FOOD REVIEW: The Greyhound, Midhurst

Life doesn’t get much better.

A night at the Greyhound, nestling beside the A286 road to Midhurst, is memorable indeed.

The ambience is lovely – there’s a very friendly feel about the place, and the staff are cheerful and attentive. Manager Mike Sexton knows how to put his customers at ease.

Mike and Elaine Fulcher have been at the Greyhound for 18 years, and son Ashley is now slowly taking over along with Jackie, who has been preparing meals at the restaurant for 17 years.

It’s a genuine freehouse, and there’s a massive selection of real ales and wines.

There is a separate restaurant as well as tables in the main bar area and two garden areas.

So what of the food? Simple – it’s delightful.

The lunch for a fiver has proved a hit with locals, as had the Sunday roast from £9.95.

One secret of their success is the way they use local produce. All the food is sourced locally. The fish is fresh from the boat of Solent Fish in Portsmouth – it’s caught, taken to Midhurst, cooked and eaten within hours. Morgan’s Butchers of Petersfield provides the meat, and Charlie Foot’s farm in Chidham supplies the veg. That means whatever is in season is available.

The fruit is from a Chichester supplier, and the herb supplier is from Sussex.

I can vouch for the fish – my cod, encased in a crunchy beer batter, fell off the fork, it was so fluffy.

My daughter’s roasted lamb rump, fondant mushroom, mini lamb burger, dauphinoise potato and veg was demolished.

That was a dish on the specials board – don’t forget to check it out.

Before that, my starter of a hot creamy pot of chicken breast with fresh herbs, and crusty bread to dunk, was simply superb.

My daughter’s whitebait starter didn’t last long, either – a sure sign of a tasty dish.

Fancy a treat? All through March, there’s a Friday steak night offer of two meals for £15, and a two-for-one special menu on Monday nights.

Now they can’t be missed.