I tried the Sunday roast in a family-run Bristol pub with a real fire and beer garden with views

When I asked landlady Elaine Monaghan what the Sunday roasts were like at The Mouse, she fixed me with a stare and simply said, with a gentle smile, ‘well, I haven’t killed anybody yet’. That was a good enough recommendation for me to book a table.

That was at the start of the year when I popped into this popular Westbury-on-Trym pub for a couple of pints and I vouched to return for the Sunday roast as soon as I could. I had been looking forward to it for weeks.

Once known as The Royal Oak, Elaine and husband Billy have run The Mouse for 20 years and it’s one of those friendly locals we desperately need to support and cherish.

Full of regulars, there are always three West Country ales on tap, a crackling real fire in winter and plenty of TV screens showing live sport, particularly the rugby.

Located at the top of Water’s Lane, a short walk from Westbury-on-Trym village, The Mouse is a handsome building on a hill and it has a fabulous rear garden with far-reaching views. In summer, it’s idyllic. 

The Sunday roasts are served between midday and 4pm. The choice is a straight one between beef, chicken or nut roast. They are all £13.95 or £12.50 for a smaller portion, and if you want cauliflower cheese, it’s an extra £3.25. 

We went for the roast beef and it was piled high on the plate. There were two large and thickly sliced pieces of tender meat, whole carrots sliced in two and roasted, huge chunks of roast parsnip, peas, broccoli and a huge homemade Yorkshire pudding.

The roast potatoes were crisp on the outside and fluffy within. It was all brought together by a dark, varnish-like gravy and I washed it down with a pint of perfectly kept Otter Ale.

Stuffed, we needed a bit of a break before contemplating dessert, which are all £5.95 and all proper old-school rib-stickers. 

We eventually went for the light and fruity spotted dick with lashings of thick custard, and a dark and bitter chocolate brownie pudding with ice cream. Other options on the board included stem ginger pudding or treacle sponge, both with custard or ice cream.

By the time we finished, it had started to rain, the fire was crackling behind us and another pint was called for.

It was exactly what Sunday afternoons should be all about, especially after polishing off such a faultless home-cooked roast without having to worry about the washing up.

The Mouse, Water’s Lane, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, BS9 4AA. Tel: 0117 9405554.