Anchor & Hope, 36 The Cut, London SE1 8LP
I wonder if the 21st century gastropub concept will go the way of the Bernie Inn, Aberdeen SteakHouse and the Vesta Curry? It smacks of naff, but they're big in blighty and if my visit to the Anchor & Hope in south east London is anything to go by, they're bloody good. My old friend Dominic and his charming missus Joella shoved me through the door of this - Dom's favourite gastroretreat - yesterday. It looks much like any other London pub, so far, so what. But then the menu arrived.
Who'd have thought it? Rabbit, tripe, quails and snails in a British pub. Sorted. Great variety and not too expensive (for London)
I followed an enjoyable, if unrevolutionary, nettle soup and foie gras with the quails and snails. I couldn't resist comparing the Brits with the Vietnamese street version. Both quite different - no snazzy eastern marinated here - but both equally tasty. The London quail is far juicier and more tender than the one I know and slobber over on the streets of Saigon. The snails, hidden away among tiny crunchy croutons and a handful of hedgerow, were equally hitsome, if bland as snails tend to be. Snails are texture food and these were texturous.
The Anchor & Hope is great fun, decent beer, good food, very relaxed with knowledgeable waiters. Menu changes regularly. They're about to open the kitchen on Sundays too with a set lunch only deal. Deffo be back here for that. Lunch for three £68 (2 starters, 3 mains, one dessert, beers, vino and G&T). Nay bad. Here's the word from uber-foodnut Jay Rayner in The Observer and from Giles Coren in The Times. And a few more crappy pics. Blimey, it's good to back in a British pub again. NB: the calamari were supremely tender, the tripe and butterbeans likewise. No snaps of those. Sorry.
UPDATE: recent arrival in fooblogdom Dos Hermanos has another take.
Thanks for treating us Graham. Jorella and I both enjoyed the food and your company.
Posted by: Dom | May 03, 2006 at 03:58 PM