Amazing dining experience at The Black Horse in Gosberton Risegate
The Black Horse at Gosberton Risegate has to be one of south Lincolnshire’s best-kept culinary secrets – restaurant-quality food, big portions and a lovely, cosy atmosphere.
I’ve lived in the district for 23 years but I’d never visited until my wife Josi and I were invited to dine there just before Christmas. Now, it will become that special place where we take friends and family. It really is that good.
When we visited, on December 22, we went for the three-course set Christmas menu, which is terrific value at £23.95. We could have enjoyed one course at £14.50 or two at £18.95 – and my full belly on the way home told me I probably should have opted for that latter option!
Running the pub are mother and daughter Sandra Anderson and Crystal Marinas, who have the mantra “Come to our house for dinner” and they really have created that homely feeling.
For my starter I chose the trio of home-smoked game, apple and grape salad which was so tasty and really brought to life by the mustard dressing.
Josi went for the breaded brie wedges, with roasted chestnut and cranberry salad and cranberry jelly, which she said was melt in the mouth tasty but not too filling, despite the generous portion.
Parsnip, honey and thyme soup and salmon terrine were the other options.
For her main, Josi enjoyed the pan-seared venison haunch, which she said was extremely tender and served in a delicious redcurrant and rosemary sauce, with potato croquette, kale and veg.
Crystal’s husband Andrew is a certified game hunter and Josi’s venison was from a deer shot in West Pinchbeck.
I went for featherblade beef, a shoulder cut I’d never tried before. It was served as a pulled beef tower on mash, alongside lovely roasted shallots, a huge Yorkshire pudding and roasted veggies, all with a delicious pan gravy.
Roast turkey with all the trimmings, baked salmon and nut roast were the other dishes available.
Now, we were absolutely stuffed at this stage, but it would be rude to turn down desert, wouldn’t it?
Full or not, my warm chocolate brownie in chocolate sauce, served with mint ice cream, was too good to leave and I ate it all. Josi did similar justice to her Christmas pudding and brandy sauce.
We could have had Belgian chocolate and orange cheesecake, ginger sponge or Lincolnshire cheeses and biscuits.
To put it simply, I cannot remember ever having a better pub dining experience. And to make things even more impressive, ingredients are nearly all locally sourced.
Most of the meat comes from Pinchin’s Farm Shop in Algarkirk, and honey is from Gosberton Clough and West Pinchbeck. They grow their own herbs, fruits and edible flowers and in the summer and autumn their garden flowers adorn the tables.
Vegetables and fruit come from J Hull Wholesale of Boston, although a generous family in Gosberton Clough give them plenty too. Fish is responsibly sourced from Cole’s Seafood of King’s Lynn.
