Get the Jam Jars in!

Last week I drank 15 cocktails in approximately 3 hours. Now this may seem boastful, crude and more than a little lad-ish, but let me explain. It was all for a good cause, and I hope some of you may even benefit from it. The occasion was the Jam Tree's Cocktail Committee - a committee of local "experts" brought together to taste all of the contenders for their new cocktail menu, with the aim of whittling down 15 to the ultimate drinks list.

So, on a beautiful sunny Wednesday, I dutifully lined by stomach, and plunged right in. 15 drinks, 3 hours and, thankfully, a belly full of the Jam Tree's famous hot wings, asian squid and vegetable somosas later, the committee had spoken. Each drink was introduced by the barman that had created it, and we marked each for taste, appearance and originality. We had weird, we had wacky and we had lots of tasty. We drank the Marmalady out of a jam jar (this was a recurring theme) with an accompany mini-pot of marmalade vodka jelly. The Pearl Jam came with popping candy, and the Jaffaholics Anonymous tasted uncannily like an alcoholic jaffa cake. Both the All England Club and the Jelly Dream would have made the perfect desserts, tasting of strawberries and cream and Reese's Pieces as they did, whilst the Royale Tree and Dreadlock Rasta were fruity, yet sophisticated perfection.

It was a fantastic way to spend a Wednesday evening, sampling away to our heart's content in the Jam Tree's sunny garden with a fabulous group of locals and amazing hospitality from the pub's management and bar staff. I can't wait to see which make it on to the menu! Have a look at all the drinks below (except for the Fig Tree: sorry, I didn't get a picture of that fig-jam wonderment) - which do you think look the tastiest? And which have the best names?

The Jam Tree
541 King's Road
London SW6 2EB

All England Club

Jaffaholics Anonymous

Pearl Jam

Wham Bam Thank You Jam

Basil Faulty

Alabama Jammer

Bison's Kiss

Dreadlock Rasta

Jamhattan

Jelly Dream

Marmalady

Wu Jam Clan

Royale Tree

Ru Bar

And a pub meal in the Pear Tree...

As has been catalogued here multiple times, one of my favourite things to do on a Sunday afternoon is to enjoy a long lunch with friends at one of the many fantastic pubs this little neck of West London has to offer. I love pubs with a bit of a unique atmosphere, an interesting menu and on a day like last Sunday, a well thought-out garden area is a bonus too.

Having been tipped off to The Pear Tree in Baron’s Court a few months ago by a friend of ours on Twitter (thanks, @nadiramakeup) I had been meaning to check it out for a while. A sunny afternoon and a friend who lives on the Picadilly Line provided the perfect opportunity to explore gastropubs new.

A 5 minute walk away from Baron’s Court, the Pear Tree has a very traditional exterior that stands out all the more for being surrounded by a fair amount of 1970s concrete. Once inside, a really traditional shabby-chic vibe is taken on through: all off- white tablecloths, heavy lampshades and a massive mahogany bar front and centre. It feels slightly kitsch, slightly 1940s tea room and it’s a feel that I thought was fun, quirky, and a welcome relief from the usual gastropub formula.

The service was really friendly, and the menu was an interesting mix of pub favourites (such as the roast) and twists on the expected. A decent scotch egg is pretty standard fare amongst Fulham gastro-pubs these days, but the black pudding scotch egg at the Pear Tree was a deliciously rich take on the popular bar snack. However, the twist may have been taken a little too far with the honey and mustard dressing which was served (thankfully) on the side, as I really didn’t think it went well. However, tastes differ and the scotch egg on its own was superb. As were the fish of the day croquettes my companion started the meal with.

The main courses were really hearty and original. I really enjoyed my rolled chicken with parma ham and stuffing, served with a green bean, shallot and quails egg salad. The rump steak with roasted new potatoes and root vegetables got the thumbs up too.

2 white wine spritzers, and bread basket and two fairly hearty courses down we didn’t have space to sample the dessert, but we had a great meal, and judging by the parties at the tables around us, they’re regularly churning out happy customers. It’s definitely worth checking out if you’re in the area.

