When you think of a country pub you often hope for a roaring fire, plenty of ales and lots of comfy seating to sit and chat. We love a good pub with some rustic, rural character. In that sense the newly refurbished Springfield Inn at Lowdham could well rise up our list of places to visit on a cold winters night.
Set back off the Epperstone Bypass road, access is via the Old Epperstone Road beside the garages but it's hard to miss the large 6ft tall signs beside the main road. The Springfield Inn is part of the Vintage Inns group and promises hearty food from an extensive menu.
The Springfield Inn has recently gone through a makeover and we were invited down to see just what had been done with the place. It's about 5 years since I last set foot in the Springfield and I could barely remember what it was like previously so clearly it hadn't really set my world alight then. However now is a rather different story. We often nip in the nearby Nags Head at Woodborough for their 'Whale and Chips' as the parents are only up on Mapperley Top, however we may have found a new countryside favourite away from the city.
We were at the Springfield Inn to sample their menu so had some high hopes from our initial impressions on walking in. The makeover has really given the pub some charm and it seems the kind of place that will be as welcoming to young families out for a meal or locals out catching a crafty pint during the dog walk.
The Scallops and Prawns were a very well presented starter in a great looking earthenware bowl. The scallops were gently cooked to perfection and simply melted in the mouth and the prawns were also cooked wonderfully with the compliment of the garlic butter, On this occasion it was only myself who went for the starter as Jem decided she wanted to save some room for dessert.
Other notable starters on the menu included the amazing sounding Broad Bean, Spring Onion and Pecorino Croquettes, as well as a Smoked Duck Breast with Blackcurrant Curd.
For mains we opted for the Seared Sea bass on a Prawn and Lobster Risotto. and went for the British Classic of Roast Chicken with Stuffing wrapped in Bacon with seasonal vegetables and a Red Wine Jus.
The Sea bass with Prawn and Lobster Risotto again came out on a matching earthenware plate to the scallop starter. As you'll see above it was initially had to tell it was indeed a risotto. Thanks to a significantly smooth texture it was almost like American Style Mac N Cheese with hints of lobster and prawn. It was unlike many of the risotto's I've had previously with a velvety smooth texture
The Sea bass Fillet was beautifully cooked with a hint of smokiness from the searing process. The fish was cooked to perfection. Light and flaky having been filleted well with no bone
The Roast Chicken came out looking amazing and not like the usual roast dinner. In honesty it was more Poussin due to it's size so on the premium end of the spectrum. We'd expected either a nice chicken leg joint of maybe even slices, not a whole bird so hats off to the Springfield.
The seasonal vegetables were fresh with a sweet crunch to the carrots, fresh potatoes and with a the cabbage well cooked. The sage and onion stuffing wrapped in bacon was well flavoured but we're biased that life tastes better with a bit of piggy.
Something Different- Low Alcohol Beer
We love a good beer or real ale but for me there was an intriguing option on the drinks menu. Brewdog Nanny State. A low alcohol beer. Having been in the Brewdog pub in Nottingham I know they're passionate about their ales so if they've turned their hands to something lower in alcohol the likelihood is that it's something very good.
The Brewdog Nanny State despite being a low alcohol beer packs a good punch. It's malty without
the chemical tinge of many a low alcohol beer. It's make a great drink for drivers and I'd happily have a few more. If I see some on my travels I'll pick some up for the fridge at home as they'll be great for school nights. The psychological effect of having a beer without the subsequent effects.
If you don't want a low alcohol beer there's plenty of other options at the bar
Desserts are often a way of making, or breaking somewhere for us. With a great starter and mains we were hoping for something very nice from the Spingfield Inn and opted for a Sticky Toffee and Apple Pudding alongside a Bakewell Slice. It didn't say Bakewell Tart, Bakewell Pudding or slice of Mr Kiplings Bakewell Slice so it had us intrigued. I love a good Bakewell Pudding so the word itself makes me salivate like one of Pavlov's dogs. Even cycling through Bakewell leads to a state of salivation so I'm always going to opt for such an option.
Jem opted for the Sticky Toffee and Apple Pudding with a special request for it being with custard, custard and only custard please. The above came out looking gooey and ready to attack although Jem would have rather received it with the custard in a nice little little pot so she could pour as she wished. When pouring custard onto a large area the surface area is increased and the rate of cooling dramatically increases too so you have to wolf down the custard whilst still hot.
