The Henley Brook is an exciting addition to the Swan Valley. It’s been open a few months, but it took me a while to get a booking at the immensely popular venue, affectionately known as “The Hen”. The staff were really accommodating, though The Hen was almost fully booked, squeezing us into an early lunch spot at 11am. We could have the table for an hour and a half, which luckily was plenty of time.
The Hen has bucket loads of character, for a new place. The rustic, country vibe works well in the Swan Valley. The cosy bar has many local beers on offer (Mash, Feral, Hop Hog and Homestead), as well as other WA craft beers and ciders. 
We met my parents there for a birthday lunch and scored a table right next to the open fire, which was crackling away. Our friendly waiter was prompt and helpful. We tried to be organised for once and got our order in quick, so we had plenty of time to enjoy our food.
I was very pleased with my choice – slow cooked pork belly, $32. It looked a treat, adorned with a spiral of crispy crackling. The belly itself fell apart at the touch of my fork. It was so moist and tasty. Underneath, was a truffle mash, fresh beans and a field mushroom gravy. Love it!
The Hen House chicken parmy, $26, got the thumbs up from Chef. His pub favourite was topped with smoked ham, semidried tomato fondue, melted smoked cheese and served with fries and salad. 
The Beef and stout pie special ($21.50) looked good and my Mum enjoyed it, though she did also say the filling was very rich. It was brimming with beef, spinach and veg and came with a side of chips to soak up the gravy.
My Dad really enjoyed a tasty steak. It was a hearty dish that came with a pumpkin tart and sautéed Brussel sprouts that he loved (yes really!).
There’s a wood fired pizza oven out the back and The Hen’s pizza menu has a good selection of toppings. Little Chef chose a kids Hawaiian pizza and quickly scoffed the lot. 
There’s a lot of seating outside under the veranda. The popular spot also has picnic rugs and crates on the grass. There’s a huge grassed area, so kids have plenty of room to run and it’s great for a ball game too. 
We all really enjoyed our lunch at The Hen. It’s a great addition to the Swan Valley. We absolutely plan to go back, next time I’ll book a couple of weeks in advance to secure a table for a longer stay!