The Pelican in Wiltshire

Not the first time I have been for lunch at the Pelican and it won't be the last. This pub is amazing and the menu choice has something for everyone. I've visited several times with friends and family and have always had a really good meal here. The staff are really helpful and if you are a dog owner this pub is dog friendly.

We went for the set Mothers Day menu and I’ll start by saying the staff at The Pelican were great; helpful, friendly and quick to put right anything wrong. Equally, the starters that we had on this visit were good. Stilton mushrooms that had a great cheesy flavour and the pickled fennel on the salmon was fantastic, giving a real Skandi flavour to the plate. However, the roast pork left a lot to be desired. Very fatty and just a single slice of pork. The roast chicken was also very dry and it had the smallest sliver of stuffing and where was the bread sauce? I’d asked for it on the side of the main, not to be taken away all together. But the worst we the slow roasted lamb shepherds pie. There was no lamb in it and I returned it to the kitchen. I suspect they’d gotten to the bottom of the pot and thought they would get away with putting some gravy in a dish and topping it with mash, but I could be wrong. Regardless, there was no lamb in the dish. The staff agreed and were quick to remove it from the bill; great service let down by the food. Also, the £5 side dish of pigs in blankets was either too stingy or over priced. Either charge less or be more generous. Desserts of strudel and an ice cream sundae were good too; another highlight but not so good that I’d overlook the issues with the main event. I’d probably go back, to find out if their normal menu (this was set for Mothers Day) can convince me that it’s worth returning. I’ll put this trip down to being busy and perhaps The Pelican underestimated the demand on the dishes they were going to serve.