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Address: 27 Wick Road, Teddington, TW11 9DN
Telephone number: 0208 977 4779
Website: N/A
Date of visit: 29 September 2011
Approximate cost per head: £20 for 2 courses, set lunch £10.95 for 2 courses
Comments on wine list/beer: basic wine list with most wines around £20 a bottle. London Pride and Sharps Doombar on tap (from £3.30 a pint)
Cuisine: rustic French
Special note: No food served on Mondays and Sunday evenings
Likes and dislikes: proper “French” food – not an imitation – at very reason prices. Please, no fat chips, stick to pomme frites.
Previous review : 30 May 2011
Summary,
The “refurbished” Lion re-opened this month. The front of house is now set round a modern looking bar with tables and leather arm chairs. There is a “new” dining room at the back and the garden has been semi-paved over with new garden furniture to allow outside eating.
Julian the “french owner” is a very likable Frenchman who goes round greeting his customers. His staff are all French.
I went as a guest of a birthday lunch (2 year old). Julian has provided a huge helium pepper pig balloon and we also had a bottle of champagne and a birthday cake – all on the house.
The menu – thank god – is identical to that of the mother ship – Carpenters Arms in Sunninghill. All traditional and established French dishes.
The daily set lunch offered to start with , jamon, chicory salad, onion soup etc. For main course, you can have tartarflette, minute steak, steak hache, ballotine of chicken etc. 2 courses for £10.95. Amazing value in London.
I had the chicory salad and the steak hache with chips. The chicory ssalad is a simple dishes of sliced leaves with croutons, walnuts and blue cheese – an excellent combination of texture and falavours. It came nicely presented and not over presented.
The steak hache was a “loose” piece of minced meat served slightly raw in the middle – very french, but alais, the chips were British Fat chips. Apparently, they do this to suit the local palate as most of the people round the table acknowledged that they prefer fat chips. This was the only unauthentic bit.
The birthday cake was a rich piece of chocolate cake decorated with berries and served with pistachio ice cream – I don’t normally eat dessert but I ate this one.
I understand that the place is packed on a Friday and Saturday night – booking is essential.
E
Address: Shiplake Row, Binfield Heath, Oxon RG9 4DP. Turn down Plough Lane by The Ploughdon Arms Pub from A4155 and carry on for about 0.5 miles, pass the school.
Telephone: 01189 403673
Website: www.orwellsatshiplake.co.uk
Date of visit: 28 September 2011
Costs: £20 plus for 2 courses
Wines and beer: Medium size wine list at about 4X markup.
Likes and dislikes: Excellent food. The wooden board I had with the fish and chips was too small – the chips keep falling off the side. Luckily, the tables were squeeky clean.
Cuisine: Modern British – high class.
Summary:
The whitewash building has a large car park at the front. The inside is modern antique. White walls with black painted exposed beams, MDF tables – no table cloths.
I went on a Wednesday after being ill for several days. The place was about 20% full.
Orwells is named after George Orwell who lived in Shiplake. This place was awarded The Restaurant of the year by the readers of Good Food Guide. It is in the Michelin’s Guide as a Pub but all the tables are laid out for dining and there is no room to stand at the bar.
According to the Good Food Guide, they do a set lunch (£10 for 2 courses). However, on the day I went, it was not available. The a la carte was very interesting and I would Have gone for it. I started off with pig’s head fritters – deep fried brawn without the jelly (£7.50), followed by the fish and chips at £14.50. To accompany this, I ordered half a bottle Ch Montaigullion (St Emilion) 2006. Ther wine turned out to be very soft and weak. I suspect, to get a decent bottle here, you are looking at around £50. I was the only one that ordered half a bottle. All other diners were on one glass of housr champagne or wine.
The pig’s head fritters were excellent, you get 4 coin size nuggets served with a very herby green salad and plum and mustard jam – not sweat at all. A great combination of texture, multiple tastes and visually stunning. The fish was a huge piece of haddock served on a pile of really good chips on a wooden board with smashed garden peas on a piece of grease proof paper. The accompanying tartar sauce was chunky, crisp and came in a jam jar – airline size. The batter was crispy and not light. I really rate this. The only down side was that the chips and batter were salted. It wasn’t over done as I can just taste it.
