Katherine MacAlister has her hands – and mouth – full trying a pub’s popular meaty offerings for size

How on earth are you going to eat that?” I ask in amazement looking at the enormous burgers that had just materialised, contents skewered together as they towered in front of us.

“Everyone has their own way of eating them,” Dave tells me.

“For example, I pack everything in, clench it in both hands and go for it,” he demonstrates. Being a giant rugby player of a man it’s the obvious way forward for him, the bun looking like an Oreo in his vast hands.

His small son, another White House burger veteran, immediately picks his up, shares the two burgers on to the two separate buns, complete with toppings and eats them in turn, with gusto.

My effort is somewhere in between, but much more messy, and to be honest it was so good I didn’t care who saw me with BBQ sauce dripping down my face.

I’d been advised to get down to the Bladon pub for weeks, word of its burgers travelling far and wide, so last Sunday we went for it, unable to get a table until 3pm such is its popularity.

It’s a funny little place, an uneasy hybrid of pub, restaurant and tea shop, and as un-gastro as they come, but the whitewashed tables in the dining room were simple and perfect for a large family party like ours. The menu was interesting, as burger dominant as we’d hoped and, as it was a Sunday, a full range of roasts were also available, plus a specials board, and a children’s menu.

We ordered while the kids played on the stand-up Lego section which kept them amused until the food arrived.

I had no preconceptions to be honest and the presentation of the food was as unfussy as the decor, but boy it tasted good.

Everything is home-made from the coleslaw to the mayo, the Churchill burgers made fresh that morning, arriving with two patties, two pieces of bacon, tomato, onion, lettuce, gherkins, a smoky sauce, a lovely glazed bun, plus chips all included in the price of £10.95, laid on a gingham napkin.

The veggie burger appeared without an ounce of Quorn in sight and came with a wonderful mix of roasted peppers, olives, lettuce, gherkins, pesto, mozzarella and tomato and gave our vegetarian friend a novel and delicious meal for £7.95.

A side order of jalapeno peppers, one of the only bought-in offerings, were equally as good and the home-made coleslaw got the thumbs up. The child’s roast chicken (they could choose from beef, chicken or pork) came with all the trimmings at £5.95, including a large Yorkshire pudding, the adult version, a mountain of food, for £10.95.

Even the teenagers had trouble finishing their burgers, while enjoying every last mouthful, and as I surveyed the empty plates afterwards, thought they spoke for us all.

However, as the £4.75 White House waffle menu is as famous as the burgers, we weren’t over the hill yet, however full we were, and managed a good selection – the banoffee waffle being fairly self-explanatory and the brown and blonde, containing chocolate brownie, white chocolate sauce and cream, which could take your arteries out in one fell swoop, was well worth it.

As such, it was a great Sunday lunch outing. Nothing too formal or pretentious, relaxing for the kids and delicious family-friendly food.

So thumbs up to Kevin the new landlord who also mans the kitchen. Talking to him afterwards, the Irishman says he’s not trying to be the next Gordon Ramsay but just wants to serve really good, home-made food and something a bit different. Well he’s done that with bells on.

The White House, 1 Grove Road, Bladon, Woodstock, Oxfordshire OX20 1RQ. 01993 811582.

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