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MK blogger brunch at the Wheatsheaf Bar and Grill.
Situated on the outskirts of Milton Keynes is a quaint pub with a beautiful atmosphere and interiors to match.
Tiled floors, comfy wooden tables with greenery and copper accents made the pub feel modern but cosy.
We arrived and were instantly greeted warmly by staff who showed us to our table. giving Ida zero attention accept to ask us if we needed any water for her.
Grant and I were attending the bloggers brunch, organised by the lovely Sophie, it’s a chance to meet and mingle with other people who share a passion for writing about their thoughts and experiences online.
We weren’t late but the last ones to arrive, noticing that we were sitting on a long table and could hear people talking I started feeling strangely uncomfortable.
Here’s the thing about being blind and going to new social situations, in particular sit down meals at very long tables.
I get nervous, and stressed quickly. I’m trying to figure out who is directly around me, what’s going on and if I should just jump in with “Hey, i’m Sassy.” or wait for the people around me to speak first.
I’m an assertive and talkative person but those first few minutes of any social situation I internalise and overthink. I clam up and don’t know how to assess and approach a situation as my sighted cohorts do in new environments.
I’m sharing this with you because i’m reluctant to make the first move and introduce myself particularly because I cannot tell if people are already in conversation, or not looking in my general vicinity.
The only way I can distinguish one person from another is by their voice. If Ive never met you before, or spend very little time talking to you face-to-face I will have zero inclination as to who you are unless you verbally introduce yourself.
Thankfully Beth came to my social anxiety rescue and introduced herself first, so thank you Beth if you read this!:)It wasn’t long until my motor mouth started whirring and I got chatting to the other great gals on the table.
The table was decorated with flags, plants and a delicious selection of drinks.
The Wheatsheaf is renowned for it’s local fish and meat but the great thing is that they have an extensive and tasty vegan and gluten free menu which many of the ladies on the table can attest to.
Quirky but very cool additions to the Wheatsheaf is that they have a gin station, where you can choose from a large selection and you can customise with your own choice of mixers – essentially creating your own cocktail.
I also really loved that the kitchen was open and part of the interior of the dinning room, you could see your food being prepared and cooked right in front of you, I felt it gave a very intimate experience.
The food and drinks.
The drinks were : Tequila Sunrise, two non alcoholic options and one other cocktail with cranberry and Vodka, which name escapes me.
My Food.
I ordered the Scotch Egg, Wheatsheaf BBQ Sauce & Mixed Leaves . Having never had anything other than a supermarket scotch egg, I was very pleasantly surprised when the portions came out.
Not only did it come out hot but the yolk burst as I bit into it, and the sausage meat was seasoned beautifully, the accompanying barbecue sauce was perfect; it was bloody divine!
For my main course I had Slow braised Pork Belly, Colcannon, Tenderstem & Cider Jus
The pork was tender, juicy and fell apart in my mouth. The mash was thick, creamy and yet not heavy at all to eat.
Unfortunately because I stuffed myself silly with the scotch eggI wasn’t able to finish my main course. thankfully i own a human dustbin, who happily demolished the rest on my behalf!
I cannot wait to return and order it again!
Grant’s food..
for starters Grant had the BBQ Mackerel Fillet, Pickled Cucumber, Buttermilk & Sea Herbs
He wasn’t overly keen on his choice because it was too fishy. yes it was a fish dish, he is an oddball, just ignore him, I do! 😉
Usually when we go out for food we tend to try each others’ dishes but due to my starter being too tasty i wasn’t interested in his.
For his main Grant also ordered the Slow braised Pork Belly, Colcannon, Tenderstem & Cider Jus, and he too was throughly impressed by it all, specifically he spoke highly of the jue and said it made the dish
The Wheatsheaf Bar and Grill, is also available for private functions, events and weddings hire. you can check out their website for further information.
We absolutely loved our brunch and of course chatting and getting to know other bloggers who live in MK, I’m already looking forward to the next get together!
Hospitality: 5/5
From the moment we walked in, until the moment we left every member of staff made us feel completely welcome, relaxed and approachable. They were friendly, chatty, polite, courteous and efficient.
Without hesitation I would recommend everyone to go and experience the restaurant for yourself.
Quality of service 5/5
The restaurant was clean, comfortable cosy and extremely accommodating to my guide dog. Every person we interacted with made us feel welcome and The food was absolutely superb, it came out hot, brilliantly presented and tasted divine.
We will definitely return again!
Accessibility: 3/5
.The Building did not have Ramp access so would be hard for wheelchair users to enter. The area around the bar was also slightly cramped and if you get in with a wheelchair it will be hard to navigate.
Here are the Bloggers Who Attended:
- Sophie
- Keri
- Amanda
- Hazel
- Lisa
- Debora Tentis
- Zoe
- Emily
- Beth
*We were invited to Wheatsheaf for brunch but all thoughts and opinions are our own.
We were at one of those crowded events this evening. It was too crowded to move about and very noisy. I understand your feelings.
You make an interesting point about wheelchair access. Even if a person can grt in, can we function at the event? I had this problem tonight. Thoughtfully a few people stopped by and sat down, so I didn’t feel alone or like an outcast.
Sorry to hear you were at one of those overly busy events George, really glad people came up to you and made the effort to chat.
Of course as a person with limited mobility, our right to access an event should never be hindered, however being inside the building is a whole different kettle of fish.
Do you mind me asking, if people bending down in order to speak to you, is it insulting or helpful? Personally I hated it I would always ask the person to stand back up as I felt they brought more attention to me as a wheelchair user.