The Pear Tree

14 Margravine Road. London W6 8HJ

http://www.thepeartreefulham.com/

Casual Dining at The Butcher's Hook

One thing Fulham is certainly not short of is decent pub dining, and Sarah and I are lucky enough to have sampled from quite a lot of it over the past year or so. However, last Friday was the first time I'd tried out The Butcher's Hook, which sits in a prominent position on the Fulham Road near to Stamford Bridge and Fulham Broadway.

Inside, the décor is a blend of contemporary modern and farmhouse chic, retaining a low key but upmarket gastro-pub ambience. There's plenty of atmospheric lighting, exposed brickwork, brass kitchenware displays and sleek varnished oak woodwork. There was a real mix of locals in there, from the old guys catching up over an ale to whole family groups and gaggles of girl friends, which helps it retain a welcoming, local feel.

The emphasis is firmly on casual dining, and whilst you can get all the pub staples like roast chicken, salmon and new potatoes and steak and chips, many of the dishes have an interesting twist and the starter menu in particular is quite inventive. I tried the pig trotter croquettes with tomato chutney and the spicy chick pea and vegetable fritters with tzatziki, and the croquettes in particular were fantastic. They had an intense smokey flavour and plenty of texture, and the sharpness of the chutney set it off perfectly.The boy sampled the steak and chips, which was a perfectly decent reprisal of the classic pub dish, although the meat was a bit more brown than the requested pink. Drinks are the standard fare but with none of the silly gastro-pub pricing you might expect - so again, this place is perfect for a casual mid-week catch up.

The prices are very reasonable, especially for the area, and there is a really warm, friendly yet quietly elegant atmosphere in there. My only slightly criticism would be that perhaps the service was a little too casual. It took the team quite a long time to take our order, and we saw a few wrong dishes going out to the tables neighbouring us. However, there was absolutely no attitude and the staff were quick and keen to rectify any mistakes made. Overall, I'd recommend the Butcher's Hook for it's local yet modern atmosphere, decent pricing and unfussy experience. It's great for a cheap and easy mid-week dinner with friends whilst maintaining much more ambience than many of the other chain options who might compete for spend in the casual dining sector. Definitely worth checking out!

The Butcher's Hook
477 Fulham Road
London SW6 1HL
http://www.thebutchershook.co.uk/

Thirsty Thursday's just got even better...

We have already reviewed the Jam Tree (here) but like many good establishments this venue has varying times/days to suit all tastes and last week I discovered, albeit a bit late I know, the wonder that is the Jam Tree Free Hog Roast Thursdays.

The concept from what I could gather was to head down after work on Thursday with some friends, order something cold and refreshing, grab a table in the sunshine and then when feeling peckish, as if from nowhere, a lovely lady called Sophie appears with a groaning tray of BBQ'd burgers. For Free. Yes Really! 
Serious kudos to whoever at The Jam Tree came up with this idea, not only do you feel totally chuffed that you don't have to fork out for dinner (although their menu is ace) you have more money left over for drinks. An inspired choice of day by the team too considering Thursday is technically the start of the weekend in media land which made for a very chilled summer atmosphere in their cute decked garden. It also lends itself perfectly to the 'pre lash' Public crowd who are gearing up for a somewhat thirstier Thursday, we even spotted the Made in Chelsea cast dolled up to the nines and rubbing shoulders with us non celebs.

Made in.. The Botanist - Perfect for People Watching.

If you're in the Sloane Square area, and in the market for a mean cocktail, The Botanist has for a long time been your go to place. The bar is always doing a booming trade, as elegantly dressed professionals (for some reason everyone seems to be in a dress or a suit) spill out on to the street sip their Bellinis and Cosmopolitans and watch the (sophisticated) hordes go by. The prime Sloane Square positions makes it popular with bankers and Chelsea socialites (indeed we saw two of the girls from Made in Chelsea dithering outside, having filmed a scene at nearby Tiffany) but there is a vibrant older crowd there enjoying themselves too.

The Botanist treads the line well between elegance and modern sophistication. True to its name, there are stunning bouquets of flowers dotted around and the bar is a grand silver affair. Whilst there is a restaurant area attached, the main reason people come here is for the creative cocktail menu with it's mix of Botanist originals and twists on old favourites.

They weren't cheap (cocktails are £9 upwards) but we were impressed with our Empire Collins and Original Singapore Sling. The barman took the time to mix everything properly, and the garnish was fresh, simple and modern.

