Gastro Pub Club...

[MobyP]

Welcome. This is the thread for every Gastro-pub in England. If you've been to one we haven't heard of, write about it here! How about a gastro-pub crawl?

Who can deny that the gastro pub hasn't been towards the center of the UK food transformation? From exceptionally good-value to outrageously expensive; from the local on your corner, to a renovated bistro-bar. And the talent in the kitchen - young cooks who want or are forced to start small, to michelin-starred chefs returning to simpler life-style. Less obligations, less financial commitment (not to mention less foie gras).

Is a food aesthetic being created during our time, that in fifty or an hundred years, people around the world will take for granted - like the French Bistro, or the New York Diner? Is it the simplicity of Mediterranean cooking that has allowed it to flourish, or is that too a phase? Has it benefited from the increase in pride of local produce, and methods of farming and land management? What will be on the menu in 20 or 50 years time, that's there now? And what that isn't?

All of these places deserve a long over-due home, and this is it. Tell us what you know.

Edited February 11, 2004 by MobyP (log)

[MobyP]

I'm thinking of going to the Anchor and Hope at Waterloo sometime this week. What's good there? And I need to return to the Ebury, where I had a fantastic meal. But given the degree of renovation, does it still qualify?

Maybe we need to set some rules. By what fingernails does it need to be holding on to still qualify as a pub? Like the Oak, can it have a separate dining room? Does it have to be in addition, or can it be exclusive? How many draft bitter taps behind the bar?

[Janice]

Everything!

Particularly good have been the roast goose stuffed with mashed potatoes (serves four) which we had just before Christmas, humble sprout tops and just about any pudding.

[Suzi Edwards]

gastropubs....

i've been waiting for this thread for a while.

i regularly experience huge disappointment with gastropubs. i've decided it's because they generally cook the kind of food i cook at home, but often at restaurant prices and with a smoker next to me.

and it drives me mad.

so, i'm looking for those gastropubs that consistently deliver good food at reasonable prices. i'm also keen to hear if other people share my frustration...

[Scott]

ok, 2 of my favourite gastro pubs.

UK

1. churchill inn in paxford. Stunning food, very fairly prices, tidy wine list and at least 2 hours from London! inventive, highly creative cuisine, with a rustic homey touch.

London

Bread and Roses Clapham.

funky gastro pub, that is cool, laid back and doesn't secretly want to be a bar. It is a pub, a real pub, but shiny and very well done. food is good, the banana bread beer is better!

I fear the problem in London is too many gastro pubs want their cake and...

They're a pub, forgive them rubbish service and other sloppy touches, but they get to charge like a wounded bull. All too often a restaurant in pub clothing, with few of the good points of either.

[MobyP]

Anchor and Hope (36 The Cut, SE1 - a few doors down from the Young Vic)

Last night a few of us (Jon Tseng, Magnolia, Enrico) descended on Anchor and Hope, and had a very nice evening indeed. They allow you into the dining room at 6. By 6.45, the dining room was full (on a Friday), and by 7.30-8, the whole place was heaving. So, best to get there early. I'm sure it's less busy earlier in the week. The staff were friendly, and helpful.

I think the menu is fantastically exciting - the starters especially - even if a few of the dishes didin't quite make it. It makes for fun eating. 3 out of 10 of their main courses were for a whole table to share: a slow braised duck stuffed with cabbage wrapped dumplings (traditionally called 'faggots'), a cassoulet, and a whole neck of lamb hot pot. These came in oval dutch ovens. Divided by four, the prices are reasonable. Starters average out at around 6 quid.

To start we had: "Deep-fried calve's brains and gribiche." These were breaded and fried crisp. The brains were lovely and creamy on the inside - it was like exotic fried scampi. With an IQ.

"Smoked Sprats and Horseradish" - these had a great, dark and smoky taste.

"Terrine" - an earthy-flavoured traditional pate de campagne. The bread was a nice sourdough.

"Duck gizzards, bacon, and salsify salad" Just as you would want - confit'd gizzards, lardons, mixed leaves, and very gentle salsify that brought the textures together.

