The Cowshed

Situated at the heart of Whiteladies Road, The Cowshed is a restaurant that people will frequently pass by during their daily activities. Its convenient location surely lends to how busy it often is. The Saturday just passed was no different when I visited around 1 o’clock.  After a very brief wait, my girlfriend and I were politely greeted and shown to a table upstairs, towards the back of the restaurant.

The decor and atmosphere inside felt as if you were sat inside somebody’s living room, a very nice one at that. Decorating the walls were the most pictures of cows I have ever, and probably will ever, see in my life. No doubt beef was on the menu! Despite this inevitability, after promptly being served our drinks, as a starter I ordered pork medallions with a hoisin sauce. They arrived much quicker than expected and already I was impressed with the service. To complement the so-far-excellent service, the starter was delicious! The pork was incredibly tender and the sauce was perfectly sweet; I could have had another two portions right away.

Continuing with a very speedy service, it didn’t take long after finishing my medallions to be looking at my main. I had ordered a minute steak with egg, chips and peppercorn sauce. The steak was very good, but I think the pork I had previously set the bar very high in terms of expectations. That being said, I have often found the smaller minute steaks to be a bit tougher than their weightier counterparts, regardless of where I have had them. The chips were served in a separate little pot and were just how I like them, golden, crispy and clearly cooked in oil. Along with the egg and peppercorn sauce, I thoroughly enjoyed the meal. The egg lent towards it feeling more like a very nice breakfast but I can’t think of what would work better in its place.

Overall I thought the meal was brilliant and the service outstanding. My minute steak has led to an intrigue whereby I plan on visiting The Cowshed for dinner in the near future. When I do, I will try one of the bigger steaks that are well represented by not only the dozens of framed pictures but by the name of the restaurant itself.