Restaurants

We made two visits to the gloriously Victorian Queens in the space of a few weeks and had two quite different culinary experiences based, we suspect, on the presence (or not) of the head chef. Such is the benefit of an open-plan kitchen to the food critic. Lets focus on the good: fab, thick-cut chips, quick adoption of seasonal treats such as Jersey Royals, sides of asparagus and savoy cabbage, and an unusual range of salads and potatoes. Staff are chirpy and the decor with its cosy alcoves, tiled fireplace and wrought ironwork is a foreigners English pub fantasy. But our modest lamb burger with beetroot and mozzarella was not good enough to compete with the gourmet burger chains. Grilled chicken breast with couscous and pesto dressing was very ordinary not the juicy, pancetta-wrapped version wed enjoyed on our earlier visit, along with spiced duck breast served with a stir-fry of pak choi, oyster mushrooms and beansprouts. On the plus side, the wine list is fairly priced and theres plenty of non-alcoholic presses, crushes and juices though whether theyre all in stock is another matter.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008