"Snail and chickpea risotto" The snails and chickpeas were lovely and tender. I thought the rice was a little over-cooked, and underseasoned. (Is snail fish or beast? What would the Italians say about the addition of parmagiano?)

For the main course, we shared the slow braised duck (£48 - for four). This wasn't bad, but it wasn't as good as it could be. The duck was a bit over-cooked, the stew surrounding it full of melted cabbage and potato. A good dish for a cold night - still, a little more wine, a few more herbs, and seasoning wouldn't have gone amiss. But I was enormously charmed by the dish nonetheless. They leave the oval pot on the table with a spoon, a carving knife and fork, and it's help-yourself time. It's like going out for good home-cooked meal - there's something enormously comforting about spooning around the pot for the last bits of duck and potato.

Single main dishes include "Pigeon, semolina gnocchi, and mushrooms" (£11.80), "chicory tart, ceps, and parmesan," (£10.20), "lobster, potato, and morels" (a whopping £30).

Side dishes (all £2): a potato cake cooked in duck fat, lentils, and kale.

Deserts: Chocolate tart, lemon and almond cake, rhubarb jelly and buttermilk pudding, caramel ice-cream. These were fine. The rhubarb jelly was the most fun, and the caramel icecream had that comforting taste of just scorched sugar.

I think Anchor and Hope are offering a really well thought-out vision of what pub food can be that I would love to see replicated elsewhere. Although the quality of the cooking isn't quite the same level as somewhere like the Ebury, I'd definitely recomend the visit.

[slkinsey]

This is totally cool, and definitely a uniquely UK thing.

I am curious... what would you all say are the defining characteristics of a gastro pub, what constitutes a good one, and are there any dishes that are classic "must have on the menu" pub dishes?

[Matthew Grant]

This is totally cool, and definitely a uniquely UK thing.

I am curious... what would you all say are the defining characteristics of a gastro pub, what constitutes a good one, and are there any dishes that are classic "must have on the menu" pub dishes?

Scampi and Fries

Cheesy topped Fries

Chilli Fries

Chilli Wedges

Lasagne and Chips

Chicken Curry

Chilli Con Carne

Burger

Cheese and Bacon Burger

BLT

Onion Soup

Ploughmans Lunch

[MobyP]

Precisely - the unmitigated horrors from the culinary swamp we're crawling out of:

Before:

Scampi and Fries

Cheesy topped Fries

Chilli Fries

Chilli Wedges

Lasagne and Chips

Chicken Curry

And After:

"Deep-fried calve's brains and gribiche."

"Terrine"

"Duck gizzards, bacon, and salsify salad"

"Snail and chickpea risotto"

"Whole slow braised duck"

"Neck of lamb hot-pot"

"Pigeon, semolina gnocchi, and mushrooms"

"Chicory tart, ceps, and parmesan,"

"Lobster, potato, and morels"

When it works, you're talking about really good, really simple food, without any ceremony or fuss.

[MobyP]

In the Observer Food Monthly, the organic pub up in Islington, The Duke of Cambridge, is in the top three for Best Sunday Lunch.

Me and the wifery used to go there every weekend - on a sunny Spring Sunday, there was nothing better than sitting outside with the papers, with some olives, good bread, and some chicken liver parfait with red onion marmalade, a pint (of organic lager), and then a slap-up lunch. Almost every time I go there I either find something I've never tasted before, or some reinvention of the wheel - but it's always deeply satisfying. I've never spoken with the kitchen, but I think the head chopper's an Australian.

[Edit to Add:]

On second look, it seems like all three of the top Sunday lunch places were pubs or Inns.

[jackal10]

In yesterday's "The Information" section of the The Independent, the "50 Best" feature was on Gastropubs.

Doesn't seem to be online though

[Jon Tseng]

Stuck my observations in the wrong thread

cheerio

J

[Blondie]

In the Observer Food Monthly, the organic pub up in Islington, The Duke of Cambridge, is in the top three for Best Sunday Lunch.

