Bars & Pubs

By Guy Dimond

On paper, it sounds good: a wine bar set up by ‘ex-Harrods catering’ friends, with a proper Enomatic wine-preservation machine to keep wines sold by the glass in tip-top condition. Yet the reality was disappointing. The Wine Theatre occupies the corner of a Travelodge near Southwark tube station, and barely raises itself beyond the expectations created by such a low-budget location.

From 5pm to 8pm there’s a buffet deal – you can get a glass of wine from a brief list, then help yourself to ‘aperitivo’ from the buffet, all for £8. Which would be a good deal, but of the two wines we tried, one was bland and the other smelt so sulphurous (a common wine fault) that we had to send it back; our waiter graciously apologised and replaced it with a different wine without quibble. Service was good throughout. But as for the buffet, it was 1980s office-party food: simple pasta dishes, a salad mainly comprised of wilted iceberg lettuce, some decent salamis on slightly stale bread. It didn’t exactly whet the appetite.

We suggest upgrading to the à la carte menu, where the far more interesting dish choices included a wholesome plate of lemon risotto served with grilled king prawns costing under a tenner. The cheese plates and charcuterie also looked like safe bets.

Time Out Issue 2003: January 8-14 2009