NNTP-Posting-Date: 28 Jul 2003 14:31:41 GMT
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Last Saturday night in London, wandering around the back of Olympia
in the rain, I found myself following swmbo through the rain to a 'recommended' resturant, which turned out to be more mythical than Jason's argonouts. After 5 miles of wanderings and realising we were just around the corner from our point of departure, I announced that I was fed up, wringing wet, cold and very hungry and intended entering the next pub I passed and drink as much Guiness as was neccessary to make me equally wet on the inside, if they didnt serve food. Around the corner was such a pub, which served food and real ale. A cloudy but tasty pint of bitter (cant remember what) later and I noticed an interesting looking menu, and fairly ecclectic list of wines. The place was smokey, rather noisy, and a staff more intent on impressing each other than the clients. It was dry, the menu seemd good, and there was one table free. We took it, ordered (and paid) for our food and a bottle of Cotes de Rhone at the bar.
Along came the starters, deep fried squid chunks 6 pieces with
chive mayo and a lemon wedge for me, and a plate of charcuterie, 4 slices French garlic sausage, 6 slices drier smaller type saucisson, 6 slices Spanish Lomo with olive oil annointed rocquet in the middle for swmbo. A quarter fresh baked white loaf was also provided. Delish I must say! The squid, bread/battered large oblong chunks, looked overcooked, but were not. Firm but not chewy, and the mayo was excellent. The Lomo was great as were the other sauscisson excelent examples of their genre. Then my main course arrived, a chargrilled ribeye steak done to perfection (as left to the chef) covered in a sauce of cherry tomatoe, and tarragon beurre blanc and served on a plate of home made real crispy chips which stayed crisp right to the last one! and a load of watercress. The chargrill taste was excellent and the chips were quite probably the best I've ever had! Swmbo had a pork loin with a creamy peppercorn sauce, roast new potatoes and peas which was also very good. The Cotes du Rhone was a near perfect example and (accidentaly) the perfect choice. The cost? Six quid each per starter, my main was 13 and swmbo's 10 pounds and the win sixteen pounds, so fiftyone squidaroonies for two incl wine, for such good food has, in my book to be excellent value. (starters a bit dear maybe?). The food was superb if it had been a restaurant, as it was a pub, and one would see how small the kitchen was, it was 'astoundingly good . The Havelock Arms is well worth a visit if you ever find yourself in Olympia , a bit of a hidden gem, imho.London, United Kingdom