Reviewed November 2007
Only a ten minute drive from Verwood, Drusilla’s has recently been transformed by its new owners Nicky & Gary Watling with a completely new menu and a new friendly service! We last visited Drusilla’s at Horton a couple of years ago where we spent a very pleasant evening, but since then there have been many unfortunate changes which many readers may have heard about.
Enter Nicky and Gary who previously ran the popular “Herb Pot” Bistro in Ashurst. Gary and his chef James have brought a combined 40 years of catering experience with them, together with various international competition catering prizes, so the emphasis is most definitely on the new menu which must be good news!
Using this experience, Gary and Nicky intend to offer simple, freshly made, locally sourced, seasonal, quality food at sensible prices in a relaxed informal atmosphere.
In addition to the meals, all the sauces, purees and more importantly the after dinner chocolates are all freshly made! Meals can be eaten throughout the pub at the same price with the option of a waitress service in the main “Round Room” restaurant.
The pub interior is broken up int
o 4 different areas. The main bar which can cater for 30. The “Round Room” restaurant which can cater for 40 and boasts a spectacularly high vaulted “oast house” style roof. The spacious contemporary lounge with leather sofas and beyond this the larger bar which can cater for functions up to 70 with bespoke party menus, although Nicky suggested that 60 is a more comfortable number!
Gary sources all the food from numerous local suppliers where possible which is always cooked from fresh on the premises, so the menu changes regularly depending what is in season and what is available, which brings us neatly round to the evening’s main event!
Since all the food is freshly cooked the range of dishes is carefully selected depending what is in season but together with the specials blackboard, there is plenty of choice and unfortunately all the dishes sound equally tempting!
All the first courses were accompanied by delicious sauces such as home made piccalilli, onion marmalade and crème fraiche infused with chopped dill to name but a few! My husband decided on the Prawn & Smoked salmon roulade filled with crème fraiche infused with chopped dill whilst I selected the pan fried dived scallops served with crispy rocket, vine tomato and bacon salad. The more than helpful Tom, our waiter explained that dived sca
llops are hand selected by a diver rather than the usual dredged way of harvesting which means they are drier and obviously much tastier I thought. My husband who is not a great fan of scallops thought these were actually really rather delicious!
The main courses looked just as tempting as the first courses, also with their accompanying home made sauces and dressings! We chose from the specials board and selected the juicy char-grilled venison glazed with stilton and mushrooms and also the saddle of rabbit stuffed with wild mushrooms and served with cider cream. Both meals were accompanied by a melange of beautifully cooked fresh vegetables which complimented perfectly the wonderful wild country tastes of the meat dishes.
There was no pudding or dessert menu to select from, only Drusilla’s Temptations! All had equally tempting sauces, even the bread and butter pudding had a Grand Marnier sabayon glazing! It was becoming so difficult to decide!
Finally my h
usband went the whole hog and had the Belgian chocolate fondue which was an individual pot of warm melted chocolate with a selection of fresh fruit and marshmallows to dunk! I was marginally more restrained and went for the white chocolate crème brulee with fresh raspberries!
To make matters worse, Gary presented the final coffees with a selection of his homemade white chocolates which since we are both chocoholics wasn’t really a great problem!
Nicky and Gary have done wonders to Drusilla’s Inn and have transformed the menu with superb freshly cooked food at sensible prices in a welcoming venue for all occasions, whether it’s a quiet drink, a mid week meal or a full blown party & celebration. And it’s only 10 minutes away from Verwood! We’ll definitely be returning very soon!
Drusilla’s Inn, Wigbeth, Horton, Wimborne, Dorset, BH12 7JH. 01258 840297. www.drusillasinn.co.uk
