YE OLDE TALBOT
Friar Street
Worcester
WR1 2NA
01905 235730

YE Olde Talbot on the corner of Friar Street and College Street is one of those places where we have frequently had a drink but never eaten.

It’s one of my favourite city centre pubs for an early evening pint. It’s just busy enough to have a good atmosphere but never so bustling that you’re being elbowed in the ribs.

For this reason we were excited about sampling the pub’s menu.

As it was a Friday night we booked a table in the restaurant section and I was glad we had as all the tables were taken.

The menu offers a wide selection of real food – steaks, burgers, clasic pub fayre like fish and chips and pies, as well as salads and sandwiches. There is also a Specials board.

Unfortunately a number of our first choice dishes for both starters and mains were not available.

Eventually, however, we settled for the chicken goujons off the specials board, priced a bargain £2, duck spring rolls for the not so bargain but nevertheless reasonable price of £4.79 and beef nachos for £2.50 to start.

The goujons were yummy – consisting of hot, moist chicken pieces covered in a light batter and fresh salad garnish with sweet chilli dipping sauce.

The spring rolls were very tasty – shredded duck and hoisin spring rolls with a dressed salad garnish and hoisin dipping sauce.

Satisfied with our first course we moved on to mains. I plumped for the roasted cod loin with chive buttered new potatoes and fine green beans and smoked streaky bacon. Served on a bed of wilted spinach & roasted cherry tomatoes with a lemon, chilli & tarragon sauce, priced £12.89.

When it arrived the fine green beans had been replaced by a mountain of very well cooked peas.

My companions opted for the sirloin steak, which came with chips, peas, grilled mushroom and plum tomato, priced £12.89.

Again the chips were over cooked for our taste but the steak came as ordered.

The other went for chicken fajitas at £10.69, which were a hit.

We rounded off our meal with a cheese platter for £5.49 and a slice of Jamaican ginger cheesecake wiht toffee sauce for £4.49, which was delicious and by far my favourtie dish of the night.

It has to be said that the service we received during our visit was very mixed.

Although some of the staff were very helpful, polite and friendly, others may well have been having a bad night.

That said Ye Olde Talbot offers a good selection of food in a very pleasant setting.

HOW IT RATED
Food 3
Ambience 3
Value for Money 3
Service 3