Time Out rating:
<strong>Rating: </strong>4/5
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<strong>Rating: </strong>4/5
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Time Out says
Mon Jul 23 2012
Decked out like a hipster’s country house hotel, this tucked-away New End spot has confidently distinguished itself from the slew of Hampstead gastroboozers with a discreet luxury vibe and highly accomplished kitchen. Don’t roll up on Sundays expecting a cheap ’n’ cheerful roast: lunch dishes are cooked, presented and priced like an upmarket restaurant, an impression underlined by the expensively attired crowd, though the charming ease of the staff forestalls stuffiness. You’ll need to book well in advance too. When the kitchen is open, bar snacks such as sautéed chorizo with fennel seeds and lemon, and cod croquettes with aïoli provide light alternatives to the likes of roast quails with creamed onions, sage, wild garlic and Madeira sauce. Desserts (chocolate marquis, sticky toffee pudding, lemon granita) are a strong point. Cheeses come from the esteemed La Fromagerie. Outside mealtimes, well-conceived (though still pricey) boards of antipasto and charcuterie provide gourmet sustenance. Even the regulars would prefer another couple of hand-pumps (the bar is tiny), but the wine list is fun and friendly, and staff make Pimm’s a real treat by starting from scratch.
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