Overall, I think that this is a great place and will look forward to my next visit.
PS I forgot to say that they offer nice bread and butter (free). The butter is unsalted but it came spiked with sea salt flakes.
They forgot to mention Penderyn – a pretty good Welsh single malt whisky from the Brecon.
E
Sept 2011
Address: 21 Bank Street, Malvern, Worcs WR14 2LG
Telepone: 01684 574373
Website: http://www.nagsheadmalvern.co.uk/index.html (under construction in Sept 2011)
Date of visit: 17 September 2011
Beer and wine: fantastic selection of real ale and whisky. Basic wine list with most wines under £20 a bottle.
Costs: Less than £20 for 2 courses. Most main courses around £12.95. Desserts all priced at £4.20
Cuisine: Pub food
Likes and dislikes: Basic but reasonable cooking. No chips on the night I went. Summary:
The Nags Head is a one of the top Pubs in the UK when it comes to Real Ale. It has won awards with Sawdays, The Good Pub Guide and The Good Beer Guide. There are usually around 20 different beers and ciders on offer.
There is a very nice outside patio before you enter the Pub but it is usually dominated by smokers.
There is a separate bar and restaurant on the inside. The place is full of old poster and signs – all before the second world war – e.g. Birds Custards, Woodbine cigarettes etc.
The restaurant is divided into 2 rooms with wooden tables and chairs. The tables are slightly sticky (could do with a real scrub) and there are no mats or table cloths. You get paper serviettes. On the night I went, the place was full.
There are two menus, normal and specials of the day.
I started with crab cake (£6.80) which came with a salad. The deep fried cake was not greasy. Only downside was that there was more mash potato than crab meat in the one crab cakes that was served up.
Next, I had the liver, kidneys, mushrooms (£13.50). The waitress told me that the liver was served pink. When it came, the liver was well cooked but the kidneys were pink. My friend had the pork chop cooked in cider with caramelised apples (£12.50).
The liver and kidneys tasted fine and the gravy was nice and rich. With our main meals, we were served a nice selection of vegetables – carrots, beans, cabbage and new potatoes. According to the menu, they do not cook their vegetables to death and if you like over cooked vegetables; you have to ask for it. Well, the veg were cooked beyond al dante but still just about had texture.
We had a bottle of Fleure 2009 (£22.50) between us – very drinkable at a reasonable mark up.
The food was ok but it was just above average.
E
Address: Woodcote Lane, Chazey Heath, Nr Reading, RG4 7UG
Telephone: 0118 9722140
Website: http://www.homecountiespubs.co.uk/packhorse/
Date of visit: 14 September 2011
Costs: Around £20 for 2 courses, set lunch £12.95 for 2 courses, £16.95 for 3 course. Most main courses around £10 with steak the most expensive at £19.95
Wines and beer: London Pride (£3.30 a pint), wines available – low to medium end list
Likes and dislikes: Excellent food but service a bit poor.
Cuisine: Modern British
Summary:
This is a pub I used to frequent regularly in the 70s. It has changed hands several times. A few years ago, it became a Bluebecker Pub, it is now part of the Home Counties Group. They use to serve Gales –now part of Fullers – and non grape wines – elderberry etc. The wines were still available when I came here in the early 2000s. The wines are no longer there and the serving area is now twice the size it was. There is a 50 seat restaurant, very tastefully decorated with demi johns and old prints. The building is several centuries old and there is a massive car park at the front.
The day I went, I ordered a pint of London Pride. It was probably a new barrel or the pipes have just been flushed – it was all head, the man eventually sorted it out and bought me my pint – it did not taste right and I suspect that part of the beer was from the frothy pint – when the froth died down.
The menu is one of these modern British ones. However they do a set lunch – £12.95 for 2 courses.
