The Swan - Sunday Carvery Review in Bristol

Posted on: 2016-01-29

Our rating:

The meats were quite unlike anything I have had in some years. I could list a hundred superlatives but I think I?ll just go with ?exquisite?. Each one was seemingly better than the last.


 

Every Sunday, up and down the country, you can hear the reluctant whine of “OK...shall we just go for a carvery?” as people struggle with what to do with themselves on a no-doubt grey and dreary day. There’s probably a time and a place for visiting that most obvious of ‘carvery venues’, though I can’t think of a good one right now. The food on offer at The Swan in Winterbourne, just north of Bristol, is something that will turn your idea of what a carvery is on its head.

The Swan in Winterbourne, Bristol

Located in the heart of Winterbourne, both literally and figuratively, The Swan dates back to 1758 and has been serving the local community ever since. Landlord Robyn and manager Sandra assure both locals and visitors receive a warm welcome every time – it’s a proper pub for the people. It’s a great spot for a drink, light bite, evening meal or Sunday lunch.

The Swan is a tale of two halves: a great bar area, full of character and a great atmosphere juxtaposed with a quaint dining room decorated in - now bear with me here - Native American and Old West style decor. On paper there’s no way it should work but somehow it does and doesn’t at all feel strange despite the north Bristol setting, rather than Gold Rush-era Wild West. The reason for these stylings becomes apparent when talking to Sandra – the wonderfully welcoming and friendly manager – as she informs me of their plan to begin serving true smokehouse style dishes in the near future and have already installed a smoker. (I personally can’t wait for that.).

A superb Sunday Lunch is served from 12-4pm with your choice of locally sourced meats from the carvery, fresh vegetables, roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding. There’s the option of ‘regular’ at £7.75 or ‘large’ at £9.95. On the day my wife and I visited the meats on offer were gammon, turkey, pork and beef. The ‘regular’ option gets you the choice of two meats while the ‘large’ lets you sample all four. We were reliably informed that the small was more than big enough, and so my wife duly ordered. I wasn’t about to let the Bristol public down so I, begrudgingly of course, ordered the large in order to sample all four meats so as to get a fair perspective. A noble act, I’m sure you’ll agree.

Carvery at The Swan in Winterbourne, Bristol

The meats were quite unlike anything I have had in some years. All locally sourced, I could list a hundred superlatives but I think I’ll just go with ‘exquisite’. Each one was seemingly better than the last. Even the turkey – notoriously difficult to keep moist, especially when kept under heat-lamps in a carvery setting – was juicy and flavourful. The gammon? Tender and not overly salty, which is always a worry. Pork? succulent and full of flavour. Lastly, the beef. The beef was, quite simply, one of the best roast meats I have ever tasted. Cooked to a blushingly pink medium, it melted in the mouth and the rich, deep flavour is really stretching my vocabulary as I try and explain. I had heard the great reputation of the food at the Swan but I was still unprepared for the sheer quality of the meats.

The accompaniments were somewhat basic when compared to some other ‘Sunday Roast’ options I have seen. Initially this did disappoint me if I’m truly honest. However, when it came time to eat I couldn’t have been happier. What I got was simple, perfectly cooked vegetables. Yes, you can embellish them in all manner of ways, but there’s a lot to be said for some good, honest, well-cooked basics. Carrots, broccoli, cabbage and mashed swede were drenched in perfect beef gravy and the option of cheese sauce too. Served with those were stuffing balls, roast parsnips, Yorkshire puddings and some wonderful roast potatoes – crisp and crunchy on the outside with cloud-like fluffiness contained within. All the staple sauces were also available: cranberry, mint, horseradish and apple.

Large Carvery at The Swan in Winterbourne, Bristol

We were advised beforehand that the regular size was usually more than enough for any of their customers and that couldn’t have been truer. A big dinner plate was covered in plenty of meat and, being a carvery, all the veg you would like. My large was an even bigger plate with enough meat that it could be a carnivorous meal in itself. Though I know the regular is plenty, next time I go I’m sure I’ll find myself stumping up the extra couple of quid just because I know how good the meats are and would hate to miss out!

Regular and Large Carvery at The Swan in Winterbourne, Bristol

Regular and Large plates side-by-side.

At this point I would like to point out that my co-reviewer, my wife, is actually not a real fan of eating Sunday lunch if it’s not cooked by myself, her mother or father. I’m happy to say I have no such problem but she is a huge critic so I was amazed to hear her glowing with praise. She was astounded by the quality and flavour, commending just how home-made it tasted. (Well, it is home-made. You can see it being cooked 20 feet from your table!)

Bafflingly, after two gargantuan plates of food we somehow managed dessert. My wife’s trifle was a delicious nod to a more traditional time, before the days of pretentious food, molecular gastronomy and the like. My strawberries with meringue and cream was, surprisingly, just about perfect after such a large and rich main course. Light and refreshing but still exquisitely tasty.

Dessert at The Swan in Winterbourne, Bristol

All in all it was quite easily the best ‘carvery’ I have ever had, and an absolutely top-notch option for a Sunday lunch. If you try the carvery at The Swan you’ll never go back to a chain restaurant again.There's no hustle and bustle of people walking around trying to balance five Yorkshire puddings atop a mound of roast potatoes, it's a civilised and friendly environment with wonderful staff who only add to the overall experience. Families and people of all ages dined together in a great setting eating great food at superb value. Can't really ask for much more.

4.5/5

Reviewed by James Anderson for 365Bristol – The leading events and entertainment website in Bristol

The Swan Winterbourne - open since 1758 !

114 High Street, Winterbourne, Bristol, South Gloucestershire, BS36 1RW

Phone: 01454 771854

Website : www.swanwinterbourne.co.uk or follow on Facebook.
 

Dining Room at The Swan in Winterbourne, Bristol



Article by:

James Anderson

Born and raised in the suburbs of Swansea, Jimmy moved to Bristol back in 2004 to attend university. Passionate about live music, sport, science and nature, he can usually be found walking his cocker spaniel Baxter at any number of green spots around the city. Call James on 078 9999 3534 or email Editor@365Bristol.com.