SNAcK t O the

Though the nights are drawing out and the weather (hopefully) should be warming up soon, February, at least for me, is one of the year’s most miserable months. It’s cold, it’s been winter forever and there isn’t even Christmas or New Years to brighten things up. There is, however, one antidote to the February blues, and that’s a good pub lunch and a nice countryside walk. So, with this in mind, there’s no better spot than The Woodlark Inn - the traditional pub and microbrewery located in one of Nottingham’s cutest residential areas, the village of Lambley.

Snacks and cinema go together like Derby County and lower-league football. But if you’re bored of M&M’s and Fanta Orange, here’s where you can find some fresh takes on all your favourite cinema treats…

Popcorn - Pepper Rocks

The cocktails have a range of unique flavours: on recommendation from our server, we sampled the Bourbon Chicken cocktail, and as much as we can appreciate the complexities of such a cocktail, unfortunately it wasn't for us. Not because of any distinct chicken flavouring, but because it was too strong and bitter, and we were after something more easy drinking.

There has been a lot of hype surrounding the soft serve ice cream, which comes with interesting ingredients such as balsamic beetroot. We ordered a tub of the Banana, Raisin, Honeycomb and a tub of the Chocolate, Miso, Banana, Lime ice cream. In our opinion, the ice cream upstages the chicken and is just sublime, and we both commented on how we had never had anything like it before. We highly recommend the Chocolate, Miso, Banana, Lime soft serve!

Mollis is certainly an experience and another wonderful contribution to the Nottingham dining scene. With the bill totalling an eye-watering £85 (including tip) for two people, our expectation was that everything served would be perfect, which is maybe unfair of us. Saying that, we would still encourage everyone to visit and experience Mollis for themselves.

Julia Head

mollis.uk

198 Derby Rd, Nottingham, NG7 1NQ

Loved by locals, I’ve visited this dog-friendly pub many times before for a pint and pack of crisps, but it was only recently that I tried the full food experience, ordering a starter and main while out to dinner with friends. A sucker for calamari, my eyes were instantly drawn to this classic starter, and served with garlic mayo and lemon, it turned out to be a great choice. Gorgeously crispy, and not too greasy, it was great. Though, the real show-stopper lay in the main, which I ordered from the specials menu. A piece of slowroasted duck served on a bed of mashed potatoes and served with fresh cranberries and green beans, it was delicate, soft and rich in flavour. Really delicious.

A perfect place to spend a long weekend afternoon, or any day for that matter, the pub has a really friendly atmosphere, with a snug interior and a heated outdoor area. It’s also a great location for when the summer eventually comes around, at which time the beer garden becomes a brilliant sun trap. Definitely worth adding to your pub checklist, The Woodlark is a good’un.

Lizzy O’Riordan

woodlarkinn.co.uk Church Street, Lambley, NG4 4QB

The only thing more famous than Pepper Rocks’ trademark hot dogs is their abundance of top notch popcorn - which has accompanied many a cocktail down Pepper Street. Pop over to try out the ultimate snack and sup combo. pepperrocks.co.uk