The Food Review: The Pot Kiln, Frilsham
For years the Pot Kiln in Frilsham has been a destination pub, well known for its good food and beautiful rural setting.
At the beginning of the year, the team behind the Royal Oak in Yattendon took over and spent five months totally transforming it into a Basque-inspired marvel.
The ideas behind the new offering were inspired by landlord Rob McGill’s studies and travels in Spain and the Basque country.
His vision was to make it “rustic yet very comfortable, and accessible to all”.
He wanted the Basque feel to run through the heart of everything they do, but for the roots to remain firmly in the classic English pub that it had always been. And judging by my visit, it’s living up to that promise.
It’s been open since May and chef Nick Galer said they are still improving and adding to it – with a small private dining area opening soon.
The menu is inspired by the Basque region – including the French part of it. My friend was excited to see the tomato toast she fondly remembered from childhood holidays at the top of the menu.
From prawns and lamb, to beans and Galician beef – there is something for everyone to try. All of the food is cooked over the flames, with 80 per cent charcoal and 20 per cent wood used.
It isn’t just the menu that has been given a makeover – the building itself has been transformed. The bar has been extended, with the snug drinking area from yesteryear still there to allow people to enjoy a drink or some food in comfort by the open fire (when the winter sets in).
The jewel in the crown is the new kitchen that is now proudly open to the diners – and at its heart sits the huge charcoal fired parilla grill and brick oven.
The grill was imported from Spain to ensure pure authenticity of cooking techniques and flavours as well as theatrical wonder for guests as they watch their food being prepared.
The Pot Kiln also has seven beautifully decorated guest rooms, as well as a staff accommodation on site. Three of the rooms available to the public are in the old part of the pub, while the other four are in a barn conversion.
The gardens have also been totally relandscaped and the huge new outdoor pizza oven sits proudly out the back. The return of Sunday evening pizza caused huge excitement and it wasn’t just the staff who were excited to see it back, said Nick – hundreds of people converged on the pub on the first day to enjoy it too.
Nick, a 45-year-old father of two, first worked with Rob when they relaunched the Royal Oak in Yattendon. He worked in a number of other kitchens, including opening one of celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal’s pubs in Bray, before he was approached again by Rob, who asked him to run the rebranded Pot Kiln. He said it was a project that really enthused him and he couldn’t refuse.
“I have always loved food and cooking,” he said. “And I have always tried to put myself in really good environments and I want that for the teams here.
“I want people to have a good experience when they come here and get something they wouldn’t get in another dining pub.
“People wander up and chat to the chefs and want to know what’s going on with their food and see how it works in a kitchen.”
He said the idea for dining at the Pot Kiln is “more open” than just ordering a starter, main and dessert.
“We are very open to anybody,” Nick added. “You can come and have some chips and a pint or have some small plates.
“People can try things in a grazing style so it will come out when it’s ready, or you can choose to have a starter and then a main course.”
He said the chefs were enjoying getting to learn more about cooking on the grill and said there was still more for them to learn on their journey.
It was a busy Tuesday evening when my friend and I went along to try it out. We both started with a refreshing mocktail (£5), before discussing what dishes we should try with our incredibly friendly and knowledgeable waiter.
We settled on four small dishes – friggitelli peppers (£7), Gambas, lemon and chilli (£11), Jamon Iberico de Belotta paleta (£22 per 100g) and grilled focaccia, Mestral EV olive oil (£4).
It was a deliciously messy way to enjoy an evening with a friend. We chatted as we tried bits off each plate, sharing memories of past days as well as our food.
I love nothing more than shell-on prawns and the flame-grill added such flavour; it was a delight. The crispy, yet light and fluff, focaccia was perfect for mopping up the lemon and chilli dressing afterwards too. Our appetites whetted, we opted for round two.
This time we tried the grilled courgettes with pesto (£7), as I have an allergy it was made nut-free without any trouble at all; red tuna tartare (£12); and PK chips with jamon, melted galmesan (a kind of parmesan-like cheese) and bravas seasoning.
The take on the Spanish staple of patatas bravas was delicious and the waiter was right when he promised, “once you’ve tried PK chips, you’ll never be able to go back”.
We didn’t have room to try everything, but we did witness some of the showpiece dishes coming up to the pass. The Galician blond ‘txuleton’ aged Basque rib of beef (£105 for two/three people) and the 12-hour lamb shoulder (£60 for two) looked particularly impressive and, if the smells were anything to go by, would have tasted just as good.
We did manage to find room for a dessert – Canutillas de Bilbao (£9.25) – four delicate, crunchy pastry cones filled with chocolate custard cream and lemon custard cream (by far the nicest lemon flavours I’ve tried in a long time). An indulgent end to a lovely experience.
This perfect way of dining allows you to enjoy a fusion of flavours as you pick and choose a variety of small plates, rather than having to decide on one main dish. A little slice of Spain in West Berkshire – well worth a visit.
The Pot Kiln, Chapel Lane, Frilsham, RG18 0XX
thepotkiln.co.uk