'Honest and sort of wonderful': Ship & Mitre, Dale Street, reviewed

“Oh, this is a Greene King pub too,” I said to the bar man as I looked at the dispiriting menu. “Are all the pubs in Cambridge run by Greene King?”

“In the centre there is a lot of them,” he admitted.

“Maybe the tourists that flock here would like a bit of variety, never mind the students?” I suggested.

He shrugged.

There was nothing to say, the King that was Greene ruled the roost among the Ivory Towers. A brief internet search revealed there were more than twenty Greene King pubs in the relatively small city of Cambridge. As a tourist myself this was too much, this was dull. 

The advance of the company is apparent across the country. 

Take Didsbury, at that most attractive of spots, that swivel of Wilmslow Road with Parsonage Gardens on side and Fletcher Moss Gardens on the other. Here there are two pubs. The Didsbury is a Greene King operation and, oh look, Ye Olde Cock pub is also a Greene King. Yawn.

And it’s not just the snaffling of pubs that worries people about the company nicknamed Greedy King, it’s also the acquisition of so many independent breweries as well by, ultimately, an offshore property company.

As good pubs should it appeals to all ages

That’s why a visit to a real independent pub of great charm, character and sheer verve is an antidote Greene King sameness.  

Liverpool’s Ship & Mitre is just such a pub with a menu that isn’t repeated across the country and containing one of the great UK beer ranges. 

A visit starts well with the exterior providing a cracking blast of white tiled 1930s Art Deco. There are some Art Deco details on the inside too but also a lot of 1970s work which feels almost antique and definitely eccentric. There's lots of needless woodwork and raised areas from that period: needless but sort of attractive. There's darts, books and board games plus an incredible cabinet with a bewildering number of British and overseas bottled beers. 

Meanwhile as the website states on the bar there is 'a superb selection of eight Real Ales including IPAS, stouts, porters, amber and pale ales. At least two Real ciders on draft and twelve craft beers. Selected craft beers include fruit sours, dark ales, hoppy pales and IPAs from far and wide. (There are also) six Continental beers and eight World beers and lagers in our taps including four fresh Weisse Beers.'

I've been on several occasions to the pub and it has another quality too. As good pubs should it appeals to all ages. You can find young couples or drinking pals in there mingling with the old timers who have seemingly been going for decades. Look out for events too. Many people I ask think the Ship & Mitre is the best pub in the city, not spectacular in decor like The Vines, but just a cracking all-round boozer 

The menu comes from The One Pan Band which is hosted by the Ship & Mitre. It makes a virtue of simplicity and none of the food comes in from a big van touring the country. There's fish and chips (half or full) with curry sauce on the side if desired, there's seabass risotto, roast chicken, currywurst dawg, several loaded fries choice and, of course, scouse and veggie scouse. Nothing on the menu is over £15.

I went with a 'snack' option, the chorizo and cider rarebit (£7) and the beef scouse (£15) as it seemed disrespectful to not choose the famous Liverpudlian stew. 

The rarebit is a big enough dish to work for most people's lunch with four generous slabs of sourdough overflowing with a thick coating of delicious cheddar plus chorizo and leek boosted gratinated bechamel. Aspall's cider adds more flavour. All this together packs one hell of a punch but you won't be able to stop yourself spooning up any of the mixture that drips from the bread.

The scouse comes piping hot with a big hunk of crusty buttered bread, not sourdough this time because that wouldn't work, not soackable enough. 

The scouse was more rich fare with great lumps of braised beef, veg, and a gravy that's big with dark ale. It's with the gravy where the bread comes in handy, this dish makes for good dunking fun. The stew is completed with red cabbage adding flavour with its bitter, vinegery edge.     

An fine apple crumble (£6) rounded off the meal, a proper apple crumble, big, bold, and almost Christmassy with the stewed apples enriched by cardamon and cinnamon. The oat crumble was softened by a good vanilla ice cream. I let the ice cream melt into the crumble and then I mushed it all up. We all have our crumble ways. 

One Pan Band provide food which fits the pub, it has character and charm, skill in the cooking and proves the value of substance over style.

Anybody who appreciates pubs will love the Ship & Mitre. If you've worked up a thirst or need some good food then it's a must visit. This is the sort of place that underlines the virtues of being an independent hospitality business, well if it's any good obviously.

Greene King pubs in their homogenity have their place (although twenty in one city is too much) but it's the Ship & Mitres of this world that usually provide the more worthwhile experience.  

Ship & Mitre, 133 Dale St, Liverpool L2 2JH.

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The Ship & Mitre is on Confidential Guides

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