The Old Kings Arms team welcomed the award-winning Matt Healy into their kitchen last year, to great success. A brand new winter menu has just been launched, and we went along to give it a try.
Matt Healy’s Forde restaurant has been a fantastic addition to Horsforth since it opened here a couple of years ago. Being located next door to The Old Kings Arms has lead to a new partnership; Matt’s team from The Forde has taken over the pub kitchen and they’re offering some pub classics alongside some exciting Yorkshire tapas dishes.
Mr M and I had a pub lunch at The Kings in Horsforth, Leeds, today, along with Peggy (we brought her with us as it’s a dog and family friendly pub).
I opted for the classic fish and chip, which comes served with mushy peas (a new-found favourite of mine), tartare sauce and burnt lemon. Cor. It was delicious.
The batter on the fish was crisp and light, and the fish within was some of the best I’ve ever had. It was cooked to the very second of perfection. It was soft, flaked easily, and it was incredibly flavoursome. The burnt lemon added a deep yet sweet flavour, and the mushy peas had a touch of mint in them, which lightened the whole dish. Let’s not forget the chips, which were PROPER CHIPS. Delicious.
Mr M had the cumberland sausage ring, with buttered mash and onion gravy. It had some great touches to elevate it, whilst remaining true and being a brilliantly hearty dish that was bursting with flavour. The gravy was exceptional.
The rest of the menu looks excellent too, so there’s plenty to go back and try. There are some tempting starters, which could be enjoyed as tapas dishes instead (3 for £18). The country terrine, aged ham, black pudding and armagnac prunes is sure to deliver on flavour, and I’m tempted by the crispy char sui belly pork as well as the more classic mussels dish, cooked with wine and garlic.
The children’s menu has a good range of options so you should be able to find something that the wee ones will like (burgers, fish and chips, sausage and mash, or pasta). The Sunday roast was fully booked throughout December, so make sure you book ahead if you want to give it a try.
We really enjoyed our lunch at The Old Kings Arms; we had classic pub food with added flair and some of that Matt Healy magic. I just wish the pub fire had been lit as it was a cold day and the pub had yet to warm up. However, the service was excellent, and the food was fantastic – we’ll definitely be back.