Summer treats served up at The Villager

Summer has arrived at The Villager with a new menu bursting with flavour.

With the warmer weather has come the introduction of lighter meals and a more streamlined offering of freshly-cooked dishes.

Quality not quantity is the key for the popular George IV Bridge venue at this time of year, with manager Caz Park confident that customers will enjoy the changes.

“We felt a summer menu was necessary,” she said.

“We have added lighter dishes with a bigger focus on sharing dishes.

“The size of the menu has been reduced which will make it easier for customers to decide. All the dishes are cooked fresh with the best of local produce used where possible.”

All tastes are catered for with vegan, gluten-free, vegetarian and dairy-free dishes all available.

Salad lovers in particular are in for a treat.

If the pear and blue cheese endive salad with candied walnuts (£8) doesn’t get diners licking their lips, the honey
roast rhubarb and power greens, tamari sunflower seeds, with an orange dressing (£8) could well have them
salivating . Or there is always the spicy citrus calamari salad served with cucumber ribbons and pink peppercorns (£9).

Some old favourites remain, such as the popcorn chicken or popcorn prawn (£7), though the Villager’s little twist means they are served with a crushed prawn cracker coating making them extra crunchy and full of flavour.

The ham sandwich (£10) is a whole ham hock cooked in house and glazed with rum and sticky sauce, and jam packed between two thick slices of bread.

If it’s something smaller that diners are after, there is always the ginger panko calamari with a jalapeno and coriander dressing (£6.50) or the homemade venison meatballs (£7) or sticky soy pork ribs (£7).

The Villager reopened earlier this year after a makeover and in April introduced a Sunday brunch for the first time as part of an improved dining experience for customers.

The new summer menu will hopefully add to the enjoyment for visitors, with Caz adding: “Whether you are a tourist or a local, you want good food at reasonable prices. We are sure people will like what they see with the new menu which we’re confident will be well received.”