Michelin Bib Gourmand dining in a country pub setting
4.0 out of 5.0 starsIt’s always fun to get out of London and explore its neighbouring counties, especially to experience the joy of a country pub. We set off for Essex from South London on a sunny Friday, and within an hour we were deep in the Green Belt and sitting in the Galvin Green Man. Dating back to 1341, this historic pub is a rural sibling to the Galvin brothers’ stable of London restaurants. It’s also been awarded Michelin’s Bib Gourmand, so we went with high hopes for a good afternoon.
The Galvin Green Man is a big venue with many distinct areas, each offering a different atmosphere and experience. These range from an enormous garden, a dining terrace, private dining rooms upstairs and a cosy country pub complete with beams and a pub classics menu. We spent a long Friday lunchtime in their airy and spacious restaurant at the back of the pub.
There is a big range of drinks, soft and hard, available here. Not being the designated driver, I went straight for the Pineapple Punch. This mix of Planteray ‘Stiggins’ Pineapple Rum, Taylors Velvet Falernum, lemon, pineapple, cinnamon syrup and Angostura bitters sounded irresistible, and it was. It retained all the best bits of a Pina Colada but was a far less saccharine cocktail.
My companion (and driver) had to be on good behaviour so was restricted to a single refreshing pint of Estrella Galicia, one of her favourite lagers.
Wine lovers who can’t agree on which bottle to order will be pleased to know that the Galvin Green Man has a wide choice of wines on tap. I was tempted to keep ordering Pineapple Punches, but that would have been dangerous. Instead I ordered a glass of Chardonnay, Pays D’Oc, which promised hints of honey, stone fruit and citrus with a nice minerality – a good match for my fish main. A slight gripe: I wish it had been served colder.
And so we were primed to start eating. My friend was exploring the comprehensive à la carte menu and Golden tempura curried monkfish caught her eye. I watched jealously as this dish was placed in front of her – lightly battered monkfish tail, sitting on a bed of classic celeriac remoulade (yum) and served with a saffron mustard sauce and bright green herb oil.
Meanwhile, I decided to try the Galvin Green Man’s Michelin Bib Gourmand set menu. Three courses come in at a reasonable £36 and, for the less hungry, two courses cost £32. I enjoyed my starter of their take on carpaccio – very thinly sliced sirloin of aged beef, horseradish (this could have packed a bit more heat), wild rocket and a grating of Parmesan.
My friend’s 10oz aged ribeye was a big success, cooked to a point of perfect pinkness and packed with beefy flavour. All the accompanying items – the pea purée, Portobello mushroom, confit cherry tomatoes and red wine sauce – were of excellent quality. She had asked to swap the fondant potatoes that usually come with this steak for a side order of Crisp garlic potatoes. I ended up eating a great deal of these, a perfect mix of crunchy outside and waxy middle. We also shared the Fine beans and crispy shallots.
I was continuing with the set menu and picked the Whole Cornish megrim sole, lemon, capers and beurre noisette. The fish was good but no match for my friend’s stellar steak. I was mystified by the addition of sour grapefruit segments – a flavour match that didn’t quite work for me.
Choices choices. The Michelin Bib Gourmand menu presented me with two options, both of which I craved equally. In the end, I forwent the Baron Bigod cheese with truffled Green Man honey and went for the sweet dessert. The Fior di latte ice cream and big fat macerated Kent cherries were a delightful combination boosted by a crunchy chocolate soil.
Continuing on her voyage through the à la carte menu, my companion chose the Eton mess. Tonka bean meringue, cream, Essex strawberries and fruity squares of strawberry jelly all made for a satisfying twist on this classic summer dessert. We liked the “hedgehog” style presentation too.
The Galvin Green Man is a relaxed and welcoming place to drink and eat, indoors and out. Service is helpful and charming. The people who work here want their guests to have a good time. Well worth a venture out to the Essex countryside.
Main Rd, Howe Street, Great Waltham, Chelmsford CM3 1BG
Telephone: 01245 408 820
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