TOM HAWORTH channels his inner Mary Shelley but finds the new menu at The Check Inn is anything but a horror story

I have only once read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. It was as a young boy and it marked my first foray into Gothic fiction, a genre in which I have since failed to show much interest, save for the works of Edgar Allan Poe. I didn’t enjoy the book, nor did I appreciate Shelley’s other mournful yarns. I always thought her genius lay more in her choice of husband.

Still, there was a line in Frankenstein that struck me and has stayed with me since. The author writes: “Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.”

It was with this in mind that our threesome ventured to the Check Inn at Wroughton on a cold night in early January after hearing the once popular Thai restaurant had undergone a great and sudden change of its very own. The Woodland View pub has completely jettisoned any trace of its former Asian glory and has since reopened as a family eatery that serves traditional pub food.

It was a Thursday evening, if memory serves. As we entered we were immediately greeted by friendly bar staff who showed us to our seats and presented us with menus – by no means extensive menus, but ones that were soon to satisfy three very hungry hombres.

There is a strict rule when food reviewing that states we each must order a starter, a main course and a dessert, regardless of how full we might feel. So for starters, Adver Chris selected the smoked salmon Scotch egg (£5.50) while Adver Stephen and I went for the stuffed Portobello mushrooms (£5.50). I was a little disappointed to be told the combination black pudding was temporarily off the menu, as that had been my first choice. But stuffed mushrooms, as every sane person would surely agree, are always a winner.

We took a little longer deciding what to order for the main course as there were more than a couple of mouth-watering choices. After much deliberation, and a few changed minds, Adver Stephen opted for the rib-eye steak (£17.50) while Adver Chris and I chose opted the gourmet burger (£12.50). Dessert was yet to be decided.

As we placed our order we began chatting to the new owners, one of whom was perched, quite leisurely, on a stool at one end of the bar. It must be said that they immediately made us feel welcome and were nothing but charming, gracious and more than happy to attend to our every need. The gentleman on the bar stool revealed, rather interestingly, that the only thing that was frozen was their ice cream. This, we were told, was not due to a desire to keep electricity costs down or to save space in a crowded kitchen, but to ensure that everything was cooked fresh by the hands of professionals.

As we turned to head back to our seats, I caught a glimpse of an old piano in the corner of the room, which is always a pleasant addition to any dwelling, and especially one as pleasant as this. Now, I must clarify, I am no pianist. I can just about make the wretched thing sound vaguely melodious, given enough time to steady my nerves and remember where to place my fingers. I was awful, of course. But the staff and fellow patrons who had endured my palpably substandard clunking were courteous enough to give me a standing ovation, which was very sweet and greatly appreciated. The atmosphere that evening was warm and hospitable.

Needless to say, all that serenading had made me hungry, and luckily we weren’t waiting long before the starters arrived. Having never tried, or for that matter even heard of, a salmon scotch egg, Adver Chris was a little apprehensive. But he decided to take the gamble. And it paid off. It was, apparently, a surprisingly enjoyable combination. Well cooked, well-seasoned, and with enough of the salmon to taste without any over-powering fishiness. “The egg,” he declared, “was cooked to just the right softness, the breadcrumbs not too dry, but not too stodgy either.”

As Adver Stephen and I had ordered the same thing – stuffed Portobello mushrooms – we were able to compare notes, as it were. And after much consulting, we both agreed they were divine. Beautifully cooked and perfectly seasoned. Compliments to the chef all round.

Again, the main courses arrived soon after and we dived in with reckless abandon. Adver Stephen wasted no time getting stuck into his planet-sized steak, which in itself could easily have been mistaken for a prize cow. He said the meat melted in his mouth and the chips with which it was furnished were light and fluffy. Adver Chris and I lavished equal praise on the burger, which contained tasty, well-seasoned meat, cooked as we had asked, with chips made from real potatoes and a soft bun. The plate was perhaps lacking in garnishes and finishing touches – a more exciting side salad wouldn’t have gone amiss.

By this time were all suitably stuffed. But, not wishing to break the laws of food reviews, we still had dessert to order. Adver Stephen went for the cheese board, Adver Chris a mince pie with ice cream, and I chose a good old fashioned Eton Mess (all £4.25). The latter, my all-time favourite pud, was delicious. And although I was royally stuffed by this time, I could still perhaps have polished off another helping. It was fruity, creamy, crunchy, everything a proper Eton Mess should be.

Adver Chris thoroughly enjoyed his mince pie, describing it as “perfectly pleasant, either homemade or heated in the oven in such a way that one could have been convinced it was”, before qualifying with: “It didn’t blow my mind but it was enjoyable.” Adver Stephen took a while to eat his selection of cheeses, though that was entirely due to the fact that his steak had been as large as President Trump’s brain is small. But loath to see a man left behind, we gleefully helped him demolish the cheese.

Contemplating the meal on the drive home, as we often do, a philosophical Adver Stephen said: “Considering they are just setting out, and have big shoes to fill, I think they have set off on the right foot (pun probably not intended, knowing him) and will soon become the destination pub in the village.”

Thus this great and sudden change was not, as Shelley put it, a pain to the human mind. It was lovely, in fact. And we fully recommend it.

The Check Inn

Wroughton

79 Woodland View

SN4 9AA

http://www.thecheckinn.co.uk/

Parking: Yes

Disabled access: Yes

Food: 8/10

Customer service: 10/10

Choice: 7/10

TripAdvisor rating: 4/5