It has been a very tough time for pubs in recent times. Devastated by the pandemic, the struggle to find suitably qualified staff, the ever increasing costs of energy, increasing competition from supermarkets offering cheap deals on alcohol & fewer people visiting our pubs, has meant that over 700 UK pubs have called last orders for the final time, during the past twelve months.
The rural areas of Britain have been hit hardest, so it is very pleasing to come across a village pub which is flourishing within its local community during these very difficult times for the pub & hospitality sector.
I was visiting the village of Kilsby in West Northamptonshire which retains a number of attractive buildings, including some fine examples of Northamptonshire rubble stone construction, and a number of thatched properties. Kilsby is five miles south-east of Rugby and six miles north of Daventry which should place it within the county of Northamptonshire but the pubs website gives The George as a Warwickshire address, because of the vagaries of boundaries!
There are two pubs in the village, The Red Lion on the north west of the village, Sir Frank Whittle, famously credited with inventing the turbojet engine, briefly lived at ‘Laurelcroft’, next door to the pub at 1 North Street, until 1949 and the other, which I was visiting, The George, on the eastern side of the village located alongside the ancient Roman Watling Street (A5).
The ‘George Hotel’ as it was originally called, was named after King George III because the pub lies on the route of the old eighteenth-century turnpike road from Daventry to Lutterworth. George signed the Act of Parliament which allowed the turnpike road to be built. It was not named after George Stephenson, he of the steam locomotive `The Rocket` fame, whose son Robert Stephenson designed and constructed the nearby Kilsby Tunnel. One of villages more obscure claims to fame is that the A361 terminates at the junction with the A5, right outside the front door of The George! The A361 runs all the way from Ilfracombe in Devon for 195 miles, making it the longest ‘3-digit’ road in Britain. Now that’s one for the pubs future Quiz Night!
The George was built nearly 186 years ago in 1838, after the building of the nearby Kilsby Rail Tunnel was completed. It was originally a stone thatched coaching Inn offering accommodation, food & drink for passengers and stables for the horses of the passing stagecoaches. Like many village pubs, in 2018 The George sadly had to close its doors, but four years later, much to the delight of villagers, The George reopened with a complete refurbishment throughout, whilst retaining many of its original features and character.
Offering a menu of mouthwatering, homemade dishes infused with an Asian-inspired twist, this traditional village pub is both a fantastic local and popular dining destination. Since reopening The George has once again become a centre for the local community & for those looking to enjoy good food and drink in comfortable surroundings.
The chief architect of these changes at The George is Head chef patron Harishankar Krishnamurphy, or Hari, to his friends, whose wide culinary & hospitality experience includes top hotels in Dubai, Muscat, Singapore, India & the Grand Cayman and in the UK senior positions at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole, The Belfry Hotel, Resorts World Birmingham, and Walton Hall Hotel.
Hari has the backing of a talented team of chefs including pastry chef Vasu, with over 15 years’ experience in the pastry and bakery industry and a young and highly professional customer, front of house team.
“I’ve worked in hospitality for many years; it’s a dream come true to be taking on such a lovely old pub. I looked at hundreds of pubs before seeing The George. I knew it was ‘the one’ as soon as I walked in the door. I want to make The George an asset to the village and a pub they can be proud of once again. We are incredibly grateful to everyone for their support and positive feedback”
As soon as my wife & I entered The George we were greeted warmly & taken to our table by one of the polite & friendly staff members. For the summer & warmer days & evenings of the year there are a small number of tables out front and at the rear is a large, pub garden so that diners can sit outside & enjoy the sunshine, during those long endless months of summer!
The Garden Room is a large function room, with its own bar, which overlooks the pub garden. The Garden Room is an ideal space for that special occasion as it is of a good size & is beautifully furnished and separate from the rest of the pub by a long wooden corridor, making it more exclusive. It is the perfect space for private parties, weddings or other special occasions.
The Food & Drink:
On the A La Carte Menu. Customers are faced with a serious choice of small plate starters such as Salt & Pepper Calamari, Freshly Made Soup, Porcini Mushroom Arancini with Parma Ham, Street food madras Pakora, XO Prawn Momos, Smoked Salmon and crab salad or Buffalo, Jack Daniels or Korean Crispy Wings!
Small Plates:
- Tempura Tiger Prawns, Sriracha Mayo, Charred Lime and Asian Slaw Chicken
- Tikka Pot Pie with a Basil Mint Sauce and Plum Chutney.
The deep fried tiger prawns were wonderfully crunchy, each prawn a juicy mouthful. The Sriracha mayo sauce complimented the seafood perfectly. The Chicken tikka pot pie was a very pleasing way to start my meal. A small, lightly crusted round pie full of tasty warm chicken tikka. The light salad, basil mint sauce & plum chutney were the perfect accompaniment.
Mains.
- Herefordshire 28 days matured Ribeye steak 10oz Portobello Mushrooms, Vine Tomatoes, Skin on Fries, Rocket Salad, Grilled Broccolini and a peppercorn sauce.
- Lamb Kofta Kebab Burger, Flatbread, Gherkin Lettuce, Pink Onion, and Tzatziki
The steak was perfectly cooked to order, medium rare. It was very tender, not chewy and very flavoursome. The peppercorn sauce was perfect. One of the best steaks I have eaten for a long, long time! The small Kofta Burger was perfectly cooked, crispy around the outside but soft and slightly pink in the middle. I found it a bit messy to eat off a wooden board, I would have preferred a plate, but that did not detract my enjoyment from the dish. It was flavoursome and quite filling. A real delightful dish. Lots of fries with both dishes!
