil.
Starter was locally farmed Presteigne trout tartare served with a roast tomato sauce. The tartare was a blend of large cubes of trout with parsley, capers and cucumber with a topping of salmon roe, salad greens and soft-bolied quail’s egg. This was a lovely refreshing starter with a nice blend of flavours and the tender fish was a delight. The concentrated taste of the zesty roast tomato sauce was an ideal accompaniment.
Main course was the belly pork with candied apples, Hereford snails, shallots and noisette potatoes. These were served with seasonal peas and broad beans. The pork was a lovely piece of meat with excellent crispy skin. The snails added a satisfying earthy undertone to the dish. The rich gravy was enhanced further by cubes of pork jelly that dissipated into the juice. The noisette potatoes were small crisp roast potatoes and the delightful candied apple was a classic sweet accompaniment to the pork. Further classic flavours came from the sage leaves present on the plate beneath the resting meat. This was a thoroughly satisfying main course.
Unfortunately, I did not feel I had sufficient time for dessert due to the need to get back to Hereford.
Overall verdict.
My visit to the Stagg Inn was briefer than I’d have liked but the combination of friendly service and quality food was undeniable.
Would I revisit The Stagg Inn?
Most definitely. The regularly changing menu is a great reason to go back and combining the evening menu with the overnight stay seems like a great option.
Overall Rating - 4/5
Overall verdict.
My visit to the Stagg Inn was briefer than I’d have liked but the combination of friendly service and quality food was undeniable.
Would I revisit The Stagg Inn?
Most definitely. The regularly changing menu is a great reason to go back and combining the evening menu with the overnight stay seems like a great option.
Overall Rating - 4/5