I was going to bring up the Duke of Cambridge, but seeing as it is the only gastro-pub I've ever been to, I assumed my sample size was too small to comment

I had a lovely lunch there on my last visit to London and would go back in a second.

[Sarah74]

We have a fantastic gastro-pub in the heart of the Mendips, Somerset. It is called the Wookey Hole Inn and besides serving a varied selection of Belgian beers it also provides us and our nearest and dearest with some great food. Interesting, hearty, solid mediterranean cooking. Also ate the best chocolate brownie with organic, local ice-cream EVER here last weekend!

You can view a selection of the food on their website - Wookey Hole Inn

They've recently opened another similar venture further south (Long Sutton, near Langport) called the Devonshire Angel which seems to be replicating the succes of its cousin. Not yet eaten there myself but FYI, the website is Devonshire Angel

[MobyP]

The Ebury

Just a quick report. Another fine meal. 3 courses for £29.50, which is a good deal, considering the quality. The chef, Michael Nadra, is sending out food reminiscent of Chez Bruce, where I was told he used to cook. But half of the plates looked as if they'd come straight from a Gordon Ramsay shoot. Some of the approaches, too, seemed to be influenced. And at those prices, why not, I say!

Warm Salad of Squid and Chorizo with Ratte potatoes and Gremolata - The squid was perfectly tender, with a nice citronette, and waxy potatoes.

Grilled Quail with Salad Gourmand, Sweet Mustard, and Red Wine - This was fantastic finger food. Visually it reminded me of the poche/grille Ramsey recipe. The quail nicely charred. I could be wrong, but I think there was some braised knuckle mixed in with the salad. I could have eaten this all night.

(Other starters include: Buffalo Ricotta and egg yolk raviolo with wood roasted peppers and basil, ceviche of scallops and organis salmon with Daikon, cream of Jerusalem Artichoke soup.)

Line Caught Sea Bass with Creamed Savoy cabbage and Pied do Mouton (£3.50 supp) - I didn't get to try this, but it was a sizeable piece of fish, and Kate said it was very nice. (She omitted the mushrooms).

Calf's kidney and sweetbreads with creamed potatoes, choucroute salad, and pancetta.

Probably worth the price of admission for the potatoes and choucroute. Both the sweetbreads and the kidneys were cooked well. Though the kidneys were slightly chewy, although beautifully pink in the middle.

(Other mains include: Roast Hallibut with olive oil mash and piperade, Chateaubriand with Foie Gras, cocotte potatoes, trompettes, and sauce poivrade (for 2 - £10 supp).)

Praline Millefeuille with malt Chocolate Ice-cream - a very ramsay-ish desert. Lovely crisp puff pastry, enclosing chocolate ganache, scattered with broken praline, and a scoop of malt ice-cream

Champagne Rhubarb trifle - a respectable pud.

(Others: Hot chocolate pudding with caramelised Pecan Nuts and Vanilla Ice cream. Pannacotta with Wild Berries poached in Cote du Rhone)

This is the second time we've been here - and although it's obviously on the far-posh-nosh end of gastro-pubism, I would say it still slips under the wire. Frankly it's places like this that make we want to lob a brick at 'Fifteen' for charging me so much more for unfortunately less. The deserts we had felt a little contained (or is it 'restrained?'), but otherwise this is accomplished cooking - you feel safe in their hands. The service was very friendly, and attentive enough. The bread was exceptional.

[Carlovski]

Chateaubriand with foie gras is definitely moving out of the gastro pub domain!

(Could we make a generalisation that if it offers a prix fixe, with supplements, it is really a restaurant, even if it is in a pub?)

I think a good rule of thumb is that if it doesn't offer something resembling either sausages, or a pie (It can be a posh sausage variant, or a posh pie) then it doesn't join the club.

On the Fifteen comment, based on what was covered on Return to Jamies Kitchen, he has to charge that, and still doesn't make any money.

[MobyP]

On the Fifteen comment, based on what was covered on Return to Jamies Kitchen, he has to charge that, and still doesn't make any money.