I settled for the set lunch with tempura squid as a starter, followed by liver and smashed potato.
Service was very poor as the waitress prefered to stay in the kitchen rather than manage the floor. You more or less have to catch her attention when she brings the food out. I waited 15 minutes between receiving the menu and ordering the food. Nearby two old ladies talked in a loud voice about deaths and illness – you can hear every word.
The tempura squid was excellent. It was very nicely presented with a small pot of chopped chillies and onions. The plate had a smear of tempura soya sauce to augment the presentation. The lambs liver was also very nicely presented with the liver and bacon sitting on top of a pile of smashed potato in a pool of gravy. The potato was a smashed baked potato with grainy mustard. All very pleasant and edible.
The truth is that it is very good value food presented in a pleasant dining room. Service will be better if the waitress stays in the restaurant rather than the kitchen.
E
Address: Spriggs Alley (name of a place!), Nr Chinnor, Oxfordshire OX39 4BX
Telephone: 01494 483011
Website: http://www.sircharlesnapier.co.uk/
Date of visit: 13 September 2011
Costs of food: £17.50 for a two course set lunch. Most starters around £10 and most main courses from under £20 to under £30. Puddings £8.50 and cheese is priced at £10.50
Wines and beer: Wadsworth 6X on gravity drip (£4 a pint), extensive premium wine list at the usual mark up. There are some gems at a reasonable price (e.g. Ch Musar at under £40 for the 2003)
Likes and dislikes: Excellent place. Food is good. You get a proper ”large” linen napkin but no table cloth. At the price they charge, it would be nice to have a table cloth.
Cuisine: Modern British
Summary:
Since its inception, there are around 40 restaurants that have been listed every year. Sir Charles Napier is one of them.
The Pub is sited on the main road with a large car park and garden to the side. The place – both indoor and outdoor is littered with carvings (bronze and marble) created by Michael Cooper. There is even a huge turtle in the men’s toilet.
The inside is divided into a bar area with settees and then 2 adjoining dining room. There is wine rack under the stairs, lit by spot lights – not sure that this will do the wines any good if they have been sitting there for a long time.
On the day I went the place was full of gentlemen – with jackets and ties – aged around 70+. The drinks ordered at the bar were: gin and tonic, half a bitter, dry white wine, half a shandy………Later, the landlady put me right by telling me that it was a club lunch meeting – and I thought that the regular are all retired members of the House of Lords.
The set lunch looked quite decent as the couple on the table next to me had it. If ordered separately, it would cost over £25 – you get a la carte size portions.
I went for 2 starters : the smoke haddock soufflé (£9.50)and the vegetable risotto with girolle (£12.50).
The soufflé sat in a very intense smooth cream sauce with a few flakes of smoke haddock in it. The smoke haddock was not dyed. It was a triumph and the soufflé did not collapse whilst I ate it. The risotto was just wet, not soupy. It was full of crunch green onion tops. In fact the onion overwhelmed everything but I loved it.
The meal was washed down with a couple pints of Wadsworth 6x – best pint of 6x I have had for years but at £4 a pint?
This is more of a restaurant than a pub. I thought that it was definitely worth the 50 mile round trip for the meal.
E
PS You get a lovely basket of warm bread – free!
Address: 36 Greenhill Rents, Cowcross Street, London Ec1M 6BN
Telephone: 0207 017 1930
Website: www.restaurantsetcltd.co.uk
Date of visit: 9 September 2011
Costs of food: Around £30 for 2 courses
Wines and beer: Heavily marked up list. Wines from £20 to £500 a bottle . Beers from £5.70 for 50ml.
Likes and dislikes: Excellent food. However prices at the top end – especially the mark up on wines which in some cases exceed 500%. Bread is free.
Cuisine: Modern British
Summary:
Over the past 5 years, Mark Hix has quietly expanded his empire. There are now restaurants all over London and Dorset.
Hix Oyster and Chop House is sited on the edge of the city, a stone’s throw from St John Street.