There is a lively atmosphere at The Botanist, but due to its popularity and lack of outdoor space (drinkers spill onto small marked areas on the Sloane Square pavement), unless you're there for a quick drink and some serious people watching you'd be wise to arrive early. And if you are there for some people watching... boy have you come to the right place! As well as our Made In Chelsea sighting, the sartorial choices of our fellow drinkers (several in floor length gowns) were definitely worth the trip, as well as a classic "banker moment" in which a Ferrari roared up outside while some model-type tried her best to catch everyone's attention as she got inside. Despite this description, the place feels surprisingly unpretentious. This is probably due to the huge age range of our fellow drinks. On the whole, everyone seemed to be kicking back and unwinding with a good drink in hand - even those in the evening gowns!

Join the Jam

Ever since I have lived in Fulham, I have frequently made the walk up to the King’s Road and turned right over the bridge towards Embargo’s, Public and beyond. Ever since I have lived in Fulham, the little corner site just across the bridge from Chutney Mary has either been derelict, under construction, or hosted some kind of venue with a very brief tenure.

I bloody hope the new Jam Tree Chelsea outpost lasts a bit longer because I think it is fab. We’ve got plenty of gastro-pubs in the area so I was really pleased to hear that The Jam Tree would have a twist: a menu based on favourite Anglo-Colonial dishes, an ample beer garden (make that pretty huge) and a 2am licence. I love fusion-style cuisine, and particularly love Asian food so was really excited to have an unpretentious local, who’d serve me up a good Malaysian curry, along with plenty of pints/white wine spritzers. PERFECT, right?

Right indeed! I went along to the Jam Tree with le garcon on Saturday for an early supper and the food did not disappoint. Whilst it’s not the cheapest of places (my starter was £7.50) and the mains range from £10.50 to £18.50 I would say the prices are definitely worth it. The Sotong Manis (battered sticky squid with a chilli, garlic and spring onion dipping sauce) was one of the best starters I’d had in ages (I love sweet flavours in starters and mains) and the Malaysian Prawn Laksa was a decent-sized portion, creamy, hearty and with the perfect consistency and amount of heat.

For my main I went for the Jamaican curry, and the portion was absolutely enormous. The curry was great and the accompanying chutney really made the dish – my only complaint would be that there was not a big enough curry:chutney ratio. More chutney with that dish please, it was so delicious that I wanted a generous helping with every mouthly. Boy went for the Lamb Rump with jersey royals, pea and mint jus and wouldn’t shut up about it the entire evening. It must have been pretty damn good, as he wouldn’t give me a single bite (meanie!).

As we were in a rush, we didn’t get to sample the beer garden. But we did have table with a fairly good view of it, and even at about 6:30pm it was doing a pretty fair trade (though not quite full). There’s loads of space, loads of tables and some pretty nice decking out there. They also have a late license and frequent DJ nights so I reckon this could be a bit of a hot spot come the Summer. I’ll have to go back for girly drinks and check it out.

The Jam Tree

541 Kings Road

Chelsea

SW6 2EB

http://www.thejamtree.com/chelsea/index.php

A Rose Amongst The Thorns

Excuse the hair... at work that day I had to stand in for a 16yr old model on our ad shoot - it wasn't a look that suited me!

Both Sarah and I walk past The Rose every day on the way to and from work, so although it’s not one of our more local pubs, we were looking for an excuse to make the trip up the Wandsworth Bridge Road to check it out. The occasion? Live music every second Tuesday of the month. We thought it could be the perfect double whammy... checking out a new pub, and Fulham’s hottest new musical talent, all in one evening.

I had never been into The Rose and when we arrived our reactions were mixed. Unlike other local pubs, the space was quite big and the tables were by no means squashed together, giving the pub a more relaxed feel, whilst also feeling that little bit more luxurious (personal space comes at a premium in central London!). However, we were hoping that the place would have a bit more of a buzz to it, and there were just a few other tables of people. Luckily for us, one of those other tables was filled with a group of old school friends of mine, which was a lovely surprise, without which the evening might have been that little bit more sterile. Indeed, my current at work hangover would most likely have been averted, and we may have even made it to Mao Tai, which we were also intending to review that evening... Never mind eh?

