Eat My Words: We review the Ship in Pinchbeck

When I was little (yes, I know, I’m not that big now) I used to refer to a traditional Sunday dinner as a ‘proper dinner’. I’m not sure where that came from but I think you know where I was coming from. These days I don’t have a Sunday dinner that often but there’s something refreshingly ‘proper’ and traditional about one even now.

We decided to set sail for the Ship in Pinchbeck (OK, we walked) in the mood to tap into that innate love of the Sunday roast – and we weren’t disappointed.

If you’re not familiar with the Ship, it’s a thatched roof pub nestled next to the bridge over the railway line as Knight Street turns into Northgate. Blessed with seating by The Glen to the front and a garden terrace around the back, it’s a picturesque spot.

Inside, you’ll delve into a world that screams ‘country pub’ without being twee and patronising like those chains that pretend to be one. This is the real deal - wooden beams, wallpaper with red jacketed horseriders and animal displays in the windows. A smattering of jollity from the regulars formed a backdrop that suggested this is a well-loved venue – as did the busy car park.

The menu on a Sunday is refreshingly straightforward - three options each for starters, mains and desserts. It’s brought over to the table, you pick and the food comes out pretty quickly. No faffing about here, we all know what we’re here for.

The cosy return-to-childhood vibe of our Sunday dinners even made its way through to the soundtrack, with Gold radio providing the sorts of hits from the 60s, 70s and 80s that would’ve been playing out on the radio when tucking into a ‘proper’ dinner at home many moons ago.

I opted for the beef and Lorna, my ever-suffering partner, the turkey. Neither of us fancied starters - saving the space for dessert instead - and the haddock main did sound nice I thought but, for today at least, didn’t fit the bill.

The food was all piping hot – and the buzzword was definitely ‘generous’. Plenty of meat each, a couple of crisp and sizeable roast potatoes, a whopper of a Yorkshire pudding, a mountain of mash and a boat of gravy to drizzle on it all. The veg bowl on the side contained butternut squash, cabbage and broccoli – again more than plenty here too.

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I was a big fan of the pork stuffing - which was very tasty - and Lorna enjoyed the fact that the food was clearly freshly prepared in-house. They clearly cared about their food and the effort put in was rewarded. Plus, as someone who isn’t a particular fan of carrots, she was won over by the long roasted carrot that adorned each plate.

Lorna’s turkey was not dry or tough, while my melt-in-the-mouth beef was similarly excellent. We were both chuffed with our choices.

Lorna accompanied hers with some cranberry sauce which was surprisingly sweet and, again, very good quality.

The only downside for her was that the seasoning – on the side veg and the roast potatoes - was a smidgen overpowering by the end of the meal.

Once we’d polished that off it was on to dessert – where the generosity of the portions continued. Lorna ordered a chocolate and salted caramel delice (no, we didn’t know what that meant either, but the waiter informed us it was a mousse) while I opted for the cookies and cream (cough, Oreo, cough) cheesecake.

Lorna’s mousse came with an impressive ring of almonds, hazelnuts and pistachio dust. Better still, there was a Lindor ball hidden in the middle as a welcome surprise.

The cheesecake was light, creamy and flanked by caramel sauce and raspberries - with an Oreo-style base and lots of biscuit throughout. I’m sad to say that the hefty doorstep sized slice did defeat me. But what a way to go.

It was a ‘so good you need a walk and a lie down’ affair – richly enjoyable and deliciously ‘proper’.

Pinchbeck is, sadly, down to its last pub – with the Bell and the Bull sadly no longer serving customers. It’s time, then, to cherish the Ship and give it the love and support it deserves. With meals as satisfying as this, it’s a loyalty that is duly earned.

There were two sittings on a Sunday - 12 and 2 - and it’s best to book in advance as it can get busy - and it’s worth noting that it’s card payment only. There’s a separate menu - with a nice variety of options - posted on the pub’s Facebook page covering the rest of the week.

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Out of five:

Food: Excellent portion sizes and the food was fresh, piping hot and of good quality. The choice on a Sunday is straight to the point (they know what you want) ****

Drink: The old Secret Drinker would have a decent choice if he popped by the Ship. Ales included Adnams’ Ghost Ship, Black Sheep Ale and Abbot Ale all on offer alongside the likes of Mahou, Blue Moon and Leffe. We opted for Beavertown Neck Oil for a lighter session pale ale to accompany our food, but I’d have been truly spoiled for choice if I was just here for a drink *****

Decor: This is a country pub that makes a lot from a smallish space. There’s a sizable lawn and garden terrace, picnic benches by the riverside and a decent smattering of comfy chairs for drinkers/those awaiting a table. The Garden Room is light and airy, while the rest of the space leans in to the cosy, traditional vibe ****

Staff: The staff were attentive while still leaving you to get on with your meal. Everyone seemed cheerful and friendly. I even got complimented on my shirt by the lady behind the bar. Cheers! ****

Price: Three courses for Sunday dinner will set you back £26, or else it’s £7 for a starter, £14 for a main and £7 for a dessert. That measures up fairly well with the chain pubs - and looks better for value for money when you weigh that up with the amount of food you get for your money. The Neck Oil was £5 a pint which, sadly, seems to be about the going rate these days ****

Have you had a great meal? Share your own Eat My Words reviews or tell us where to try by emailing: news@lincsonline.co.uk