The Cock and Hoop is one of the must go to public houses in the Lace Market District of Nottingham. I have written about the place several times before most recently back in 2020 when I enjoyed a Sunday Lunch and a Fish and Chip Friday

I had read that they had just updated their menu and had a bit of a revamp of the dining area and outside spaces. Since it was a sunny day we figured it might be nice to sit out front, check out the menu, get a pint and enjoy some grub.

Situated on High Pavement alongside and attached to the Lace Market Hotel it is right in the heart of the action.

The new seats out front were a great spot for people watching the passers by visiting the Galleries of Justice across the street and the rather lovely St Mary’s Church just up the road.

Ah enough of that! What did we eat?

COD FILLET

I wasn’t that hungry so was looking for something lighter so I picked out the Cod Fillet for £15 which came served with crushed new potatoes, wilted spinach, chive butter sauce and a poached egg.

It looked good on the plate with a nice simple presentation, the flesh of the fish was clean tasting and the crushed potatoes were just as I like, both went well with the delicately flavoured butter sauce. I like that the sauces were restrained as it is often annoying if they overpower the rest of the dish especially with fish.

I do like a poached egg and this one had a very good golden yolk when you cut in that also was used as a sauce with my fish and potato

On the face of it this was a good option and it was not far off being a really good dish. Personally I would have liked the skin on the fish a little bit crispier and I would have preferred my egg to have been cooked a little longer so that the white was set more firmly. That’s my choices though, the only thing I was disappointed with were the spinach which was a bit gritty I might have liked some crisp fresh salad instead

COCK & HOOP BURGER

The Cock & Hoop burger for £13 came topped with onion & ale relish, cheddar, gem lettuce, tomato, honey glazed bacon in a brioche bun and was served with fries and a handful of green salad leaves.

My mate rated it a decent effort, the meat patty was thick and juicy and the relish topping declared tasty. I had a close up look once he was part way through and the actual burger did look really good.

The chips or fries had quite a crunchy coating and still had soft potato inside. I liked the look of the green salad but the burger scoffer left it to one side he wasn’t keen.

On a different day if I had been hungry I would have probably gone for either the Beer Battered Haddock or the Beef Shin & Ale Pie and then it would have just been another pie, burger, chippy tea review. So in some ways I was glad that I branched out checking out the Cod Fillet for a change.

The menu looked more upmarket now and perhaps that is right so that it matches the location of the pub alongside the Lace Market Hotel. I would hope for a slightly posher meal as opposed to the same old pub grub you get elsewhere if I chanced upon this place for the first time.

I liked the outdoor seating and as always I enjoyed my beer, will be interesting to see how well the new menu goes down and how it develops over time.

You can check out the Cock and Hoop pub on their website, Facebook Page, and Instagram profile