29/09/2024

The Jervis Arms, Onecote 2024

The Jervis Arms in the Staffordshire Moorlands village of Onecote has recently reopened under new owners. I went along last Saturday night and enjoyed great flavours in their competitively priced, generously portioned dishes.

Like many others, I was so pleased to hear, earlier this summer, that The Jervis Arms had reopened again.

I first ate at the characterful country inn in 2018 after a relaunch by its then new owners, and a couple of times after. But with covid lockdowns followed by more closures through lack of staff, the seventeenth century pub never really got back on its feet. Eventually, it was put up for sale.

Now it’s family-run, headed by husband-and-wife Richard and Kirsten. They picked up the keys in March 2024 and, after a major refurbishment, opened The Jervis Arms in July. After leaving them to settle in a little, I went along last Saturday night with guest ID to sample the new offering.

THE JERVIS ARMS, ONECOTE

Approaching the pub from the rear car park, you get a wonderful view of the pub’s setting. The River Hamps flows through the attractive beer garden, and you cross it via an impressive new bridge.

I found the interior hugely attractive too. With a mix of white plaster, bare brick, and wooden beams, it’s country traditional but tastefully simple rather than twee. The space has been divided into different areas including a large dining room as well as dog friendly bar and lounge.

With all the usual drinks available, as well as a good selection of real ales, The Jervis Arms isn’t just for dining out. I went for a pint of J.W. Lees Bitter (£4.60) while ID had a large glass of Rioja (£7.50).

MENUS

Food is currently served Wednesdays to Sundays 12.00 – 8.00 pm (7.00pm on Sundays). There are separate menus for lunch and dinner, on Sundays, and for children. Sample menus are available on their website, and there’s daily specials too including fish and chips every Friday.

On the evening of my visit there were six starters from Soup at £6 to handmade Duck Spring Rolls at £9.50. Half of them were suitable for vegetarians, one could be made vegan and three were adaptable for gluten-free diets.

There were around nine main courses with, I believe, one suitable for vegetarians and vegans and at least three gluten-free. The cheapest main courses were both £15.95: Mixed Bean Cottage Pie with veg, chips and gravy, and the very popular Jervis Proper Pie which that night was chicken, ham, and leek served with veg, chips or mash. At the top end of the main courses was 10 oz Rib Eye Steak with all the trimmings plus a choice of sauce for £28.50.

STARTERS

I’m a big fan of both ham hock and terrines, so choosing my starter of Pressed Ham Hock (£7.95) was easy.

When the platter arrived, it looked very appetizing with two decent wedges of terrine.

The pieces of chopped ham were lightly bound together rather than solidly packed, which I liked. In the mix there appeared to be carrot and other tasty titbits too. It was seasoned perfectly.

Sprinkled over were a few pieces of Dovedale Blue. Although this lovely cheese made by the Staffordshire Cheese Company is one of my favourites (I’ve even had a hand in making one here), I don’t think the dish needed it as it was tasty enough already.

Also on the plate was a nicely spicy, chunky homemade piccalilli and greenery in the form of pea shoots.

The only possible quibble I had was with the wholemeal toast, seemingly from an unremarkable sliced loaf. Given the high standard of the other elements, and the quite robust terrine, I thought a more substantial and better-quality bread would have been more fitting. On the other hand, while I’d be prepared to pay more for it, I recognise that many wouldn’t in these price conscious times.

For his starter, ID chose Soup and Toast (£6). Soup of the day was tomato and basil. It came as a big bowlful with a side of cheese on toast.

He enjoyed it and from the taste I had, it was fresh and well-flavoured. This time, the sliced bread seemed much more fitting to accompany a simple soup. And at just £6 it was good value.

MAINS

For my main course I continued the piggy theme with one of the day’s specials: Pork Belly (£18.50). Like my starter, this was one of those dishes that, when it’s put in front of you, makes you feel quite smug about having made a good choice.

The slab of pork was positively enormous. The crusty exterior was marked with charred lines, indicating it had perhaps been finished on the grill or in a pan. Inside was softly moist from being cooked perfectly. The skin on top wasn’t uniformly crispy, but that didn’t particularly bother me as it was still good.

On top of the hunk of meat were tender roasted shallots plus a tangle of spring onion (or was it leek?), crisply fried. Somehow, the whole thing managed to balance on a puck of well-made mashed potato studded with pieces of black pudding.

But the delights didn’t end there. Surrounding the whole delicious pile was a golden coloured apple gravy, lightly sweet but tangy.

The dish also came with a good variety of green vegetables, all nicely cooked. Tender stem broccoli, pak choi, Savoy cabbage, and peas.

I thoroughly enjoyed every morsel. Generous, comforting, tasty, and precisely the sort of thing I want to eat in a pub on a chilly autumn evening.

ID also chose a hearty, meaty main course: Roast Rump of Lamb (£19.50). Our server asked how he wanted it cooked, pink or well done, and it came exactly as requested. Pink and juicy inside, well browned on the outside with the fat properly rendered.

I had a bite and the lamb tasted like good quality. The gravy, although not in as abundant quantity as mine, was lovely and flavoured with mint. The shallots and green vegetable accompaniments were exactly like mine, although his very good mash was apparently champ (i.e. with spring onion) instead of black pudding.

This was another satisfying plateful and, at under £20, quite competitively priced for a lamb dish.

DESSERTS

There was a choice of five desserts (£6 – £6.75) including a brownie suitable for vegans, a lemon tart, and cheesecake. There was also a cheese plate at £9.95.

I chose the Summer Berry Eton Mess (£6) which arrived in a pretty blue and white China bowl. Sprinkled over the top of a mound of whipped cream were dark pink, dehydrated raspberry drupelets (yes, I’ve just learned a new word) and a bright yellow ginger and honeycomb crumb.

Digging in, I found the cream was incredibly light. Folded through were small pieces of crisp meringue and a few soft whole raspberries. If I hadn’t eaten such a large meal already, perhaps I might have wanted a little more meringue. But as it was, it was perfect for me.

Chocolate fiend ID unsurprisingly chose the special dessert: Chocolate Fondant (£6).

It came on a platter with a garnish of fresh fruit and a cute little milk churn of pouring cream. But what everyone wants to know about a chocolate fondant is, was the inside suitably gooey? Yes, it was.

It wasn’t the darkest, chocolatiest fondant you’re ever going to get, but for this price ID was more than satisfied.

THE JERVIS ARMS: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Without drinks, the food bill came to £63.95 or just under £32 per head. When you consider that we had two hearty meat main dishes, including the lamb dish which was the second most expensive on the menu, I think that’s good value.

Out of interest, I went back and read my old review of The Jervis Arms from 2019. The food bill then was just under £29 per head and also included a higher priced lamb dish. Given everything that’s happened in the hospitality sector and the economy as a whole since then, including higher costs for businesses as well as customers, I’d say that to have spent virtually the same amount five years later is rather impressive.

With the kitchen efficiently sending out great flavours and generous portions, and the young front of house team providing faultless service, I think the new owners have done a brilliant job in breathing life again into this characterful country inn.

Whether you want to lunch, dine, or just fancy a drink, I highly recommend you try the new Jervis Arms.

PRICES AND MENUS CORRECT AT TIME OF WRITING