Mark Hix has written a few cook books on British cooking and his style is very similar to Gary Rodes.
The food here is priced at the top end and plate decoration is minimal. If you order a piece of steak, that’s all you get, no salad, no cress, no vegetables!
The restaurant is very similar – in style – to St John, white tiles, black and white decoration. I am pleased to report that you do get table cloths and linen napkins here and they do serve tap water.
I went with my son O who works in an office off long acre.
I started off with half a carafe of Brouilly whilst I was waiting for O. The half carafe was £22 + 12.5% service. A bottle can be purchased from Majestic for around £8.
O started with Hix’s own cured smoke salmon (£12.50) whilst I had the Sprats (£8.50). The smoke salmon was wonderful. 4 large thick slices. Absolutely divine – why do we normally have thinly sliced smoke salmon? The sprats (5) were lightly battered and deep fried. This was also very good. It did not taste oily and the thin batter did not retain any oil.
O then had the ribeye – I thought that he ordered skirt. This came as a 250g slice (£32) on a white plate with absolutely nothing else – not even a sprig of parsley!
I had the steak tartare (£10.50 starter size),which was served as a burger with an egg yolk on top. I was left to apply tabasco and Worcestershire sauce. The mixture was finely “minced” with the right amount of raw onions and capers.
O and I ordered chips on the side. We were charged £7.90 for the double helping. They were nice French fries.
It was a very pleasant meal with excellent service. However, the mark up on the wine is ridiculous as the food is already pricy. I wish restaurants would charge a set premium instead of %. The Chambertin 2005 which was priced at £500 can be purchased for £80 a bottle. I am not even sure that it’s drinkable as Burgundy should either be drunk young or old. They go to sleep in between.
E
Event: Armit trade tasting
Where: The Gallery Soho, 121 Charing Cross Road, London
When: 6 September 2011
Website: www.armit.co.uk
Intro:
Armit is one of my favourite wine merchants, he offers good quality and fine wines at a reasonable price. Armit is also heavily into the Restaurant trade. A significant number of London Restaurants offers wines from the Armit list.
You can buy from Armit as a retail (he sells by the cases) or trade customer.
The following report is my take on the annual tasting. Over 90 wines were on offer. They were mainly the cheap and medium price wines from his cellars. Please note that these are trade prices – cheaper than retail and NO VAT. Add about 30% to the price for the equivalent retail price (including VAT).
Armit’s tasting uses different venue every year. This year it took place in one of Foyle’s old building – downstairs is now a Soho Bookshop and William Hill.
Tasting notes on recommended wines:
Gaicomo Fenocchio Barolo, Piedmont, Italy £28.99
Good. Tannic and still closed. Another 5 years before it opens up. This is a classic Barolo.
From La Rioja Alta, Spain:
Grand Reserva 904 1988, £24.99
Grand Reserva 904 1997 £24.84
Vina Ardanza Reserva Especial 2001 £31.99
Vina Arana 2004 £13.99
Aster Crianza (Ribera del Duero), £10.99
Aster Reserva 2004 (Ribera del Duero) £12.99
All the wines on offer were pretty good. The top mend was very woody. However the Aster Crianza was a real find, jammy, easy to drink and at over £10 a bottle, a bargain.
Prosecco Frizzante NV, Biancaavigna, Valdobbiadene, Italy £6.85
An excellent brut Prosecco.
From Pierre Gimonnet et Fils, Champagne:
Cuis 1er Cru Brut NV £19.99
Brut Gastronome 2006 £22.99
Fleuron 2005 £24.99
The Cuis was all CO2 and had very bland taste and lacked the floral and biscuity taste of a good champagne. The Brut Gastronome was much better. I wasn’t sure that Fleuron was better than Brut Gastronome. Historically, I have found that these champagnes improve with age.
From: Gusbourne, Appledore, Kent
Blanc de Blancs, Brut 2006 £19.99
Sparkling rose £21.99
These sparkling wines from Kent were excellent and were one of the top find of the tasting. They have wonderful bouquet and fruit. However, they were on the expensive side.
