Natasha D.
Archway
1 review
Gem in North London
25 Jun 08, 14:20
Above expectations
I have lived in the Kentish Town/Tufnell Park area for almost 7 years and always ventured to the surrounding locations of Angel or Hampstead for an afternoon drink or an evening meal.
However I chanced upon this modern yet traditional pub a month or so ago and I regret not finding it sooner.
First of all, it is worth mentioning that it is beautifully decorated, tasteful and light. Whilst this is a girly thing to say – the decoration and layout of the pub creates a very welcoming and friendly atmosphere. One of the best things is that it has a vast amount of space, with three separate, but linked areas and a cute garden area. There is the glorious conservatory at the back of the pub which is the heart of the restaurant. It looks out to the garden and is especially enchanting at night. In addition there is a very homey room, perfect for having a pint and reading the papers on a Sunday afternoon; and then there is the bar – large, open and plenty of space.
The food was a real surprise, as it does not sell itself from the outside as a gastropub, but is one of the best gastropubs I have been too. Almost all of the food is locally or UK sourced and the recipes are innovative and excellent proportioned! If a little too much on the odd occasion. My favourite is the homemade porkpie. Forget what you get in the supermarkets - this is made with succulent, large chunks of meat and served with homemade piccalilli and mash. But don’t let this fool you in to thinking that the food is all about comfort. It’s not. There are light, delicate dishes which are equally as good.
The only negative point I have to say (well, the boyfriend has to say) is that the television is too small for watching the rugby or football properly.
That said, I highly recommend this to anyone in the area, or who are thinking of travelling to the Heath. Stay the Kentish Town side of the Heath and check this out. It wont let you down.