We settled in with some white wine spritzers (fairly reasonable at under £4 each) and turned our attention to the first act – a saxophonist. While this guy was undoubtedly talented, I’m not sure whether it set the right tone for an informal evening in a pub. However, act number two was absolutely brilliant, and I only regret that these two girls travelled all the way from North London to play to such a small crowd! Either way, one girl played guitar and provided backing vocals, whilst the other sang, and they produced a really great repertoire of low-key covers from Britney Spears’ ‘Toxic’ to Adele. Without meaning to take words from the mouth of the everyone’s favourite Irish madman – Louis Walsh – they did really manage to make the songs ‘their own’ and both girls had really gorgeous singing voices. Despite the mild aberration with the saxophone, the soulful, acoustic pop of the second act seemed well matched to a Fulham pub crowd – (as much as I hate to admit it) not hugely musically sophisticated, but a really pleasant, easy listen which you could happily tune into for a few hours, or treat as high calibre background music while enjoying a few glasses of vino at your local. As much as those two aspiring musicians from North London would hate to read the above – I really do mean it as a compliment! The girls were really good, and will hopefully be back – from our brief conversation with the owner he seemed really pleased with them, and several of the punters made the effort to go up to them after their set and let them know how much they enjoyed it.

The talented ladies of North London

As for food and drinks. We did have supper before we came out, but I couldn’t resist trying the ‘scotch egg’ advertised on their bar menu to see how it compared to that of The Sands End. Whilst the Sands’ Scotch Egg really is out of this world, the Roses’ offering wasn’t too bad either. Although it was almost a pound more expensive, the egg didn’t have that lovely warm, running interior that you get at The Sands End. Yet, they add an interesting twist by serving it with a mild curried mayonnaise – a pairing that I was a little suspicious of but actually really enjoyed.

The Rose's Scotch Egg with curry mayo.... nomnomnom

We also asked after cocktails, and got a fairly confused response. There is no cocktail list per se – in fact one of the newer barmen thought they didn’t serve them – but when we repeated our request to the owner he was more than happy to offer us a small selection, including the house signature cocktail, which they call ‘The Rosebud’. Admittedly, not the most sophisticated of concoctions - The Rosebud is a mix of vodka, cranberry, soda water and Amaretto – it drew a mixed reaction from this pair of SW6ers. Sarah – the resident die hard G&T junkie, found it far too sweet and thought it stuck to the roof of her mouth. I thought it was really nice though. It is sweet, but I didn’t find it sticky or cloying and it’s quite a nice ‘relaxing’ cocktail that goes down the hatch pretty easily. But then, I’m one of the view that the more juices and bright colours you can cram in a cocktail the better (oooh the sophistication!), I’ve got a really sweet tooth and I have to say I was slightly taken in by the name – ‘The Rosebud’ does sound cute doesn’t it?

The Rosebud - The Rose's Signature Cocktail

All in all, a more than pleasant evening. I’d definitely return to The Rose for a chilled out glass of wine, and having a mid-week live music night is a really great idea to add something a little bit different to what otherwise is usually a fairly unremarkable evening (Big Fat Gypsy Weddings on Channel 4 aside!). I’d really like to return on a slightly busier evening too – I can imagine that at the weekends there’d be a bit more of a party atmosphere, whilst the larger space would hopefully stop it ever becoming a sweaty mosh-pit. For smokers, there is a decently-sized garden out the back, and the main courses I saw emerging from the kitchen looked pretty generous, hearty (if not quite standard) pub fare. On Tuesday, they do steak and chips for two with a bottle of wine for £30 – combine this with live-music and I think you’d have yourself a pretty decent mid-week supper.

Ode to the Sands End

We've been saving up this post for a while. Like a pair of love-lorn teens unable to express ourselves, we really haven't known how to put it, to do justice to it.

The Sands End, my friends, is like the Gisele Bunchden of pubs. We love it.

Maybe it's because the menu is to die for, and food comes out perfectly every time.

Maybe it's because, living so close, we get that nod of recognition from the staff, some of whom have become friends, that makes you feel like you're coming home, rather than leaving it.

Maybe it's that shabby chic, higgledy-piggledy decor that just treads the line between elegant, cosy and quirky.

