Spring has sprung at The Inn Collection Group as it unveils new spring menus across its network of in-model pubs with rooms across the north of England.
Packed with pub classics the new look bill of fare aims to reflect the mood of the season, making use of great quality ingredients and cooking them simply to create delicious dishes bursting with flavour.
There has been a keen focus that all menus offer excellent value for money too, allowing people to continue enjoying the conviviality of their local inn despite the ongoing squeeze on household budgets.
Starters and deserts across the estate, which includes sites across Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, North Yorkshire and the Lake District have been heavily revisited, with exciting new dishes joining regular crowd-pleasers like loaded potato skins.
These include a game terrine served with crusty bread and pickles, beer-battered king prawns with a wild garlic mayonnaise and steamed mussels in a fragrant Thai broth.
The main event sees the addition of up to ten new dishes sitting alongside pub favourites such as traditional fish and chips, burgers and ham, egg and chips, and includes a range of vegetarian and meat-free alternatives including a superfood salad and Miso-glazed aubergine with sesame udon noodles (pictured).
A new harissa spiced lamb burger, sea trout with gravadlax sauce & samphire, and a game cottage pie, topped with parmesan & thyme mashed potato and served with spring greens are amongst the core menu highlights, while each inn has areas of specific foodie focus to retain their own individual stamp.
Embracing its position overlooking the bustling harbour at Seahouses, The Bamburgh Castle Inn has a whole new ‘From the Fryer’ section to its menu expanding on its fish and chip shop style offering, with battered king prawns, cauliflower fritters and Saveloy sausages alongside the expected staples.
Elsewhere in Northumberland, Alnwick’s The Hogs Head Inn, Amble’s The Amble Inn and Blyth’s The Commissioners Quay Inn have a focus on the grill, with the sites making use of their Broilers to serve an array of steaks, chops and mixed grills.
Delivering temperatures between 1,600- and 1,800-degrees Fahrenheit, the equipment allows chefs to perfectly sear meat seasoned to a unique The Inn Collection Group recipe whilst keeping the inside tender and juicy.
Other sites with offerings demanding a special visit include Durham’s The Kingslodge Inn and The Black Swan at Helmsley, with extra-special dishes available including a seared venison salad, cheddar cheese and spinach souffle, spring vegetable risotto and pan-seared rump of lamb.
In the Lake District, Ambleside’s The Temperance Inn keeps to its style of offering something a little different to its sister sites, with an extensive range of bar snacks featuring on its menu, alongside a wide-ranging pizza offering.
Alongside the new look main menu and embracing the freshness associated with spring, there is also the addition of a new light bites menu between 11am and 5pm offering great value on delights such as roast meat baguettes, smoked haddock rarebit and delicious fish & chips.
Rolling out at sites this week, head of food at The Inn Collection Group Tom Adlam is pleased with the new range of dishes set to be offered.
He said: “We’re excited about the new spring menu at The Inn Collection Group. It’s still full of pub classics but we have tried to add a lighter touch for spring.
“There has been a real focus on improving our staples, with a new version of our burger, a new batter mix for our fish & chips and ham & poached duck eggs with chips, while the new light bites menu offers a wide range of delicious options at a great value.
“I’m confident the new menus will delight visitors to our in-model venues alongside the current individual offerings at The Midland in Morecambe, Grasmere’s The Wordsworth Hotel and The Bull’s Head Inn at Beaumaris.”