From Gaja
Promis 2008 £35.30
Magari 2008 £22.50
Camarcanda 2204 £ 45.99
Bruenello Di Montalcino, Sugarille 2206, £63.48
They were all nice wines with plenty of fruit and the 2008 is still tannic – so will keep for another 10 years. However, Gaja has put his prices up in line with Bordeaux. Are they still value for money? The Camarcanda was top of the bunch.
From: Matetic Vineyards , Chile
Corrallillo Pinot Noir 2010 £8.99
Corralilillo Syrah 2009, £8.99
Chardonnay 2009, £8.99
EQ costal Savvignon Blanc £6.99
Matetic Syrah 2008
The Matetetic wines were all easy drinking “restaurant” wine. I suspect that most of them (except the Syrah 2008) had never seen “wood” in their life hence the softness – lack of tannin. These wines won’t keep with age.
Chateau Dereszia, Dry Tokaji, 2010, Hungry £7.45
I like this. Having never drank any Tokaji that isn’t sweet, I found this to be like a troken fruity German wine with low alcohol.
From: Freemark Abbey, Napa Valley, USa
Sauvignon Blanc £14.99
Viognier 2010, Napa Valley £13.99
Chardonnay 2010 Napa Valley £13.99
Merlot 2009, Napa Valley£15.45
Cabernet 2007, Napa valley £19.99
Bosche Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford 2005 £44.99
Sycamore Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford, 2005 £44.99
I used to think that America wines are over priced as you can get a decent French 2eme Bordeaux for around £30 a bottle. However, since 2005, all has changed as the price of French wines just rocketed and the Italians are doing the same. The Spanish wines are still good value for money, the American wines are now re reasonable prices – similar to a Bordeaux 2eme growth. However, only the Americans can make big, jammy, blockbuster Cabs. The Sycamore Vineyard 2005 is a super Cab and will last 10-20 years but drinking well now. By the way, it is only 80% cabernet sauvignon, the rest is merlot, cabinet franc etc In fact it is a Bordeaux blend.
Valpolicella Superiore, Romano Dal Forno, Italy £44.95
If you think that Valpolicella Superiore is a cheap wine that you order in Pizza Express, think again. The top Valpolicella from Gaja sells at the3 sme price as a Bodeaux first growth – well not any more as Bordeaux prices are now silly. This one is ag good as it comes. Still very tannic but heavy with fruit. Tobacco, leather and …… are all there. At £44.99, it is probably good value. Will need another 10 years in the cellar before it opens up.
I was on the whole disappointed with the white burgundies on offer. Two wines were pretty good:
St Romain 2007, Maison Deux Montille, Burgundy £14.99
This won Gold at the 2011 Decanter Sommeilier award. On the whole, I don’t trust award as the njudging is pure on the wines submitted – if you make a good and well known wine, why would you submit it to be judged? So, It nearly always newcomers.
Ruilly 1er Cru 2009, Leflaive, Burgundy £29.32
Crisp, fruity – no butter taste . Excellent but over priced. This was less than £20 a bottle 3 years ago.
Best of the rest – budget wines
Victoria Pinot Grgio, Plozner, Italy £4.99
Light but very drinkable.
Six Foot Six Pinot Noir, Geelong, Austria £8.99
Another Aussie wine with a silly name but this is not bad at all. Very soft, probably never seen oak in it’s life.
Klein Steenbery Bordeaux Blend 2009, Constantia, South Africa £4.99
Good stock wine to entertain your neighbour.
Riesling Gutswein Halbtroken 2008, Weingut Theodorus, Pflanz, Germany £7.15
Good clean wine – on the nose and palate. Good with seafood.
Paper Road Pinot Noir 2009, Borthwick Vineyard, New Zealand £8.75
Pretty good. Rasberry, nearly a proper burgundy.
Momo Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand £7.25
Nearly as good as Cloudy Bay but at half the price.
E
Sept 2011
PS if you start a wine club with a few friends or work colleagues, you can buy wine at trade prices!