29 Apr 2025
Matt Adams whiles away a spring evening at the Harpenden country pub…
A word to the wise: it’s actually a lot further to walk from pre-dinner drinks in the centre of Harpenden to The White Horse on Redbourn Lane, although you do get to indulge in a bit of property envy walking past the sprawling mansions and quaint cottages of West Common en route.
It’s definitely worth the effort when you get there, as the patio was heaving with patrons enjoying the last of the day’s sunshine, with some even spilling into the secret garden area to the rear (a quick caveat here – our exterior photos were taken earlier in the day to take advantage of the better light, hence why the pub garden looks empty!).
It was starting to get a bit chilly though, so we were pleased to take a table indoors, although I’m not sure the more reserved diners sitting adjacent appreciated the arrival of our somewhat lively daughters.
That said, The White Horse certainly does not discriminate, and the restaurant area was filled with a mix of couples, other young families, and older guests meeting friends for an early evening meal, all greeted with enthusiasm and warmth by manager Bronte Bell-Ward, celebrating her 10th year at the venue.
The pub’s new spring menu has been compiled in collaboration with chef and author Gemma Ogston, and features a variety of seasonal dishes including her famous Rainbow Lasagne, which comes packed with 15 different veggies from red pepper to butternut squash, served in a cashew sauce with bechamel and pesto. It’s one of several new plant-based additions, all with an emphasis on providing nourishing food which is also good for the soul.
But any attempts to encourage the five-year-old and the near-teen to sample anything out of their normal comfort zones unfortunately fell on deaf ears and so for starters they opted for a carb combo of warm sourdough with salted butter and a portion of halloumi fries.
The bread and butter was actually so good it was soon being shared across the table, while the fries were just on the right side of gooeyness and also polished off in quick succession.
From the specials, I went for the sweet chilli and paprika chicken wings, served with a sprinkling of fresh chilli and spring onion to balance out the lush sticky sauce, while my partner opted for the classic prawn cocktail, which came with a Bloody Mary dressing to die for, and although echoing the original hors d’oevre of many a seventies dinner party, was much more contemporary when it came to flavours and presentation.
We also enjoyed some glasses of south eastern Australian Shiraz, which offered hints of plums and berries and proved the perfect accompaniment to my choice of mains.
While the progeny went for a small cut of sirloin steak and chunky chips and the homemade mac and cheese, my eyes were drawn to the braised beef and ale pie, which came with buttered mash, seasonal greens and a jug of gravy.
The pastry shell was just as I like it, shortcrust so thick you have to crack it open, only to discover an opulent filling of succulent meat inside
I rarely indulge in mash as it spikes my blood sugar to soaring heights, but there’s nothing wrong with treating yourself once in a while, and this definitely balanced out the inevitable crash at the end of the night. That doesn’t even take into account the fresh and crunchy veg and the rich and deeply-flavoured gravy, which was worthy of celebration on its own.
Again selecting from the specials board, my partner chose the market fish of the day: pan-fried sea beam fillet, new potatoes, tenderstem broccoli and brown butter. Fresh and light, it was a real spring dish, offering delicate flavours in perfect synchronicity, simple yet stand-out in its offering.
After forcing them to traipse all the way from town to get here, and with a similar walk back, we couldn’t deny the children some dessert, and of course it would have been rude if we didn’t indulge as well…
While they opted for various combinations of chocolate brownie and ice cream, we took a deep dive into the sinful dishes of the pudding menu. My partner had the dark chocolate fondant, which despite coming with caramelised white chocolate sauce and caramel cookie dough ice cream was by no means overwhelming in its sweetness, the fondant featuring a hint of bitterness which counteracted the rest of the dish.
Always one for the classics, I selected the cherry bakewell tart, which was served with a berry compote and vanilla ice cream. This was a warming, satisfying hug of a pudding, packed with fresh fruit flavours wrapped up in a crunchy shell, the sort of dessert you’d return to time after time.
Fresh seasonal ingredients and a perfect balance of flavours are at the heart of everything on the menu at The White Horse, and in all the years we’ve visited we’ve never once been disappointed by their delicious food, the welcoming atmosphere or the phenomenal service, with this evening being no exception.
Satisfaction guaranteed then, and somewhere to go out of your way to visit, even if that does mean walking all the way from town with two grumbling daughters in tow…
