Restaurants

As soon as the butter arrives, you know you’re in for something special at this sister to Battersea’s Greyhound . Churned in-house by chef Matthew Foxon, it is flavoured differently as fancy strikes. On this occasion, it was coal-smoked: utterly delicious. From an alluring menu, we were wowed by terrifically tender Barbary duck with seared foie gras. Equally impressive was garlicky lamb rump atop puréed potato; an accompanying conker-sized lamb kofta was superfluous, but we forgave the show-off. Starters were also a pleasure. Smoked eel with anchovy mayonnaise might have had a bigger portion of the oily, flavourful fish, but delicacy was key to the dish; it was garnished with tiny, sweet cubes of apple jelly. Dessert maintained standards: three scoops of thick mousse, one of dark chocolate, one white, one toffee. The cavernous, echoey space (much shiny wood and leather banquettes) is divided in two: restaurant at the back, bar with its own shorter menu at the front. As we dithered over a vast wine list, our pleasant waitress suggested we consult the sommelier. He’s co-owner Mark Van der Goot, but the very notion highlights the drastic gentrification of the gastropub. Still, with food of this quality, it’s hard to complain.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008