On Monday evening we went out to the Black Boy at Shinfield. Sarah had acquired some vouchers for a special offer that meant we could get a 2-course meal for a tenner each. The Black Boy is only 2 or 3 miles from where we live, and has seen a number of managers come and go over the years, with varying degrees of success – sometimes we would go and the food, drink and atmosphere would be excellent, at other times they would be rubbish. We hadn’t been for quite a while, so we didn’t really know what to expect. The current managers have been there for a year now, and they appear to have done a really good job, so I think we’ll be going there a bit more often now. It’s a Greene King pub, and I like their beer, so that’s another reason for going.
They have 3 cask ales – IPA, Abbot Ale and Old Speckled Hen. I went for the IPA, which was very tasty – well kept, light and refreshing – and washed down our starter of loaded potato skins very nicely. Main course – well, when there’s a steak and ale pie on the menu I just can’t resist – this one was huge, with loads of steak and smashing gravy – with another pint of IPA to help it down. And for pudding? While Sarah tucked into the hot fudge cake with chocolate sauce, my pudding was a pint of Old Speckled Hen – one of my favourite beers both in bottles and on draught. A bit more body than the IPA, and a nutty, caramel taste. We were stuffed after all that – a very satisfying meal and a nice drop of beer.