AFTER a major revamp and the launch of a spectacular new menu it is not hard to see why Bromsgrove’s Forest Harvester has been fully booked this week.
The Lickey End pub, on the Birmingham Road, has been given a new lease of life since reopening last Monday (May 15).
We went along to test out the new menu and to see how it looked after its refurbishment. And we were taken aback with the new dining experience now being offered there.
To start we ordered a shared platter, between three. That was just £12 and we opted for the grilled chorizo with padron peppers, chicken wings with the Harvester’s own-blend rub and classic barbecue sauce and breaded mushrooms with blue cheese dip.
This was a spectacular way to start a meal – all three were perfectly cooked and sumptuous, bursting with flavour, revving your taste buds up ready for the main course.
As part of the revamp, a new sauce station was installed along with a new drinks area, salad bar and bread/toppings area, making everything a lot more user friendly.
Before the new area was installed diners could order one sauce with their meal but now they can pick and choose from a selection. We were really impressed with this concept as we felt there was nothing worse than ordering a sauce for a dish which you did not like and then being stuck with it for the rest of your meal.
The flavours included orchard apple, barbecue, Caribbean piri-piri, mustard mop, spiked maple glaze, mango zing and dukes smokey ketchup.
For the mains I had a skinny steak and salad while my one colleague had the ‘Can Do’ chicken breast cooked with a buttery baste and Harvester’s own secret blend of spices. This dish – based on the famous beer can chicken style of cooking – was served with thick-cut smoked bacon, garlic-roasted Walsh’s flat mushroom, pale ale gravy and skin-on fries.
My other colleague had the original combo – also off the ‘Can Do’ chicken section. That was made up of a quarter portion of a rotisserie chicken, half a rack of orchard apple glazed ribs and skin-on fries.
The ‘Can Do’ chicken was moist, tasty and everything you looked for in such a dish – going down a treat. We all noted that everything was very well balanced in each dish. It was clear a lot of thought had been put into the new menu.
As well as this, we also all agreed on way the new spacious layout made the dining experience complete, we all liked the way everything had been separated.
My colleague, who had the original combo, said he liked the way the ‘beer can’ chicken method made it moist and not dry, which was always a danger with chicken.
He also liked that normally wherever you went you saw racks of ribs covered in barbecue sauce but at the Harvester they offered something different with the orchard apple sauce, which had a real tang to it.
We were pretty full after the mains and starters so for dessert we all shared the baked New York style vanilla cheesecake with raspberries in sauce. This was the perfect way to finish the meal it offered a concoction of delicious, smooth and creamy flavours which complemented the tangy taste offered by the raspberries. The base of the cheesecake also gave something different, it was half biscuit and half crumble. It was a perfect blend of textures making the dish truly heavenly – we highly recommend you try the cheesecake.
Our waitress Maxine was also a highlight of the evening she was cheerful, full of fun facts and stories and knew the menu like the back of her hand – she really made the experience what it was.
The other good thing about the new-look Forest Harvester is the bar area which is now light, airy and a pleasure to be in, unlike it used to be. And, for real ale connoisseurs, they have cask ale on, along with regular ales.
Overall the entire experience was lovely and if you are looking for somewhere nice to take the family or your partner this bank holiday weekend, over half-term or when you get the chance, we would highly recommend the Harvester. The car park is pay and display but if you are a Harvester customer you will be given £1 back for this.
