The Beehive roast dinner was buzzing

It was the dining destination of choice for me and my partner Liam one sunny Sunday lunch time.

You can’t miss the pub on the approach into the village. As we swung into the car park I spotted a couple sitting outside sipping beers in the autumn rays.

Once inside it was busy. Every table was occupied and a great smell of home cooked food wafted through the place.

We were a few minutes early for our 1pm table reservation so we perched on stools at the bar and ordered two refreshing glasses of Coke.

The greeting from the waiting staff was friendly and I immediately felt welcomed.

The Beehive is a very traditional, cosy pub, decked out with all the chintz and antique nick-nacks you would expect.

The bar hosts some fine ales too. If proof were needed of this pub’s real ale credentials, Rotherham CAMRA named it Pub of the Year 2011.

After a few minutes and a flick through the Sunday papers our table had been prepared and we were shown where to sit.

I had been hungrily eyeing up the menu and had selected my favourite dish – steak and ale pie (£8.10). I chose to have it served as a roast, rather than with chips.

Liam was pondering which of the SIX meats to have with his roast dinner. He eventually made a beeline for the lamb, choosing it over beef, pork, gammon, salmon fillet or turkey (£7.95).

Yummy-sounding starters included fully loaded nachos (£3.25), cheese and bacon potato skins (£3.75) and whole baked Camembert (£4.25). Mains included pasta Alfredo (£8.10) and sweet and sour chicken, rice and prawn crackers (£7.50).

We only waited around ten minutes for our food to arrive. Steaming bowls of veg and spuds were placed on our table alongside huge plates holding our meaty components, plus Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes and parsnips.

All the veg - chunky carrots, juicy peas, buttery cabbage and new potatoes – was fresh and piping hot. As was the thick, glistening gravy.

The pastry on my pie was crispy and delicious, while the filling of tender steak chunks and rich, thick gravy melted in the mouth.

Liam said his lamb was tasty and tender. He lathered it in the obligatory mint sauce and tucked right in.

We fell silent as we sampled each part of our platefuls. A pleasant surprise was the parsnip and roast potato which had been deep fried to tasty effect.

It was a shame that the Yorkshire puds were not homemade. But the number of diners meant the kitchen would not have had time to do them from scratch.

It was a struggle but we cleared our plates. I can honestly say my roast at The Beehive was one of the best I’ve had.

By Hayley Gallimore

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