Dessert:
- Basque Cheesecake, with strawberry coulis, cookie crumb, and raspberry sorbet
- Louis XV Chocolate Praline, a hazelnut dacquoise, a Feuilletine praline layer, chocolate mousse and dark chocolate ganache glaze.
I must admit to trying some of my wife’s meal and can vouch that all dishes were beautifully cooked and presented to table. The desserts were both extremely good. They both looked great & tasted even better!
Other Menus: The burger options speak for themselves, why not try a Hand Pressed Double Beef Burger, Southern Fried Chicken Burger, Lamb Kofta Kebab Burger, a Spicy Bean Burger or one of George’s fish finger burgers! The choice of main meals is endless ranging from the tempting sharing boards of Mixed Kebab Platters, Lebanese Plate of Confit garlic hummus, Aleppo chilli & sumac Roasted aubergine, rose harissa and fried capers and exciting range of traditional oven made pizzas using San Marzano tomatoes, Fior Di Latte mozzarella & Italian flour! Vegetarians, vegans & kids are not forgotten either!
The George’s popular Sunday roasts offer a range of traditional meats; Roast Beef with Horseradish sauce & Yorkshire pudding, Roast Free Range Orchard Pork with Bramley apple sauce, sage & onion stuffing, ½ Roast Chicken with Chipolata sausage or Vegetarian Falafel Roast.
At this seasonal time of year, why not try their Festive à la carte & set Christmas menus which are already proving to be very popular. There is something on their extensive menu for everyone to enjoy! There is also a tempting dessert menu should you have a sweet tooth and any room for a little more! The central focus at The George is on offering a wide range of excellent quality food, perfectly cooked and beautifully presented using locally sourced ingredients, whenever possible. Why not check out their very good website to find out more about their Festive, Christmas, Boxing Day, New Year, Prix Fixe, A La Carte, Afternoon Tea, Vegan, Curry Club, Tapas & Drinks Menu.
The central bar is well-stocked with popular spirits and if you like your cocktails this is the place to be as there is a wide selection available all of which I was informed are freshly made to order. Choose a Classic Cocktail such as a Mojito, Margarita, Mai Tai, Negroni and Manhattan or a Martini Cocktail, maybe an Expresso Martini or Pornstar Martini! Premium & Fizz Cocktails like the Bellini and Rose Collins are very popular with visitors. If you prefer your drinks without alcohol there are a number of very tasty Mocktails on offer too. The George offers a wide range of Draught & bottled Ales, Lagers & Cider including London Pride, Amstel, Inches Cider, Bira Morreti, Cruzcampo, Guinness & Beavertown.
I enjoyed a pint of London Pride, a premium ale which is very easy to drink. I like it because it is not too strong and has a satisfying finish. It has a good malty base with an excellent blend of hop character, resulting in an easy-drinking beer with great body and a fruity, satisfying finish. My wife opted for a glass of shiraz, The fruity red shiraz had the characteristic berry, plum and pepper of a lighter shiraz wine. My wife felt the rich fruity flavours and heavy tannins of the shiraz complimented the flavour of the beef steak perfectly.
Whilst sitting in the dining area enjoying my meal I noticed several people coming in off the street, not only to eat but to sit and enjoy a drink, read the newspaper or chat with friends. The George has many live music events planned for the New year, and they have already proven to be very popular with locals and visitors alike. The George at Kilsby is still very much a local for the community.
Not only is The George an excellent local pub & restaurant but it offers much, much more. A monthly Curry Club, sharing their passion for food with authentic curry cooking classes, exploring the diverse tapestry of Spanish cuisine on their Tapas evenings, a sophisticated Afternoon Tea experience and an evening of Steak & Live Music. Why not drop in for breakfast/brunch which is served between 9.30am & 11.30pm on Saturday.
The George is the perfect base for exploring the local & wider area. Nearby you can explore the market towns of Daventry, Northampton & Rugby plus local attractions such Princess Diana`s ancestral home at Althorp House, the National Trust property at Canons Ashby, the British Motor Museum, Stratford -upon – Avon & the world renowned Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit.
Whatever you like, whatever the season, The George is sure to have something on the menu to satisfy your appetite. The George is a very pleasant pub in which to stop for a meal with friends, organise a special occasion or simply drop in for a couple of beers or other refreshments. The refurbishment has turned what was a perfectly acceptable country village pub into a very special village pub offering exceptional food, drink and professional service in very comfortable surroundings in a beautiful village setting.
I very much liked The George and the staff were brilliant! The serving staff were very attentive, efficient, polite and knowledgeable, engaging in conversation with customers. I urge you to check out The George at the earliest opportunity when you are next in the area. You will not be disappointed! I had a great time, and I plan to be going back very soon!
Why not check it out for yourself!
The George at Kilsby, Watling St, Kilsby, CV23 8YE http://www.thegeorgeatkilsby.co.uk
Disclosure: My visit to The George at Kilsby was courtesy of Harishankar Krishnamurphy and Keredy Andrews at Hannes Digital
The views and comments expressed are as usual my own.
The Travel Locker 