Not familiar with Askew Road? Now you have a reason to visit: The Eagle is more than worth the journey.

The Venue
The Eagle is made up of a pub area, dining room and garden. The interior is beautiful with a modern inspiration behind the design. There's a collection of large glass vases, an outstanding chandelier made of metallic wire hanging above the dining room, a floral mosaic covering the top portion of the walls and a number of bold fabrics with a damask pattern on the lampshades and furniture. If you’re not one for such flourishes then there are traditional elements as well, like the library and a mix of furniture with a classical edge. The overall effect definitely works, this pub is elegant and classy without being stuffy.

However, it doesn’t end there. The garden is outstanding and you’ll want to experience it even when there is just a pale ray of sunshine. Luckily, there is a heated, covered terrace beneath which sits traditional benches alongside some cool, contemporary tables and chairs.

The Atmosphere
The Eagle is a favourite with the locals, which is no surprise - this is definitely one of the best pubs in the area. The bar is almost always busy and bustling with rather well-heeled, interesting people in their thirties or above and expect to mingle when the pub area is truly packed. In the summer, the throngs take advantage of the amazing garden, completing the picture of an idyllic pub perfectly.

The Food
There are only a handful of options on the menu but you’ll still have a hard time choosing as everything sounds so tempting. They have definitely embraced the idea of doing a few dishes really well, and it has really paid off.

For starters (£5.50-£8.50) you’ll find a mix of traditional British dishes like Portland brown crab on toast with more extravagant options like warm salad of chorizo, black pudding and quails egg or crisp Cornish squid salad, spring onion and sweet chilli jam. Within the mains (£8-£15.50), British cuisine rules but each dish has an unexpected twist: the slow roasted shoulder of lamb is served with olive and anchovy relish whilst the roast sea bass comes with fennel puree, tarragon and pinenut pesto. The Eagle definitely pays a lot of attention to presentation: everything looks gorgeous and steps apart from the stodgy appearance of food so often served in regular pubs. Luckily, there is no compromise on appearance over flavour or freshness: whatever your pick, the dishes shine with well-balanced flavours and well picked ingredients.

The Drink
If you’re visiting The Eagle for a pint you may want to try the Cornish Chalky’s Bite or opt for Doombar, Sol, Aspall cider, Corona, Bitburger, Innis and Gunn, Peroni, Leffe and others. However, the highlight here is the wine selection. Whites and reds are grouped according to dryness and aroma to make your choice easier between aromatic whites or warm hearted reds. Choosing a glass should not take you long and will not cost a fortune since bottles are in the £13.50-£25.50 range and almost all of them are available by the glass (£3.50-£5 for a small glass and £4.80-£7 for a large).

The Last Word
The garden itself makes the trip to The Eagle worth it but the fact that the food is good, the wine list interesting and an upbeat but relaxing atmosphere mean this will quickly become one of your favourite locals – even if you have to travel to get there.

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