The Centurion, Waterlooville
So, you want to eat out but can't afford it in these credit crunch times? Publicans Alick and Julie Sutherland have come up with a two-course meal noon and night time for the princely – or should I say pauper's – sum of £2.50.
At their 'friendly neighbourhood' pub, The Centurion in Waterlooville, they pre-empted the economic gloom four months ago by offering their menu at this time-warp figure.
Of course this critic was doubtful of the quality, the service, the standard – you name it, I was cynical.
The Centurion is not what you'd call a pretty pub. Square and block-like, it stands in a large car park in a residential area.
The cavernous interior is mainly given over to boys' toys, a large flat screen for all the sports in the world (but I bet it's the footie that triumphs here), a large pool table and a darts area. There's a dance floor and space for live bands.
It's clean, functional and, above all, very welcoming.
The Sutherlands take their role very seriously. They are mine hosts extraordinaire, with an open mike night, live music, quiz night, bingo, open darts competition and real ale festival.
The 2.50 menu (a main course and dessert) features a small choice – and rightly so too.
If the chef has any chance to get it right, then keep those home-cooked dishes compact. And most of them are home-made dishes, assures the helpful, professional barman.
Liver and bacon with mash, peas, cabbage or baked beans; sausages and mash with onion gravy and those vegetables (they pitch up with most mains); spaghetti carbonara with mushrooms or bacon in a cream and egg sauce with salad; spaghetti Bolognese; ham or cheese omelette with chips and veg or sweet potato and chick pea curry with roti bread are on offer, the fish cakes not of the made-in-this-kitchen kind.
Was it worth the detour to eat here? Well, according to Alick a couple drive from West Sussex to visit their 106-year-old relative in a home and take advantage of the cheap eats.
The liver and bacon, cooked in casserole fashion – chunks of lambs' liver and bacon in a very tasty gravy – was delicious, the mash some of the best I've come across, the cabbage sensitively undercooked to a light green, not mushy grey.
Puds are British stalwarts: treacle roly poly; apple crumble; spotted dick. Some are made in-house, others, the strudels, chocolate fudge cake and ice creams are not.
A bread and butter pudding was fashioned by the chef's own hands but was left, the soggy pudding smothered in uber-sweet powdered custard not up to scratch.
Has the Sutherland's bold stunt paid off? I bet they're mobbed, although I saw no sign of holding back the crowds when I visited. But this is a hard-to-beat offer. Coupled with a pleasant atmosphere and a whole lot of fun going on plus some really good beers, I defy anyone to better this deal in these decidedly bizarre banking times.
My bill came to 3.60 – yes, 3.60 – for those two courses and half a pint of excellent bitter. Have they started a trend?
The Centurion, Crookhorn Lane, Waterlooville PO7 5RE. (023) 9225 8321.
Open: Midday-3pm and 5pm-7pm for meals, otherwise 11am-11pm (Mon-Thu), 11am-1am (Fri-Sat), midday-10.30pm (Sun).
Food: ***
Service: ****
Atmosphere: ***
Disabled access: Yes.
How to get there: Take the A3 from Portsmouth through Cosham, exiting on to Portsdown Hill (B2177). Turn left on to Crookhorn Lane, forking left to continue on this road once it meets College Road, the pub on the left. Large car park.
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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