Gastropubs have been all the rage the past few years, but from the way they are still opening left right and centre, it seems as though we still we haven’t quite had our fill.
They say:
Time Out: “Stripped of pretension and prohibitive prices, you’re bound to love William IV.”
Square Meal: “The British food is well done.”
We say:
There’s a bit of a designer thing going on here at this new gastropub albeit without getting too precious.
The reason perhaps being that the owners are film prop buyer Henry Davis and interior designer Shaun Clarkson. So what we get are the main ground floor area decked out as an all white classroom - including reclaimed classroom chairs – while the upstairs has a more refined air of a gentleman’s club spawned by the geography room area.
Looks aside, what we have here is a pub that’s riding high on a minimalist British menu with full on quality.
There is no concept of starters and mains to speak of so take your pick of lighter fare or more substantial. A flavoursome and very filling white onion and cider soup (£4.50) along with the likes of grilled vegetables on toast with pesto (£8).
For carnivores there is a superb steak sandwich with fries (£8) while a chunky salmon fishcake with poached egg, spinach and dill-butter sauce (9) that should keep hunger miles at bay.
Sweets (all £4.50) offer earthy fare such as apple crumble with custard or cheesecake with rhubarb compote. Beers and wines don’t quite offer as lengthy a choice as one would like, but this is handsome stuff nonetheless.
ADDRESS
7 Shepherdess Walk
Islington
London
N1
POSTED...
Wed 28 Jun 2006 at 9am
