Great food in a cosy setting. Dining review by editor Kris Thomas
On a wet and windy February evening we received a very warm welcome at the Black Horse in Climping where the fire was roaring in the bar.
Part of the Historic Hotels Sussex group and situated just down the road from sister property The Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa. The pub has undergone extensive refurbishment since being taken over by the group and reopened in March last year.
The historic property dates back to the 17th Century when it was a smugglers’ inn. Still popular with the locals, this community pub has had various names, including the White Horse in 1851 and it was briefly the White Swan in 2013.
The renovations saw the addition of The Ryebank, a light and airy oak frame extension with views over the neighbouring fields which is where we were seated for our dinner.
Upstairs are seven bedrooms each reconfigured and renovated. Guests can opt to stay in the spacious ‘West’ rooms, some with roll top baths, or the cosy ‘East’ rooms, two of which have roof terraces with views over the fields. Each room features locally sourced antique furniture.
The surrounding area offers some wonderful walks and just a short stroll from The Black Horse is the coastline of Climping, which is perfect for a windswept walk. In keeping with Historic Sussex Hotels’ dog friendly approach, four-legged guests are welcome both in the pub, the Ryebank and the bedrooms so a Sunday beach dog walk could be following by lunch at the Black Horse, sounds like a terrific plan to me!
The pub offers a choice of craft beers, fine ales, Sussex wine and locally inspired cocktails. Inspired by the seasons, the menu offers traditional pub favourites using with local ingredients. Signature dishes include ‘Spicy Guinness & Sussex Charmer (cheese) soup’ and ‘Climping beach fish pie’ (catch of the day). We opted for the arancini – delicate rice balls with a crunchy coating and baked brie for starters, the latter was served with soft warm bread. For main course the steaks did not disappoint, well-seasoned and tender, with a tasty peppercorn sauce fried tomato and mushroom and skinny fries. The burger was well presented and juicy with a decent amount of sauce.
The pub offers a good choice for non-meat eaters too. The fish cake contained generous chunks of fish and was served on a delicious pea purée. The desert menu is simple but all the favourites are there – sticky toffee pud, chocolate brownie, affogato, crumble, cheese. We chose brownie, sticky toffee pudding and an exceptional ‘special’ of blood orange Crème Brule served with chocolate ice cream. Very rich but utterly delicious.
All in all we had a thoroughly enjoyable evening with friendly service in a comfortable setting.
Wonderful Wednesdays – receive 10% off all food & drink for a maximum of 6 guests. Quote ‘Wonderful Wednesday’ at time of booking. Offer is subject to availability and can’t be used in conjunction with any other deal.
The Black Horse, Climping St, Climping, BN17 5RL tel: 01903 715175 or visit: hshotels.co.uk/theblackhorseclimping
