The Green Man Public House, Chelmsford, Essex | Restaurant Review
Dec 20th, 2007 by Foodie
The Green Man Public House, Chelmsford, Essex - Review submitted by Harry Scott
The Green Man Public House
Highwood Road
Edney Common
Chelmsford
Essex CM1 3QE
Booking reservations by telephone on 01245 248076
I have twice now dined at The Green Man, Chelmsford, Essex
Yes a Pub, but with a great difference when it comes to food and wine. The proprietors Nick and Sharon Thorogood, plus two daughters, really do have a family run establishment. In comparison to most south east Essex eateries, where Pub Grub consists of burnt ribeye and chips, this pub leaves them standing. For those who know The Bell at Horndon on the Hill or the Plough and Sail at Paglesham, the Green Man is in that category.
Nick knows his wines very well, he imports and distributes to other restaurants in the area. There is nothing I would call house plonk e.g. Outer Mongolian Merlot. Wine by the glass is provided from a choice of 20 different wines.
The location appears to be off the beaten track, but in fact it is right on Chelmsford’s doorstep, close to Writtle just off the 414. A Georgian building with a nice duck pond. Weekends a reservation should be made, midweek not necessary. A relatively new ownership but the word is getting round.
I/We will be dashing back a.s.a.p.
From Harry Scott, Crays Hill, Billericay.
If you are interested in food - it’s Ok. Would recommend the Leather Bottle in Blackmore. Seriously fresh cooked food- can’t say the same for the GM. (have had heated up food)Also, the girl/barmaid at the GM has a serious attitude problem
Going down my list of local ‘good’ eateries tthe GM has to come in the bottom 5.
1. The Leather Bottle, Blackmore
2. The Wheatsheaf, King St, Nine Ashes
3. The Pilgrims Korai, Pilgrims Hatch
4. The Hare, Roxwelll
5. Smiths, Ongar
6. Kismet, Ongar
7. Masons, Brentwood
8. ,,,,,,,,
I could go on….. why trundle out to a backwater where the hired help canbarely articulate…
or maybe go further afield… there are ajoining counties to Essex - Wow - London may be a possibility
Obviously, this site is rarely visited so I am probably wasting my time. However, there does not appear to be any sites where one can honestly give an opinion.
Quaint, very quaint, Unfortunately, not a place for lunch, The only ‘fresh’ food appears to be ham,egg and chips. Plus ca change!
Nasty snippet of a “waitress” too
I have eaten at the Green Man a number of times and having been the recently cannot understand the basis of the two discruntled customers above, you would have to go a long way to find better hospitality and what was obviously fresh produce and very well presented.
I felt i had to respond to the above unecessary comments on behalf of the Green Man as they have put a huge amount of effort into the pub restaurant and i have recently just nominated them in the Essex food and drink wards through the chronicle for best Traditional country pub.
keep up the good work
regards
jennie
I agree 100% + with Jennie! We eat regularly at The Green Man and have never had a bad meal, or poor service. The staff are always extremely polite and friendly. Food is always freshly cooked and served beautifully. As a vegitterean, if there is not something appropriate on the menu I like, they will always offer an alternative from whatever ingredients they have available. It is easily comparable with the Wheatsheaf, which we also enjoy and eat at regularly.I am not sure why anyone would compare The Green Man with, for example Smiths (also a local favourite of ours) or the Kismet in Pilgrims Hatch. Smiths is (primarily) a Fish restaurant, and in a completely different price bracket to the Green Man, and Kismet is Indian! That is like comparing an apple with an orange. As for the Leather Bottle in Blackmore, whilst I agree that the food is ok, on the occasions I have been there it has always been very noisy - so much so that you can hardly hear yourself talking!