Three Mariners Pub of Tenby

Ploughmans at the Three Mariners

Location - 

St George's St, 

Tenby 

SA70 7JB

Website -  https://threemarinersinn.com/

Date of Visit - 21/10/2023

The Food

8 - Pickled Onion. They were good. Small, but crunchy, tasty, sweet and not too vinegary and nicely pickled. Not so long ago I was quite against these little things, slimy and too acidic, however, I have a few splendid examples.  These are not quite as amazing as those at Duck's Farm Shop Cafe, but they were damned good. 

10 - Pickle.  Double the variety means extra flavours. What a treat. A Ploughman's Pickle (Think of Branston, and you are probably correct) and another pickle or chutney. I think it was some sort of onion chutney - it was lovely!

12 - Cheese / Ham. Top marks.  Two great cheeses and ham - yes, it scored 120%.  Look, it's my review, I make the rules.  

The ham was wonderful. fresh, tasty, nice thickness, moist, tender, by jingo it was good. 

Cheeses - a good quantity. There was Brie. Creamy, tasty, mild Brie.  The best I have had in an age - not mouldy at all, just, well a good Brie. (I'm not fond of it when it gets on a bit).  Now, some folk get a bit het-up regarding Brie on a ploughman's. I have no issue, as this was so good I presumed it was Somerset Brie, not that inferior French stuff. 

Cheddar. This was tasty, creamy, slightly crumbly, just delightful. Nice little wedge - would have got me moaning if it were by itself, but with the brie and ham, quite enough, thank you very much. 

8 - Bread. The bread was good, very nice indeed. Dropped a few points because it was I suspect par-baked, but I like a good crusty crunch on my ploughman's bread and this was crunchy and warm and welcome.....

0 - Spread (better be butter or a choice).  Err.... noticeable by its absence. I sort of wanted to give it 1, as to be honest the meal wasn't a disaster without it. I wondered if it was an oversight as it was jumping busy. 

5 -Presentation. Excellent - nice to see something different. Visually appealing, and thoughtfully laid out.

5 -Salad, etc. Spot on. The lettuce was crisp and crunchy, as was the cucumber - and the tomato wasn't, but lovely and ripe.  Nice bit of onion on top which was reasonably mild, providing a nice bit of flavour without blowing your face off and making you smell like a Parisien drain for the remainder of the day. All had a nice bit of dressing, just a hint, and that was nice. 

But wait......

Freshly made coleslaw. Nice balance of well-chopped veg in a nice creamy dressing. Best I have had for quite a long while. In theory, such a simple thing to make, and not expensive either, but always worth the effort. 

5 - Originality. Look at it - it's the most original yet.  OK, some arrive on planks of wood, or bone china and that's nice. This was orderly, yet interesting, and with flair. Perfectly balanced combo of salady stuff, pickles, cheese and ham, and bread. I imagine it also helps with the assembly of the dish and as they nailed it, all for it. Good work. 

 

Food Total: 53

Flatlay of Ploughmans at the Three Mariners

---

Beverages

7 - Reasonable range of pub drinks. I had a lemonade as previously mentioned  I do like beer and more than a bit of cider, but not at luncheon. Lemonade was OK - it was that post-mix nonsense, not a nice bit of R Whites.  Pub had a wide range of drinks on offer, but dropped a point because if I was drinking they only had Thatchers gold. Can't stand the stuff. Anything by lillies, Stowford Press, even Strongbow (that's how classy I am), or one of the local ciders would be a good option. 

Drinks Total: 7

---

The venue

9 - Service. The service was good. Friendly greeting on arrival and generally very helpful. Did very well as it was as busy as you like. A nice sunny day in autumn and the world was out for the day and hungry.

9 - Atmosphere. A town boozer in very good shape. Friendly, jolly, lovely and welcoming to all. Looks like it could also be a cracking local pub with games and live music.  A number of other pubs should take note - this is how to run a pub. 

5 - Location. Bang in the middle before committing to any hills. OK, no parking with it, but only 5 minutes from the Multi Storey, and an easy 10-minute stroll from the railway station.  

3 - Toilets. Erm, well, they worked. Not sure how they crammed them into such a tiny place, but space is a premium in this location. Town centre pub bogs, not the Savoy. Perfectly OK for what you need them for, and the ability to wash hands before eating.......

Venue total: 26

---

Score: 86

Notes.  Very nice to go into a pub that was lively, and yet welcoming and felt safe to all, from tiny babies to the elderly.  Also refreshing that it did not have the reproduced blandness of so many pub chain venues, with genuine charm and features. I would certainly give it a go for a few drinks and a social. 

Bar, Three Mariners, Tenby.