The pudding itself was very nice. A sweet, yet not too sweet stick toffee pudding laced with chunks of apple and apple puree added gentle sweetness. It was served with the right amount of custard and the contrast between each mouthful kept you guessing on the flavours,
The Bakewell Slice was an intriguing choice and came out not as I'd expected. It arrived with 4 pieces of Bakewell Slice in a line topped with Chocolate, Vanilla and old school Butterscotch Ice Cream.
The Bakewell Slice Looked brilliant although my only concern was that the slice itself was a little on the dry side. Had it not been for the ice cream to soften the palate it would have potentially been too dry. Certainly the pastry sections were a little tough and maybe would have benefited from being left out the fridge a little longer. However in honesty I'm nit-picking and it was a nice dessert that could have been even better.
It was great to see some old school butterscotch ice cream on the dessert. I've not had it for years but the chosen ice cream was exceptionally smooth,
Free Pudding if your join the mailing list
If you fancy trying dessert for free, at present there's a nice offer on at the Vintage Inns Springfield Inn website. Sign up for their mailing list and you can have free pudding when you purchase a main meal.
We had a very nice meal at the Springfield Inn. Our starter and mains were cooked very well;. The Bakewell was a little on the dry side. It may have needed a little more airing although would have been acceptable for many. It's presentation however was very nice indeed and made up for the dryness
The pub environment was great. Friendly relaxed and welcoming. The roaring fires are crying to be sat at with a pint on a cold winters night. There's plenty of choice one what to sip in front of the fire too so there's something for pretty much everyone. We'll certainly be back at some point in the future.
We were invited to the Springfield Inn and part of our meal was paid for however as always we value our integrity- Our thoughts above are as though we were a regular customer.
The Sprinfield Inn
Old Epperstone Road
Lowdham
Nottingham
NG14 7BZ
Tel 0115 9663387
 |
| The Springfield Inn, Lowdham |
Set back off the Epperstone Bypass road, access is via the Old Epperstone Road beside the garages but it's hard to miss the large 6ft tall signs beside the main road. The Springfield Inn is part of the Vintage Inns group and promises hearty food from an extensive menu.
 |
| Cosy and Rustic |
The Springfield Inn has recently gone through a makeover and we were invited down to see just what had been done with the place. It's about 5 years since I last set foot in the Springfield and I could barely remember what it was like previously so clearly it hadn't really set my world alight then. However now is a rather different story. We often nip in the nearby Nags Head at Woodborough for their 'Whale and Chips' as the parents are only up on Mapperley Top, however we may have found a new countryside favourite away from the city.
 |
| Roaring Log Fires on a Cold November Night at the Springfield Inn |
We were at the Springfield Inn to sample their menu so had some high hopes from our initial impressions on walking in. The makeover has really given the pub some charm and it seems the kind of place that will be as welcoming to young families out for a meal or locals out catching a crafty pint during the dog walk.
Starters at the Springfield Inn
 |
| Black Pearl Scallops and Prawns in Garlic Butter with Rustic Bread |
The Scallops and Prawns were a very well presented starter in a great looking earthenware bowl. The scallops were gently cooked to perfection and simply melted in the mouth and the prawns were also cooked wonderfully with the compliment of the garlic butter, On this occasion it was only myself who went for the starter as Jem decided she wanted to save some room for dessert.
Other notable starters on the menu included the amazing sounding Broad Bean, Spring Onion and Pecorino Croquettes, as well as a Smoked Duck Breast with Blackcurrant Curd.
Main Courses
For mains we opted for the Seared Sea bass on a Prawn and Lobster Risotto. and went for the British Classic of Roast Chicken with Stuffing wrapped in Bacon with seasonal vegetables and a Red Wine Jus.
 |
| Seared Sea bass with a Prawn and Lobster Risotto |
The Sea bass with Prawn and Lobster Risotto again came out on a matching earthenware plate to the scallop starter. As you'll see above it was initially had to tell it was indeed a risotto. Thanks to a significantly smooth texture it was almost like American Style Mac N Cheese with hints of lobster and prawn. It was unlike many of the risotto's I've had previously with a velvety smooth texture
The Sea bass Fillet was beautifully cooked with a hint of smokiness from the searing process. The fish was cooked to perfection. Light and flaky having been filleted well with no bone
 |
| Roast Chicken with Stuffing and Seasonal Vegetables |
The Roast Chicken came out looking amazing and not like the usual roast dinner. In honesty it was more Poussin due to it's size so on the premium end of the spectrum. We'd expected either a nice chicken leg joint of maybe even slices, not a whole bird so hats off to the Springfield.
