Last night we were invited to sample the supper menu at the Bath Arms Inn at Longleat.  A short 30 minute drive out of Bath (during rush hour and with Cleveland Bridge closed), it's the perfect bolt hole to escape city life.  Down some twisting tree lined lanes, we pulled up outside the prettiest village pub and headed in.  Full of charm with all the old features still in place, yet tastefully decorated and restored, we headed to our table in the dining room.  The menu offered a wide selection of dishes to cater for all tastes, with "pub" options as well as a la carte.  To start we chose the Burrata (£9.50) and the Fishcake (£8.50).  The burrata was deliciously soft and creamy, and was served with glazed apricots, Dorset charcuterie, pumpkin seeds and a garlic crumb.  The sweetness of the apricot cut through the richness of the cheese perfectly, and the crispy meat and seeds added an extra flavour dimension and texture.  Very light and satisfying.  The fishcake was flavoured with lemon and herbs (delicious) and a chilli and lime dressing that added a lovely heat and zing.  The crisp shaved fennel and samphire finished the dish off perfectly.

To follow we ordered Cider Battered Fish and Chips (£15.50) and the Pork Tenderloin (£19).  Lightly salted crisp fries were perfect with the fish, which was in a deliciously airy crunchy batter.  The fish was moist and flavoursome, and the tartare and mushy peas a perfect accompaniment.  The pork was tender and juicy, served on a bed a carrot puree, with a rich and tasty chorizo and black pudding croquette.  The orange and saffron braised fennel was a nice surprise as fennel can often be overpowering, but this was spot on and worked well.

For dessert we chose the Peanut Butter Cheesecake (£8.50) and the Lemon Curd Tart (7.50).  Both were really pretty and beautifully presented.  The deconstructed cheesecake was a taste sensation, rich peanut buttery white chocolate served on a thin biscuit base, with fresh raspberries and a zippy raspberry sorbet.  The tart was light and delivered a fabulous lemon hit, served with marscapone ice cream, mascerated strawberries and a gorgeous brandy snap.  The powdered lemon sprinkled on the plate was truly delicious.

The setting for our meal was really impressive, there was a nice atmosphere, and the staff were very attentive.  it was clear they all enjoy their jobs and care about the customer.  Alice looked after us for the evening and she was professional, knowledgeable and very efficient. 

After our meal we had a little look around.  The outside covered seating area is impressive.  When the chilly weather sets in the sides can be drawn down so there is the option to sit outside if you want to.  Brianna showed us one of the bedrooms which was really cute - beautifully decorated and cosy with a view over Longleat Forest.
If you are a Bathonian, visiting Bath, or wanting to stay near Longleat then we highly recommend The Bath Arms Inn. 
We really enjoyed our meal and will be back soon!

11 Cleveland Place West, Bath BA1 5DG - 01225 313747 - www.thecurfewbath.co.uk

On Sunday we were invited to sample the new Sunday Lunch menu at the Curfew pub.  Just a ten minute stroll from our house, this was a perfect way to start our lazy Sunday.  The menu goes live from this Sunday, the 19th September and we would suggest you book as the food was really good!
We sat upstairs in the tastefully refurbished dining room, lovely and bright with large windows and a cooling breeze - a lovely spot to relax.  We opted for the Whitebait with dill mayonaise (£5.95) which was a generous portion.  Piping hot and crisp, these were delicious.  The Breaded wedges of brie with sweet chilli dip (£6.25) were oozy (is that a word) and creamy - a real treat to start the meal.

For the main course, my husband chose the Sunday Best (£15.95) - Chicken, Beef and Pork, and I went for the Pork (£13.95).  Both were served with roast potatoes, honey roasted parsnips, seasonal veg, stuffing, Yorkshire puddings and a delicious red wine gravy.  The meat was tender and moist on both dishes, crispy roast potatoes (nothing worse than a soggy roastie), piping hot veg, and most importantly - a jug of extra gravy!  I adore lashings of gravy so this made my day!

Although the dessert menu was extremely tempting, we were just too full to do it justice, so on this occasion we had to pass.  We did see them however, and they looked very good!
In summary, we had a really impressive meal at the Curfew.  Roast dinner out always makes me nervous as my husband cooks the perfect roast, but I have to say, this was spot on.  Really good value for money, the portions are large, and everything was tasty and well presented.  The staff were efficient, polite and we felt looked after, which is always nice.  I would feel confident recommending to eat here, and as I said at the start of this review, you might well need to book a table as I think the Curfew's roast will be very popular!