If you are looking for a quiet place just out of town for a superior meal, then get out to rural Redbridge and the Miller and Carter steakhouse, pub and grill, known locally as the Dick Turpin.

The Venue
The Dick Turpin is an old pub, now recently modernised into a steakhouse, that used to attract East End villains and possibly before that, even the old highwayman himself and now it’s still almost in the heart of the countryside. Look out from the Dick Turpin (known as Miller and Carter at the Dick Turpin), however, and you’ll see farm land with harvesting underway and in the distance horses at play. Nestling among the rural quiet is the Dick Turpin, neatly spruced up with a large bar, and a restaurant spreading into several sections with plenty of space and even a large garden at the back. It is quite possibly the most attractive pub site you could imagine. As it’s off the beaten track, you probably need a car to get there in comfort. It is, however, possible to get to by Central line, then a bus, with a walk afterwards.

The Atmosphere
The immediate impression of the steakhouse is one of quiet enjoyment. It is set back from a not very busy road, so the constant traffic from the Eastern Avenue is far away and you are left in a delightful limbo of placid contentment. Even the walk from the main road is pleasant as you pass acres of open fields. There’s a large car park at the front of the pub which probably gets quite full at weekends, so it’s ideal for family outings or special occasions, although for the lucky residents here it is just their local. The decor is pleasing and unobtrusive with discreet and soft lighting from circular lamps.

The Food
Although it doesn’t call itself a gastropub, the Miller and Carter at the Dick Turpin certainly lives up to the name where many others do not. It is not your typical pub food, either – no scampi or chicken in a basket here, but Texas ribs, smokey barbecue chicken, marinated lamb cutlets, crab cakes, salmon steak and even fish and chips are on the a la carte menu. There are burgers and salads, hot sandwiches and also a fixed price menu of two courses for £8.50. The specials include sirloin steak or sea bass fillets with king prawns. From the starters list the classic Caesar salad lives up to its name, with good fresh leaves, anchovies and croutons, Parmesan and a nicely tangy dressing. The chicken and chorizo skewers are a piquant duet of kebabs served over a wedge of red pepper with a spicy chilli-flavoured sauce to make it a good appetiser.

Steaks here are sourced from prime, naturally reared and grass-fed Hereford herds, then matured for a minimum of 28 days. The sirloin is a recommended choice, thick cut, lean and tender. All steaks are served with a slice of onion loaf, parsley butter, fries or jacket potato and a wedge of iceberg lettuce with a choice of dressing. It is a superb plateful, presented elegantly with the fries in a separate bowl. The meat is top quality and packed with flavour. The fries are also something else, hand-cut and freshly made with that real potato taste. The lemon and herb chicken has the chicken breast steeped in a lemon marinade and served with parsley butter and green beans or mixed vegetables and a choice of fries or jacket potato. It’s an excellent piece of chicken with the tang of lemon helping it along in the flavour stakes and making it another highly recommended dish. From the dessert list the New York cheesecake is cholesterol on a plate, but what a way to go. The apple and cinnamon crunch is a delicious combo of sliced apples and mixed fruit in a pastry case with custard. Both desserts are also served with ice cream. Other desserts include Key lime pie, summer pudding, Bramley apple pie and a selection of ice creams.

The Drink
Apart from all the regular drinks from the bar, beers, spirits and cocktails, there is a reasonably priced wine list too. The lowest priced wine on the list is a very acceptable Chenin Blanc, is £3.30 a glass or £13 a bottle. Other wines go up to £22.50, with house champagne at £25 or £4.50 a glass, while Dom Perignon is £75 a bottle. Wines are also available by the carafe from £12 and, in the summer drinks list, there are wine coolers of draught wine with lemonade, and Bulmer’s cider over ice.

The Last Word
It’s a pleasure to find such good pub food that doesn’t follow the regular path of most other places. It may not be quite haute cuisine but Miller and Carter at the Dick Turpin have certainly made a point of offering something for most tastes but without sacrificing quality over cost. Service is good and welcoming by what seems to be a happy crew. The only conclusion to reach is that Miller and Carter at the Dick Turpin is certainly worth a detour out of town.

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