The seasonal vegetables were fresh with a sweet crunch to the carrots, fresh potatoes and with a the cabbage well cooked. The sage and onion stuffing wrapped in bacon was well flavoured but we're biased that life tastes better with a bit of piggy.
Something Different- Low Alcohol Beer
We love a good beer or real ale but for me there was an intriguing option on the drinks menu. Brewdog Nanny State. A low alcohol beer. Having been in the Brewdog pub in Nottingham I know they're passionate about their ales so if they've turned their hands to something lower in alcohol the likelihood is that it's something very good.
 |
| A Brewdog Nanny State Beer for Table 7 |
The Brewdog Nanny State despite being a low alcohol beer packs a good punch. It's malty without
the chemical tinge of many a low alcohol beer. It's make a great drink for drivers and I'd happily have a few more. If I see some on my travels I'll pick some up for the fridge at home as they'll be great for school nights. The psychological effect of having a beer without the subsequent effects.
If you don't want a low alcohol beer there's plenty of other options at the bar
 |
| Fancy a Beer or Cider- There's plenty of choice |
 |
| A selection of nice Ales too. |
And on to Desserts
Desserts are often a way of making, or breaking somewhere for us. With a great starter and mains we were hoping for something very nice from the Spingfield Inn and opted for a Sticky Toffee and Apple Pudding alongside a Bakewell Slice. It didn't say Bakewell Tart, Bakewell Pudding or slice of Mr Kiplings Bakewell Slice so it had us intrigued. I love a good Bakewell Pudding so the word itself makes me salivate like one of Pavlov's dogs. Even cycling through Bakewell leads to a state of salivation so I'm always going to opt for such an option.
 |
| Stickiy Toffee and Apple Pudding with Custard |
Jem opted for the Sticky Toffee and Apple Pudding with a special request for it being with custard, custard and only custard please. The above came out looking gooey and ready to attack although Jem would have rather received it with the custard in a nice little little pot so she could pour as she wished. When pouring custard onto a large area the surface area is increased and the rate of cooling dramatically increases too so you have to wolf down the custard whilst still hot.
The pudding itself was very nice. A sweet, yet not too sweet stick toffee pudding laced with chunks of apple and apple puree added gentle sweetness. It was served with the right amount of custard and the contrast between each mouthful kept you guessing on the flavours,
 |
| The Bakewell Slicew |
The Bakewell Slice was an intriguing choice and came out not as I'd expected. It arrived with 4 pieces of Bakewell Slice in a line topped with Chocolate, Vanilla and old school Butterscotch Ice Cream.
The Bakewell Slice Looked brilliant although my only concern was that the slice itself was a little on the dry side. Had it not been for the ice cream to soften the palate it would have potentially been too dry. Certainly the pastry sections were a little tough and maybe would have benefited from being left out the fridge a little longer. However in honesty I'm nit-picking and it was a nice dessert that could have been even better.
It was great to see some old school butterscotch ice cream on the dessert. I've not had it for years but the chosen ice cream was exceptionally smooth,
Free Pudding if your join the mailing list
If you fancy trying dessert for free, at present there's a nice offer on at the Vintage Inns Springfield Inn website. Sign up for their mailing list and you can have free pudding when you purchase a main meal.
There's also a 3 course Steak and Supper Menu on a Saturday evening from £20
Our Impressions of the Springfield Inn
We had a very nice meal at the Springfield Inn. Our starter and mains were cooked very well;. The Bakewell was a little on the dry side. It may have needed a little more airing although would have been acceptable for many. It's presentation however was very nice indeed and made up for the dryness
The pub environment was great. Friendly relaxed and welcoming. The roaring fires are crying to be sat at with a pint on a cold winters night. There's plenty of choice one what to sip in front of the fire too so there's something for pretty much everyone. We'll certainly be back at some point in the future.
We were invited to the Springfield Inn and part of our meal was paid for however as always we value our integrity- Our thoughts above are as though we were a regular customer.
The Sprinfield Inn
Old Epperstone Road
Lowdham
Nottingham
NG14 7BZ
Tel 0115 9663387
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