Bars & Pubs

Now boasting a lucky 13 pubs in London, the Geronimo Inns chain has become a quiet success story by concentrating on the simple things and not getting ideas above its station. Theres no better example than the Duchess of Kent. Revived from obsolescence a few years ago and given a handsome, gastropub-standard wood-and-books refit, its now a fixture at the far end of the Liverpool Road: a pleasing watering hole and ever-reliable eating option. A starter of crispy black pudding potato cake with soft-poached egg and horseradish dressing was blander than its description suggested. However, a special of roasted pork cutlet with braised savoy cabbage and cider sauce was rich in flavour, the excellence of the meat in particular suggesting that no corners are cut in sourcing ingredients. Prices are very fair, with most mains around a tenner. Service is tidy. The all-things-to-all-people soundtrack, carefully fading from reggae to nouveau-Britrock to vintage pop, felt like part of a grand corporate strategy, but this is otherwise a likeable spot.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008