The Bell
Beachampton, Milton Keynes, MK19 6DX

Tel: 01908 563861

Type: pub / restaurant

For – nice country pub, local hand pumped beers, recent redecoration

Fancying a few beers and some simple, well prepared food, we headed to the Bell at Beachampton where a friendly welcome was always guaranteed. On entering we found that the pub had undergone a renovation in the dining area and part of the drinking area also. Not a bad job, giving a slightly more up-market air, and not over the top for a country pub. My daughter was dismayed to see that the pool table had been removed to add extra seating for diners.

Talking with some people at the bar, I learned that Fraser was no longer running the pub, with a new couple taking over. Nothing is constant in this world, I suppose, but I was a little sad to see him move on.

At least the Cock and Bull beer from the Concrete Cow Brewery was still on tap. So grabbing a couple of pints, we settled into the newly refurbished dining room. After a wait, we finally got our hands on some menus. They are obviously trying to take the food upmarket from the simpler fare previously offered. I suppose there will be no more black pudding mash here.

Starters of Louisiana Crab Cakes were very disappointing. I have eaten this dish many times in the US where it has always been made with white crab meat. These were made with dark crab meat, giving completely the wrong flavour. They were also soggy in texture.

Our mains of rack of lamb were served medium rare as requested. The accompanying gratin was under cooked. They use New Zealand lamb, though. Apart from giving the excessively fatty flavour common to lamb from that part of the world, it is not a very ecologically sound choice given the fields full of sheep I have to pass to get to the pub. The new owner has obviously not heard of the move to locally sourced produce.

Service was slow, especially considering there were only three other tables occupied. The young lady serving in the dining area was wearing jeans with tattered bottoms which did not seem to match the more upmarket aspirations of the menu and decor. And considering this is a new venture for them, the service was miserable and joyless. Not the welcoming environment I have always associated with the Bell.

The wine list is reasonably representative, not dominated by New World wines which seems to be the local trend. Prices are also not excessive.

Since the new owners had only been in place two weeks, I suppose I should give them more time before being too critical, but this was not a good start.