Ruby Jean’s at The Royal George review – pubco Americana for drunks
American / ★☆☆☆☆ / Burgers / Gastropub

Ruby Jean’s at The Royal George review – pubco Americana for drunks

Food fit only for pissheads I usually see a slight dip in the number of visitors to my website over the weekend largely due, I suspect, to most of you getting hammered to blot out the horrors of the preceding five days. Those memories of the working week aren’t going to obliterate themselves, after all. … Continue reading

The Ape and Bird review – the Shaftesbury Avenue gastropub that’s no tourist trap
★★★★☆ / British / Gastropub

The Ape and Bird review – the Shaftesbury Avenue gastropub that’s no tourist trap

The Polpo guys do it again Updated 12/01/18 – this restaurant has now closed. Updated 6/04/14 – set menu details added. It’s mildly myopic to say that there’s no where good to eat on Shaftesbury Avenue as the myriad delights of Soho, Covent Garden and Chinatown are only a few minutes walk away. Still, if … Continue reading

Smokehouse review – Islington barbecue gastropub
★★★★☆ / Barbecue/BBQ / Gastropub

Smokehouse review – Islington barbecue gastropub

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire? When I surveyed the state of American-style barbecue in London, one of the most common queries was ‘what about Smokehouse?’. However, despite its name Smokehouse isn’t devoted purely to barbecue. This joint venture between Neil Rankin, former head chef at Pitt Cue, and the people behind the nearby Pig and … Continue reading

The Coach and Horses review – London’s first vegetarian pub
★★☆☆☆ / Gastropub / Vegetarian

The Coach and Horses review – London’s first vegetarian pub

Vege-might or vege-lite? I’m not a vegetarian, but I do like to dabble with vegetarian food. However, my veggie-friendly sentiments aren’t shared by some of my friends and work chums who, at the mere suggestion of eating at a vegetarian restaurant, will inevitably whine and gripe in the most pathetic, close-minded, macho, proletarian way possible. … Continue reading

The Pig and Butcher review – a pig’s ear or worth a butcher’s?
★★★★☆ / Gastropub

The Pig and Butcher review – a pig’s ear or worth a butcher’s?

Yet another Islington gastropub or something more? Islington has no shortage of gastropubs, but The Pig and Butcher caught my attention for two reasons. One, it has a hint of blood thirstiness in its name that is both mildly amusing and quite fitting since there’s apparently an on-site butcher’s room. Two, it comes with The … Continue reading

★★★☆☆ / Gastropub

Great Queen Street review – Covent Garden’s best gastropub?

Pub food fit for a queen? Update 16/8/2019 – this gastropub has now closed Going to a restaurant recommended by another blogger is fraught with difficulty. If I agree that it’s great, then either the other blogger radiates unbearable smugness or a collective warm fuzziness, usually only seen during communal sporting events or when swooning … Continue reading

★★★☆☆ / Burgers / Gastropub

Burger Breakout at The Old Crown review – chocolate and quince burgers

Crazy pub burgers near the British Museum Following my rather large roundup of 35 different burgers from 25 different independent eateries, I hadn’t expected to be back on the burger wagon so soon. I was tempted out of my self-imposed burger sabbatical by Burger Breakout, a new residency inside The Old Crown pub which lies … Continue reading