Restaurants

Strictly speaking, this inordinately successful operation tucked away down a skinny Docklands street qualifies as a gastropub. However, it’s hard to avoid the impression that the Gun is effectively a smartish British restaurant (white tablecloths, subtle cooking, modest service) attached to a likeable local boozer (heavy wooden furniture, Thames-side terrace, roaring fire, Young’s Bitter and Adnams Broadside on tap). We’ve eaten very well here in the past, but our meal this year was a little underwhelming. It wasn’t the fault of the starters: carefully sourced and beautifully steamed asparagus served with a deep-fried duck egg; and a similarly delicate if slightly over-elaborate trio of Devonshire crab, avocado mousse and cucumber gazpacho. However, the mains – poached halibut, and tender lamb rump with white bean purée and morel jus – were less memorable. Everything was at least decent, and delivered with pleasing efficiency. But at these not-exactly-pub prices (the halibut was £17, the lamb just 50p less, with a side of Jersey royals at four quid extra), we’d hoped to be blown away. There’s a cheaper, more informal menu (roast beef sandwich £9.50, fat chips £2.75) available in the pub part of the operation. The White Swan and the Well share the same owners.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008