Restaurant Review
The
Old Forge
Situated in the West Sussex down land village of Storrington,
The Old Forge Restaurant is a combination of several
cottages and a forge dating back to the late 16th century.
The A la Carte menu changes
approximately every six weeks to take
advantage of the best quality fish and
meats that are seasonally available. The
popular Sunday lunch menu offers a
choice of four main courses of traditional
roasts and contemporary dishes.
The restaurant has a huge local
reputation; the simple, rustic dining
rooms are complimented by a rather
sophisticated menu, inspired by old
British favourites and prepared by
husband and wife team Clive and Cathy
Roberts. The walls are adorned by cricket
memorabilia which is one of Clive’s great
passions and almost every item has an
interesting story behind it.
Under the ancient wooden beams you’ll
enjoy a refreshingly limited menu which
consists of five or six options for each
course. The food is well thought out and
comprises of the freshest seasonal produce
much of which is locally sourced too.
I had a very pleasant lunch with Clive
and a mutual friend Richard. To start I
opted for the confit of duck, foie gras and
quince terrine served with quince jelly and
some artisan bread. Richard chose the
warm smoked eel with a fennel, dill and
parmesan crumb gratin.
For main I had sliced saddle of venison,
crostini of chicken liver pate served
with cranberry sauce and a selection
of vegetables. Absolutely delicious!
Clive is someone who knows his wines
and chose some exceptional bottles to
accompany our food.
As the smiling waitress came to take
our dessert orders I confess that I was
46
stuffed. And although I don’t have a
particularly sweet tooth I was encouraged
by my host to try ‘The Platter’. The
Platter is the perfect option for those of
you who suffer from a little indecision
when presented with more than one dish
that you would love to have. My platter
consisted of smaller portions of the three
key desserts and included a Lemon Trifle
made up of lemon jelly, lemon curd and
limoncello sponge; a dacquoise layered
with chestnut and rum puree, white
chocolate mousse and a dark chocolate
glaze. Finally a caramelised pineapple
with toasted gingerbread and iced ginger
parfait.
Coffee and homemade petit fours
followed but by this stage I couldn’t
manage another morsel.
Clive and Cathy change the menu
approximately every six weeks so with
each visit you are in for a treat with
examples of a cuisine that brings together
good old fashioned countryside food with
contemporary culinary expertise.
A two course meal is just £28 and
three course meal is only £35 per head
and with wine from only £4 per glass I
personally think this standard of food
represents excellent value for money. The
Old Forge is a real treat for the people
of Storrington and for those of you that
fancy a drive out to this lovely Sussex
village. Details of the current menu and
how to find this little gem can be found on
their website oldforge.co.uk
This was not my first meal at the Old
Forge and it definitely won’t be my last.
By Jason Edge