Cadogan Arms

While the bar, serving a decent if unremarkable beer selection including Adnams and Flying Scotsman, is closest to the King’s Road action, a step down takes you to the hunting lodge-style dining room of this very west London branch of the ten-strong, east London-slanted ETM pub group. With fish sourced from Billingsgate, Cumbrian shorthorn beef steaks for two, provenance flagged up at every opportunity (this is not just asparagus; this is Norfolk asparagus) and the prerequisite retro bar snacks (black pudding scotch egg, fish fingers), the Cadogan ticks all the right boxes, but does nothing outstandingly different. The decor – leather seating and hunting trophies – is similar to other pubs in the group. The menu is meaty, though a goat’s cheese salad with popcorn-sweet candied walnuts, and a huge portion of tagliatelle with wild garlic and oddly chewy parmesan shavings were satisfying enough. ‘Essex’ ham hock did not appear to be glazed as stated and came with gravy rather than the advertised parsley sauce, making for a very salty dish. There were no specials available due to a function upstairs – which also explained the long wait times.