The Butchers Social, Henley In Arden – A Review

Last week my husband and I were lucky enough to be invited to The Butchers Social in Henley In Arden. We were asked to go along and try the food that they have to offer and feedback to all of you lovely readers. So here we are.

 

About The Butchers Social

(The following has been taken from The Butchers Social website)

The Butchers Social began life in an old butchers shop in Harborne. A one-off event soon turned into a nine-month venture due to the popularity of the food and the relaxed atmosphere.

Mike Bullard and his team have now moved to the quaint town of Henley in Arden. Bigger, better and all grown up they’ve even invested in plates and glasses – a far cry from their humble beginnings!

And it’s not just the crockery that’s changed, the menu has had a revamp too. Now, alongside the famous salted caramel chicken wings, you can choose from a specially crafted main menu, bring the family over for Sunday Lunch or enjoy that timeless classic – a champagne brunch.

With a fully stocked bar, a gorgeous garden and some top secret plans for this iconic building, The Butchers Social is the place to be.

 

The setting

When we first arrived at the pub at around 7.15pm we were surprised to see how busy it was in the bar area. We wondered where we were going to sit. Upon giving our name we were quickly escorted to the dining area at the rear of the building and we were greeted with a stunning layout.

 

 

The ambience of the dining area was really relaxed and was very pleasant overall. It wasn’t overly busy at this time, but this was nice as I’m not a huge fan of being in a dining area that’s full of hustle and bustle. Having said that, it did become busier as the evening went on.

 

Whilst looking at the menu and deciding what to have we enjoyed our drinks and were very impressed with the tasters we were brought to try. These Pork Belly Lollipops were absolutely amazing. I could have eaten a whole plate of them!

 

 

Starters

The Butchers Social offer a tasting menu and an Al la carte menu. We decided we wanted to choose off the Al la carte menu and so set to deciding what we fancied. I’ve been on a bit of a weight loss and health kick recently (more about that in an upcoming blog post!), so I knew I wanted to be careful – I didn’t want to undo all the hard work I had put in.

We chose the House Bread, Roasted Onion Whipped Butter & Volcanic Black Salt alongside Mixed Marinated Olives to start with. The bread whilst crusty to touch, was so soft. Teamed with the whipped butter it was a taste sensation. I had to stop myself from overindulging so as not to spoil my main course!

 

 

Main course

Keeping in mind my need for something relatively healthy, I opted for the 35 day dry aged 8oz Fillet Steak. I had this with the Hollandaise sauce and Seasonal Vegetables. My husband had the Lamb Wellington, Navarin of Lamb, Crispy Sweetbread, Braised Heritage Carrots with Mint Jus.

 

 

I have to say, and I’m not just saying this for the sake of producing a good review – the food was absolutely delicious. I asked for my steak to be cooked medium-well and it was cooked just how I like it. The Hollandaise sauce was the perfect accompaniment and the seasonal vegetables were cooked to perfection. I particularly enjoyed the spinach. At first glance you might think the portion sizes aren’t the biggest, but believe me, there was more than enough.

My husband really enjoyed the lamb. It cut into easily and melted in the mouth. The mint jus was the perfect flavouring to go with the lamb. Obviously, as with most pieces of lamb, there was some fat that needed cutting off, but lamb is a notoriously fatty meat, so it was nothing that wasn’t expected. Again, there was more than enough to eat without feeling uncomfortable.

 

Dessert

I was far too full for dessert, but we couldn’t give you a full review without trying a little something. We opted for something light – a Rhubarb Panacotta and we had two spoons! It was the perfect finale to our meal. It was light and tasty and the sauce was perfectly complimentary.

 

 

Facilities

No trip to a restaurant is complete without checking out the bathroom facilities – I don’t know about you but if this is clean and presentable it gives an overall impression of the whole business. I’m pleased to say I was thrilled when I walked in to discover a beautiful area that was clean and attractive. And if there is a mirror for a toilet selfie – even better!

 

 

When I returned to our table my husband had got his coffee and we were presented with a beautiful box that would usually house the bill. I thought it was a lovely touch and can I just say? Those chocolates were mouthwateringly delicious!

 

 

What did we think?

We were at The Butchers Social for two hours and from the moment we walked in we were made to feel welcome. The staff were pleasant and extremely attentive from start to finish. I couldn’t praise them enough. A huge thanks go to all of them for their excellent customer service.

 

Henley In Arden is a wonderful little town that is only about twenty minutes from us and I would highly recommend The Butchers Social to anyone who is looking for a special night out. It isn’t the cheapest of meals, but then this is an Al la carte menu with the finest of ingredients and excellent dining experience. It really was a memorable evening. I think the smiles on our faces say it all, don’t you?

 

 

The Butchers Social is located at 97 High Street, Henley In Arden, B95 5AT. Check out their website for further information.

 

 

 

 

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We were provided with a complimentary evening in return for an honest review. All words are my own unless otherwise stated. Opinions are also my own. Many thanks to The Butchers Social.