Bars & Pubs

By Simone Baird

A claim to be 'the first pub restaurant deluxe' is funny and cringeworthy in equal measure. Printing the word 'deluxe' on a packet of processed macaroni cheese doesn't make it proper food; likewise, the addition of a few glamorous chandeliers and some great retro tiling doesn't change the fact that Idlewild is still just a local pub - albeit a very pretty one with some gorgeous old English crockery found on eBay.

The short menu is British with welcome French touches. Alongside a sublime starter of potted Devon crab with toast, we ate half a dozen snails, each cooked with a heavenly parsley crust.
Rib-eye steak with chips, and pan-fried cod with broad beans, peas and mint were popular options with diners around us.

A ham hock came on a creamy bed of mash and fell apart in just the right way; the pea purée was light and fresh with the addition of mint. Poulet vinaigre with sautéed potatoes boasted deliciously moist chicken with a crisp skin, but dry potatoes sorely missed the sharp sauce that should have accompanied the dish.
I decided against ordering dessert (despite the waiter's incredulous 'really?'), but my companion chose a pain perdu (this version was like a thick flaky pancake) with vanilla ice cream. The waiter placed it directly in front of me.

This was perhaps amusing, but in general the service was lousy. Empty glasses were ignored, a house rosé mysteriously changed from a light dry to a full-bodied fruity number on my second glass, and, tired of waiting, I had to go up to the bar to pay the bill. The six staff - ample for so few covers - spent their time aimlessly walking past tables and provoking a sort of Mexican-wave in their wake as diners attempted to catch their attention. Still, if they iron out the service, Maida Vale residents will have an enviable local on their doorstep.

Time Out London Issue 1923: June 27-July 3 2007