The Bush Inn
St Hilary, nr Cowbridge. 01446 776888 / www.bushinn-sthilary.com
Food **** Atmosphere ****
Off the A48 just before Cowbridge, hidden at the bottom of a country lane on a bend, is The Bush Inn, a delightful country pub serving great food, real ales and homecooked fayre. Owners Liz and Andy are on hand pretty much all the time, serving up lovingly prepared food and their famous homecooked pies.
Talking of pies, the Bush is renowned for their many varieties, of which there are up to ten to choose from: salmon, prawns in a tomato sauce with “a few chillies”, 8oz fillet of beef with pate, onions and mushrooms, and chicken Cotswold with bacon and stilton. Our choices, amongst the many, were chicken Monte Cristo with spinach, ham and cheddar in a rich tomato sauce and, for myself, a delicious fish pie in a flaky pastry top. All pies come with a choice of potatoes and seasonal veg, and some with an additional sauce. We shared a salted caramel chocolate pot with a honeycomb and biscuit base, which is as delicious as it sounds. On the day we visited, slow-roasted pork belly served on a bed of mash – what else? – and a rich jus, a ballotine of chicken and pan-fried hake were on offer.
The Bush Inn also hosts the village cycling team, one which appears to have been formed by a couple of blokes casually chatting over a few drinks at the bar several years ago, and which has now mushroomed into a 35-strong team that regularly embarks on trips and tours. (New members are welcome, so keep an eye on the website.) A 16th century inn which has retained its original charm, immaculate thatched roof, flag stone floors, beautiful inglenook fireplaces – and, I’m sure, some of the locals. It was even featured in the BBC’s Sherlock a few years back, I’m informed. You would be hard pressed to find a more welcoming and comfortable place to enjoy traditional ales, a packet of pork scratchings and good banter with the locals. ANTONIA LEVAY