“I’m famished” said Matt. Yes, it would have been a good idea to eat before starting a session.
But as Pub Curmudgeon has noted before, Stockport is a bit lacking in culinary options (particularly on a Monday with the outside dining only restrictions), and top cafe Where The Light Gets In was unexpectedly closed following the riot caused by Cookie and Mudgie demanding extra chips.
So we tried the Arden Arms, another Mudgie favourite whose reputation for quality pub food goes back decades.
We’d noted a long queue just before noon, but at 1.20 it looked our best bet.
And 10 minutes later we were in.
And 10 minutes later we were seated in their gorgeous courtyard in the sun. Life is Sweet, as someone once sang.
Now I can tell you the service was friendly and efficient, those fish and chips (with bread and butter !) very well cooked, and the other customers unpretentious and incapable of ridicule.
But actually, it was the beer that won the day for the Arden. ONE sip of the Unicorn, cool, crisp and luscious and I remembered how good the Robbies flagship (or is it Dizzy Blonde ?) can be. The glass helps.
“This, THIS is what beer should taste like” I said to Matt. He nodded in the way you nod at anyone on their 5th pint*.
In fact, the only downer was having to sit through Enrique Iglesias’s “Hero” (he’s no Julio), and the regret that I couldn’t sit inside at this corner table.
But honestly, this was beer worth travelling from the States for, let alone Sheffield.
*I actually phoned him up the next night to apologise for that display. “You’re retired” he said.
retiredmartin 
Great stuff Martin – what exactly was the first meal meant to be? Were you actually served that somewhere?
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Un-food. Pic from their website. To be honest I’d like to eat there.
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What a great way to end in Stockport. I didn’t realize they had a garden area.
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Neither did I. Ate and drank inside. Not sure I’d been in on a day warm enough for a beer garden before.
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The beer in the Arden is always very well-kept these days. The same people have the Swan With Two Necks now as well.
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And they have made the Arden less self-consciously “gastro” than it had been in the last couple of years of the previous licensees.
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Yes, it did seem that way.
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Didn’t know that. I need to put those NBSS scores in.
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I’ve had lovely turkey sandwiches in the Arden Arms ( and a pint of Old Tom last time I was in )
I remember when proper pubs didn’t sell chips because they took the head off the beer but, firstly, that was before tight sparklers made any beer look ‘good’ and, secondly, it wouldn’t have that effect outside the pub.
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““THIS is what beer should taste like, son””
With that comma, I can’t help but read that as the beer tasting like Matt’s… sweat? 😉
“Yes, it would have been a good idea to eat before starting a session.”
Words to live by.
“and top cafe Where The Light Gets In was unexpectedly closed following the riot caused by Cookie and Mudgie demanding extra chips.”
That’s it with the white roll down door thingy on the right.
“So we tried the Arden Arms, another Mudgie favourite whose reputation for quality pub food goes back decades.”
Hopefully that’s not a sample of their cuisine in the photo above.
“And 10 minutes later we were in.”
Huzzah!
“And 10 minutes later we were seated in their gorgeous courtyard in the sun.”
Did you have to wait another 10 minutes as well inside?
“and the other customers unpretentious and incapable of ridicule.”
I’m sure BRAPA could’ve found something to comment on. 😉
“and I remembered how good the Robbies flagship (or is it Dizzy Blonde ?) can be”
Probably the Unicorn. That was their first public house back in 1838. Besides, Dizzy Blonde is too unwoke. 😉
“He nodded in the way you nod at anyone on their 5th pint*.”
(slow golf clap)
“and the regret that I couldn’t sit inside at this corner table.”
Soon good sir.
“*I actually phoned him up the next night to apologise for that display. “You’re retired” he said.
Brilliant! 🙂
Cheers
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Re: Where The Light Gets In – yes it is a sample of their food. Duncan had deep fried haggis and fries there once.
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A sample of their food? Blimey!
As for Duncan’s repast, I’m guessing he pulled a Si and brought it in himself. 😉
Cheers
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“You’re retired”. Looking forward to having that excuse.
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You know you are “oop North ” when the fish & chops comes with bread & butter -but what is the green stuff -samphire ? (rather small portion of mushys too ! )
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Guacamole, I think Peter Mandelson said.
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This is one of your all-time great lines: “He nodded in the way you nod at anyone on their 5th pint” –I have no doubt been on the receiving end of such nods myself, on all too many occasions!
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I would like to have been there to see that, Mark.
My impression of American drinkers is that you’re legless after one bottle of Bud, but you can drink a bottle of Bourbon and 20 shots and be fine.
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That night my friend and I ended up at The Castle in Macclesfield was a 5-pint evening, I think, if not 6! Ah, memories….
I’ve never been a big fan of whisky, I must say; closest I can get to really enjoying it is in the form of a whisky sour or some other such drink.
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“You’re retired” he said.
This does make me think he’s already been checking out sheltered housing for you (at the very least).
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