AFTER closing for eight weeks for an extensive £400,000 refurbishment, the new look Golden Cock at Farnley Tyas reopened its doors to diners and drinkers in August this year.
Last Thursday turned out to be a golden opportunity to take a look at the transformation.
Known locally as the Farnley Cock, this long established inn has been a favourite with Huddersfield district pub-goers for generations.
In more recent years it built up a reputation as a gastro pub, but it kept its charm and popularity as a atmospheric village local, frequented by drinkers as well as eaters.
My immediate impression, judging by the number of cars in the spacious pub car park, was that the new regime had done a lot of things right.
Closing a pub, even for a short time, has to be a calculated risk. People are creatures of habit, but habits can quite quickly change.
But the punters have returned – and what’s more they seem to be back in significant numbers.
The main entrance is now at the back of the pub from the car park and the main bar area is now off to left. It was around 7.30pm when we arrived and the bar was a hive of activity with people sitting at tables eating or ordering bar snacks and several drinkers in deep conversation, milling around the Bistro bar where they were served by two friendly and attentive young ladies.
We ordered drinks and sat at a small table near the open fire to ‘people watch’.
A short time later one of the girls behind the bar showed us down the stairs, through the former ‘snug’ area which has been converted into a small ‘pre-dinner’ reception bar area and into the newly-created Brasserie restaurant. Georgina was to look after us for the evening, and we were in good hands.
We had many times before eaten in this room and so were able to appreciate the recent makeover. The dining area has been extended into an L shape. It is now wood panelled, and subtly decorated with wallpaper and pastel painted areas and carpeted. The traditional country inn beams have been retained and added to. Integral ceiling lights illuminate the room to pleasing effect although we found the light above one particular table glaringly bright and intrusive. The furniture is in keeping with the olde worlde image, with the comfortable chairs upholstered in varied designs.
We ordered from the Dinner Menu – Chicken Liver Parfait with red onion marmalade, salad and warm, whole grain loaf (£5.75) for me; Wild Mushroom and Blue Cheese Tart, served with walnut and honey dressing and seasonal leaves (£4.75) for Carol.
My parfait starter course dish was a taste sensation, a sizeable slice of smooth, deliciously garlicky chicken ‘pate’, complemented by the richly flavoured savoury marmalade with ‘toast’ slices and dressed salad.
Carol too was pleased with her starter. She went wild about the mushrooms, loved the crumbly texture of the tart pastry, thought the walnut and honey dressing was delightful and as for the blue cheese? well that’s an established family favourite.
We could have gone for the Homemade Soup of the Day (leek and potato) with bread and butter (£4.25); Gambas and Crevette Piri Piri with rustic bread micro herb salad (£9.50); Crispy Duck Bon Bon’s with spicy apple relish pea shoot salad (£6.50); Local Hunters’ Pheasant and Apple Terrine, with fig compote with seasonal leaves (£4.10) or the Mussels Marinier, in a fragrant broth of white wine, butter, onion, garlic, parsley, bay leaf and thyme with rustic bread (£6.95). We could have, but we were more than happy with our starter choices.
