Last week I was invited along to a special preview evening of the newly refurbished pub The George & Dragon in Epping, Essex. I used to visit this pub quite a lot back in the day so I was really looking forward to making a return visit and to have the opportunity to check out their vegan menu which I'd never tried before.
The pub has recently undergone a significant investment which has given the interior a much more stylish and contemporary feel, whilst maintaining the cosy and comfortable appeal of a countryside pub. If you've never visited Epping before then I would really recommend it as it's a beautifully quaint area of Essex which also has the benefit of being situated on the central line, and it is of course home to the ancient woodland of Epping Forest which is an amazing day out in itself.
Once inside the pub I had the opportunity to take a look around the interior and it was clear to see the hard work which has gone into bringing this pub back up to date. I always did really like The George & Dragon for its cosy seating areas and so I was really pleased to find that these still existed, albeit in a more luxurious form. It is, and always has been, one of those pubs that makes you feel instantly comfortable and warm inside when you walk inside.
The evening kicked off with some complimentary cocktails and canapés which was the most perfect start to the night. We had fun concocting a gin cocktail with a mix of different ingredients at the bar. And, if like me, you're partial to a gin then you'll be happy to find a whole host of different flavoured gins and cocktails on the drinks menu. I also got to try the 'Candyfloss Martini' which I'd really recommend as it was a bit of showstopper!
One thing I really like about this pub is that it has different areas and sections where you can enjoy your food and drink. By the bar there is a more informal dining area with lots of armchairs and an open fire, and around to the side you will find more formal dining areas which are ideal for evening meals or special occasions.
I have to say that I was firstly really impressed to find this pub offering up a stand alone vegan menu as it's not something you often come across, particularly within pub restaurants. Secondly, the choices available on the vegan menu are quite substantial and they all sound really appealing. Lets just say you can expect to find more than just a salad and chips!
For our starter we chose the 'Meze Platter' which is the perfect size to share between two. This included a mix of lentil falafels, beetroot hummus, miso sesame glazed aubergine and a Lebanese style dip all served up with a spiralized carrot salad and flatbreads. This is my kind of starter! I really enjoyed the mix of the different elements to this sharing plate and they all complimented each other really nicely.
For our main dishes we chose the 'Roasted Aubergine, Spinach & Harissa Burger' and the 'Spiced Coconut Curry'. The burger is served in a rustic roll alongside a red pepper puree and a chilli, kale and cauliflower couscous salad. Again, this dish was really flavoursome and very filling.
The curry is a mix of roasted squash and sweet potato served with sticky jasmine rice. It has a very Thai inspired taste to it which we both really enjoyed. The curry is mild in it's spiciness level which I found to be very appealing. This dish actually left me wanting more which is always a good sign!
After all of that food we didn't really have much room left for desserts but we couldn't leave without trying a couple! We went for the 'Coconut Sorbet' and the 'Chocolate Tart'.
Coconut ice cream/sorbet is probably my all time favourite dessert so I knew I couldn't go wrong with this one. Even though it's referred to as a sorbet on the menu it has much more of a creaminess to it than I was expecting which made it all the more enjoyable.
The chocolate tart is substantial and again comes with a scoop of the delicious coconut sorbet and chocolate sauce. This dessert really pushed us over the edge and we couldn't even finish it but we certainly enjoyed what we tasted!
I'd like to thank the lovely people at The George & Dragon for inviting me along to see their newly refurbished and impressive pub. It felt like such a treat being the first inside to see the new space and to be able to sample so much from the menu was a real pleasure! I would definitely recommend paying them a visit if you're in the area or if you're looking for somewhere different to visit for a meal out.
Do you like the new look of The George & Dragon?
* This post was created in collaboration with The George & Dragon.
All views and opinions expressed are honest and my own.
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