The Coach * | Marlow (UK)

Posted on by

Sometimes you can be disappointed when you revisit a place. But not this time!
The Coach in Marlow is my role model of what a modern gastropub should be!

Our second visit this year to The Coach in the beautiful Georgian town of Marlow (UK). See the first review here. It’s Tom Kerridge’s second pub and just a stones throw away from the first one, the two Michelin starred The Hand & Flowers. The Coach works on a non-bookable, first come first served basis, with unreserved tables and bar stool seating.

Opened in 2014 and awarded with it’s Michelin star in 2018, The Coach is my favourite gastropub. I love the concept, the atmosphere and the food! Head Chef Tom De Keyser is still in charge. From pot washing in a local bar to kitchen service at Gordon Ramsay’s York & Albany Hotel, Tom jumped into his chef career at the deep end and hasn’t looked back since. He joined The Hand and Flowers team just months after they were awarded their second star and was part of the opening team for The Coach less than five years later.

The Coach is open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are no starters or main courses on the menu, just 8 “Meat” and 14 “No Meat” dishes (at £4.50-£17.50) that arrive as they’re ready and are designed for sharing. The menu also offers 5 desserts (at £8.50-£9.50).

Menu and dishes are similar to our last visit in February this year. Prices have increased for about half the dishes by £0.50 or £1, like the Mussels Marinière (from £9.50 to £10.50), the Hispy Cabbage (from £3.50 to £4.50) and the Sticky Toffee Pudding (from £8.50 to £9.50). The Coach Burger has even been increased by £2.50 (from £11 to £13.50).

We had lunch last week Monday and selected a variety of dishes, which we all shared. We were seated at the bar, just in front of the kitchen, so had a great view of all the action.

The Coach Burger with Pulled Pork and Dill Pickle
The Coach Burger with Pulled Pork and Dill Pickle (£13.50)

I love the visual appearance of this dish and your mouth starts watering the moment you see it. And trust me, you’re not disappointed! The burger of pulled pork sits at the bottom, topped with molten cheese, crispy onions, coleslaw and pickle. The lightly toasted top-part of a burger bun completes the stack. Very tasty!

The Coach Chips with Béarnaise
The Coach Chips with Béarnaise (£5.50)

We know the chips here. Still excellent like last time! These truly deserve to be described as triple cooked chips. Just cooked in vegetable oil, so nothing special you would think. Just shows that good ingredients cooked well makes all the difference!

Cornish Pollock Scotch Egg with Shellfish Bisque
Cornish Pollock Scotch Egg with Shellfish Bisque (£9.50)

Scotch egg, with Cornish pollock instead of mince. Very nice although the onions in there were quite sharp. A great bisque, bold and deeply flavoured. Excellent although overpowering the fish a bit. 

Mussels Marinière with Warm Stout and Brown Bread
Mussels Marinière with Warm Stout and Brown Bread (£10.50)

Six giant meaty mussels in a creamy warm stout foam. This dish brings an absolute joy and comfort at the same time. Superb quality of the mussels. Mini loaf of brown bread to dunk in the stout foam.

"The Butchers Tap" Pork Rib Eye with Pear and Summer Truffle
“The Butchers Tap” Pork Rib Eye with Pear and Summer Truffle (£16.50)

Rotisserie of the Day was this pork rib eye, from The Butchers tap. Another Tom Kerridge’ venture, just across the road. Highly seasoned pork was very tasty, together with the lovely gravy with pear. Utterly delicious celeriac puree on the side with a pork croquette. Some pear and mushrooms on top of the pork and summer truffle to finish the dish. Excellent!

Venison Chilli with Toasted Rice Cream, Red Wine and Chocolate
Venison Chilli with Toasted Rice Cream, Red Wine and Chocolate (£13.50)

A scrumptious venison chilli con carne. Packed with flavour, enhanced by the red wine and chocolate, which accompany the venison perfectly. Gentle bit of heat in there as well Rice crispies on top add a nice twist to the texture.

Whole Stuffed Rotisserie Quaill with Haggis and Butternut Squash
Whole Stuffed Rotisserie Quaill with Haggis and Butternut Squash (£17.50)

We had the quail before, I absolutely recommend it. A bit of a different filling this time, with haggis and some apricots, which works brilliantly. Lovely squash sauce brings a nice harmony to the dish.

Peach Fool with Lemon Thyme Ice Cream and Salted Oats
Peach Fool with Lemon Thyme Ice Cream and Salted Oats (£8.50)

We were quite satisfied already, but I couldn’t resist trying one of the desserts. Peach fool almost like a foam so light. Love the ice cream with that distinct lemon thyme flavour. The salted oats are more like cookie bits. Lovely!

Sometimes you can be disappointed when you revisit a place, when you had a great experience the first time. In your mind, those experiences can be exaggerated over time, so expectations can be set too high for the second time. Fortunately this was not the case here. It’s great to see that the standards are maintained to the high level I remembered. I can repeat my own words from last time. These are deeply satisfying dishes, big on flavour and glowing with technical finesse.

The Coach in Marlow is my role model of what a modern gastropub should be. We will be back!