Mum’s the word (From Ealing Times)

Mum’s the word

3:47pm Wednesday 1st March 2006 in Food and Drink By Sandra Carter

How do you make a pub more family-friendly? Sandra Carter finds out one couple's views.

THERE'S nothing like a mum to have strong feelings about what makes a decent family pub.

Now Mandy Adamson's husband Michael is running their own pub, The Pineapple in White Lion Road, Amersham, she can make sure it's just the kind of place they'd take their own children to.

Mandy says: "Since taking over The Pineapple a year ago, we've been working to make it really family friendly. We ourselves would want to take our children to a pub with excellent food where kids are welcome and feel at home."

So families will find not only the usual crayons, but a box of toys in one corner, and a cupboard containing story books as well as colouring books. Michael explains: "We find lots of dads come in for a family meal and take the opportunity to read Thomas the Tank Engine to their youngsters."

There's a playground with Wendy House and tea sets for under-sixes and patio for older children, as well as baby changing facilities and no fewer than eight high chairs. These come in handy when groups such as NCT post-natal groups come in for their regular get-togethers.

The menu is planned with kids in mind too, treading that delicate ground between what kids will eat, and what mum wants them to eat. When requested, Michael says he'll tell a porky and let a little one think his freshly-made fish finger is actually a chicken nugget. There's a kids' menu, or they can have small portions of any dish at half price.

So that's the kids happy. If mum is watching her weight (or dad for that matter), the menu has a Take Care Of Yourself section with dishes such as roast beef in black bean sauce with salad, or grilled salmon and vegetables, with WeightWatchers points listed. The impetus here comes from Michael's own interest in healthy eating as he is diabetic. Gluten-free meals can also be provided on request. But if you prefer traditional pub grub that's here too, along with paninis for the trendy, jacket potatoes for the traditional, hearty steaks and home made fish and chips, or burgers and lots more.

All this effort was rewarded last year when The Pineapple won the Best Family Pub in the Chilterns award. And it's currently on the final shortlist for Family Pub of the Year from Publican magazine.

I tried ginger chicken stir fry with salad (£7.95) when I called in one lunchtime 4.5 points on the healthy menu, apparently and it proved that healthy food can be satisfying and full of flavour.

Michael and Mandy are still coming up with ideas. They run a curry-and-quiz night on Mondays, a voucher scheme for free kiddies' meals, and are planning to enhance the side entrance to the restaurant so that families don't need to enter through the drinkers' bar. Michael adds: "Mandy comes in every week and has a good look around, checking everything is as spick and span as she'd like." There's nothing like a mother's eye for the small details that make a difference.