The Coopers Arms

Checked out the Coopers Arms last night,since a good friend of mine has recently moved to Weston.  It has been years since I last ate there and in that time the pub has been taken over by the next generation of Coopers, son James and daughter Amy.

It has always had a good reputation for it's carvery but a carvery didn't seem right on Saturday night (although plenty of folks were going for it) so we decided to eat à la carte.  The menu is very reasonably priced and varied, pub classics alongside a few more unusual dishes, with good fish and veggie options.

I had a smoked chicken salad with celeriac remoulade, chicory and paprkia croutons to start, whilst my dining partners shared bread and olives (greedy, moi?)

 For my main I had red pepper gnocchi with asparagus and halloumi, a delicious combination of unctuous gnocchi, fresh asparagus and salty,chargriled cheese in a rich coconut and coriander sauce.

The others had the herb crusted rack of lamb and mussels, both deemed excellent.

The pub was very busy, but staff managed well and were friendly and welcoming. With a log fire going and groups of people drinking in all the little nooks and crannies the atmosphere was most convivial.

The downstairs dining room lacked a little atmosphere with a slight cafeteria vibe but that could easily be rectified with some better lighting.

Heading back for a Sunday carvery in a few weeks.

http://www.thecoopers-arms.co.uk/

Annie's Burger Shack

  I took the boy to Annie's for his birthday today and sadly, there were issues. I know it was the day after, what was possibly, a very busy bank holiday Monday, but the staff were seriously under motivated.  I asked which bottled beers were available and got the answer 'Estrella'.  When  I asked again I was told to go and look over the bar as there were too many to mention.  It was generally pretty hard to get their attention and we aren't a demanding pair.

The 'student pub with a hangover' atmosphere was not helped by the tinny, rubbish music blaring out (Brimful of Asha anyone?  No, thought not) and I hate to say it but the burger (I had a vegetarian, mushroom and Swiss cheese burger) was the kind of fare you'd get at a Scream pub,except it cost more.  The boy enjoyed his Lemmy burger, one of the less elaborate creations on the menu, although his Cajun wedges arrived incinerated.

Speaking of elaborate creations, a little constructive criticism; the burger list is toooo long, and there are a lot of rather unappetising selections which can only be there as filler?  If  I was Annie (and I'm not) I'd cut to the chase and halve the options available. There are some horrors on there, (The Elvis burger, with peanut butter and raspberry jam?) which sound like something you would only eat as a dare.

Maybe the whole 'gourmet burger' thing is just over, but I think I preferred Annie's when it was at the Navigation, having it's own place seems to have gone to it's head and it is sadly lacking the authenticity and the anarchic streak it used to pride itself on.