The South Causey Inn is just outside of Stanley on the Sunniside road and plays host to animals, restaurant, bar, accommodation and a riding school. We recently visited with our friends for lunch and drinks… which did ultimately turn in to a 6hr stay! Despite being local, it’s not somewhere I have been in a very long time so we were keen to try.
The restaurant is light and airy with a vintage country feel to it. Scrubbed wooden tables mixed with Singer sewing machines makes a casual yet interesting dining environment. The service by the waiters was a little shoddy but that didn’t deter us from staying.
We skipped starters and went straight for mains.
Mr T had the Belly Buster Mixed Grill (£19.95) which was just huge. Rump steak, gammon, pork chop, lamb chop, sausage, liver, black pudding, burger, chips, tomato, mushrooms, 2 eggs, bacon and peas and onion rings. He did however manage to get through it all, slowly but surely. I helped out on a few of the chips! He left the liver in the end as he found it dry. Massive plate of meat, chips and veg for £19.95 and you can’t go wrong!
I had the Beef Stroganoff with rice (£13.95) which was nice. The beef was a little tough but plentiful. It wasn’t the BEST stroganoff I have had but it was very nice. (The best one by the way is the Shepherd and Shepherdess in Beamish).
Our friend had the Stir Fried Tiger Prawns & Chorizo salad (£14.95) which seemed a little pricey on paper but when it arrived we were ALL blown away. Masses of large king prawns and delicious smokey chorizo on dressed leaves with sun dried tomatoes served with fennel bread, olives and a mustard grain dressing. A monstrous salad for your money and well worth it!
From the specials board, Friend number 2 had the Pigeon Breast with Chorizo. Served with a vegetable accompaniment. The pigeon looked perfectly cooked and moist.
Our friends daughter wasn’t left out, with a pepperoni pizza from the South Causey Inn childs menu. It was huge!