Cheers

A couple of years ago, Cheers got a tongue-lashing from a couple of well-known publications. At the time it seemed harsh: Cheers has never pretended to be anything more than a cheap and cheerful refuelling point. It might not be a place where everybody knows your name but it’s always been a place where everybody knew you could get cheap, unfussy food of the burgers and wings variety.

Somebody obviously took the words to heart though. The menu hasn’t changed but the presentation and the cooking have improved greatly. And all for surprisingly little: I rolled in with two companions – both male, both hungry – and then rolled out a couple of hours later, satisfied, pleasantly buzzy and £60 lighter. Let me say that again. £60. For three. Including beers. And a steak.

Starters – well, the whole meal, basically – defined the term “comfort eating”. Deep Fried Potato Skins (£5.95) came “fully loaded” – i.e, oozing cheese, bacon, sour cream, spring onions, calories, jalapenos, etc., Garlic & Herb Bread (£2.95) oozed butter and flavour in roughly equal measure.

So far, so dependable. “I’m having a steak,” announced one of the party. “If they can’t get a steak right, then they have no right to be in the restaurant business.” Happily, the tender and tasty Grilled Scotch Rib Eye (£12.95) allayed any doubts as to Cheers’ right to exist. Herb Grilled Chicken (£9.95) and Bangers and Mash (£7.95) were of similar solid quality, vast but surprisingly well presented – think nouvelle design with American portions.

So, hardly the stuff of Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons but as unpretentious, cheap and cheerful goes, you could do much, much worse.

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