According to the show, it was going to take him 8 years before he was in the black - but according to recent reports, he should be there by next year - so that's less than half the time; albeit he now endorses just about everything imaginable (and fair play to him). He's charging £27-30 for main courses - which is just absurd when I can get three of that quality at the Ebury (and I realise I'm sounding a bit bitter, but I went there with big Jamie love in my heart, and he had to come up with one or two pretty poor dishes in order to change my mind).

Chateaubriand with foie gras is definitely moving out of the gastro pub domain!

Did I say chateaubriand? I meant black pludding, with yorkshire pudding, and a lemon suet pudding for desert.

[Carlovski]

Did I say chateaubriand? I meant black pludding, with yorkshire pudding, and a lemon suet pudding for desert.

That's more like it!

Lemon suet pudding still sounds a bit nouvelle cusine to me though

[Andy Lynes]

The chef, Michael Nadra, is sending out food reminiscent of Chez Bruce, where I was told he used to cook.

Has Derek Craigh (sp?) formerly of Fat Duck already moved on then?

[MobyP]

Yes. Back to Ireland after only a few months.

[Suzi Edwards]

moby, i am so ill at the moment (as you know) but reading your report has made me want to go eat there this evening. thank you :-)

[tony h]

Anchor & Hope

Just returned from a rather lovely meal at the A&H (pity about the pub part 'though)

Starters

Terrine - earthy & satisfying - great bread

Char grilled spring onions with a salsa crossed with ground nuts, bread & ½ boiled egg.

The egg was superfluous (& thankfully quickly eaten by my partner) but the onions & salsa were quite extraordinary.

Mains

Scallops with peas & bacon - a stunning little dish - 5 fair sized scallops with up-market mushy peas. Loved every little bit to the very last drop

Best end of lamb with warm salad - very garlicky crust but seriously good lamb - warm salad a bit of a damp squid.

Duck fat potatoes (X2) - sent one back as it was too burned - but essentially mini rosti?s v good

Too stuffed for puds

Wine - fairly good pinot grigio for £16

The pub itself is fairly horrible - stayed there for ½ hour before escaping the restaurant part. I really hated the very loud music that came from the pub part (only a thin fabric hanging separated the parts). A table or two was still available by 7PM - so not as rushed as I-d expected. On leaving around 7.30 - the pub part was completely packed & loud.

Great place for lunch, I'd say

Whole meal, inc wine, £60 - possibly the best £60 I?ve spent in a while (unless you count that rent boy down ..... lets not go there )

Edited February 21, 2004 by MobyP (log)

[Stephen B]

The Ox, Manchester

Had my Friday lunch there this week.

I wandered in, picked up what I thought was a menu, and sauntered up to the bar reading along the way, only to be intercepted and guided to a table. Fortunately, I could see the bar from where I ended up, so I could answer the drinks query.

Chicken piri piri was new potatoes, a spicy tomato sauce with bits of chorizo & gammon and some green leaves I never identified, with two nicely grilled chicken thighs on top. The dominant flavour in the sauce was the chorizo, but it was tasty enough, if a bit salty for me. Overall, not at all bad.

Choice of pop was Landlord, Pedigree, Wobbly Bob, Old Speckled Hen, and Boddingtons. Leave aside the Boddingtons - I haven't had any since the recent change of recipe, and for ten years the stuff was undrinkable. The weakest beer is the Landlord, which was jolly tasty, but two pints contain more alcohol than I like at lunchtime. Looking round, there was a sea of halves and soft drinks.

The bill was £13.50 or so, duration was about an hour and twenty minutes, so I got back to work an hour and three quarters after I left (oops). The 'sandwiches' seemed very popular, but some girlies by me left some (too much, methinks - they should have shared one).

[MobyP]

Stephen B - welcome to eGullet! Thanks for the post. Whats the pub food scene like in Manchester?

BLH - I agree about the pub part. Packed with young luvvies and half-luvvies and friends of luvvies, listening to that rocky rolly music.

[slkinsey]

This is a really cool thread, guys. Not only for the interesting look into something we just don't have in the States, but also for things we don't hear much over on this side like this: "young luvvies and half-luvvies and friends of luvvies, listening to that rocky rolly music."