Maybe it's because they serve the best goddam scotch egg ever to grace the British Isles since Fortnum and Mason served them up in 1738... probably better! It's warm, the egg still manages to be gooey, it's perfectly seasoned and trust me - you'll never be able to eat one of those supermarket imitations ever again.

Maybe it's because, if it's good enough for Prince Harry & co (I NEVER spot celebrities, let alone royals, so that evening was pretty exciting) it's more than good enough for me.

Either way, whether we're looking for a white wine spritzer and a gossip, the perfect venue to have the parents treat us to a Sunday Roast, the scene for a first date (cosy and intimate, whilst still lively) or a place to while away an entire day with friends, gradually picking our way through the menu, browsing the Sunday papers and becoming more raucous as the wine and ciders flow.... this always seems to be the first port of call.

Nonetheless - we could eulogise all day. But it would seem biased (we know - it basically already is biased) if we didn't submit The Sands to some sort of review.

But which occasion to choose? There are too many to think of. So we'll go with the principle of recency, and review the Sunday lunch I recently had with friends.

I was first introduced to the Sands End by the boy, who actually used to live further down Stephendale Road (and now I've ended up here - could this pub be the missing link?) and so it's become somewhat of a tradition to get a meal at the Sands when he comes to stay. This time, another friend was over from Germany also who really wanted a good pub lunch, so the choice really did seem obvious! After the initial panic when we burst through the doors at 12pm opening time, only to find that every single table had been booked up (this place is popular!) - the staff were really accomodating and did some table battleships for us - we settled in and greedily perused the Sunday menu.

Now I have to admit, I'm somewhat a creature of habit when it comes to this place, and every time we come I insist that between me and the boy, we order the oysters and a scotch egg to start. This is not a culinary match made in heaven I know, but they're both so good that I can never decide between them so my greedy little tummy has to have both (my stomach is a brat!). So it was fantastic to have a third party to get out of this starter rut and see what else the Sands can serve up as a first course. John had the pork rillette - a kind of grainy pate - which was charmingly served up on a slate, with the rillette inside a traditional chutney jar. I'm not really into my pate, but both boys were in raptures over it, so we'll give it the big thumbs up. Especially as I'm a real sucker for nice presentation.

True to form, the oysters were incredibly fresh and served with a perfectly balanced garnish, and the scotch egg (described above) was just as gooey and delicious as ever.

For the mains we ordered the Roast Beef, the pork belly and the pheasant. The roast beef was perfectly pink, the pork belly was succulent and the meat pulled apart in that delightfully easy way (like you're ripping off bits of candy floss) that indicates it is cooked just-so. BUT the piece de resistance was the pheasant. I mean, my pork was really good, but as soon as I had a bite of that pheasant a case of serious food envy beset me. It was rich, yet tender, and just so so yummy. All three dishes were served with perfect roasties (fluffy and slightly salted on the outside) and a selection of vegetables that had been lightly caramelised, adding yet another layer of flavour to some plates which already tasted pretty damn good.

All in all, two courses and some drinks for three came in at just over £80. That's not the cheapest ever, but a) this is Fulham, since when has dining out been cheap? and b) this place has a deserved reputation as a bit of a culinary destination. It's dining area is always full. In fact, I notice it is proudly displaying a recently acquired badge that says "Recommended in the Guide Michelin 2011". 'Nuff said.

The Hurlingham Pub and Kitchen - a solid Saturday afternoon choice, but not for romance

The Hurlingham is one of our local pubs, a mere 5 minute stroll from the flat, and yet for some reason it's somewhere we never go. I think having another pub just 5 doors down from the flat doesn't help but I've always been intrigued by the Hurlingham because it offers a different great deal each week night, from quiz nights with discounted beers, to half price wine night to half price burger night (the Hurlingham Burger has got quite the reputation in Fulham!)

The other reason I'll always have a bit of a soft spot for the Hurlingham Pub and Kitchen is that it was the scene of my first date with the boy, so it only seemed fitting that when he was down from the frozen North we return to the place where it all began for some half price burger action.

The Hurlingham is a fairly mainstream pub, but with some really cool, quirky little touches. Think models dressed as divers hanging off the wall, really random artifacts dotted around the bar and fun little vintage posters hung up around the place. All mixed with the standard big screens showing Sky Sports, a fairly typical dining area and a really cute little garden area at the back. Helpfully, a lot of this little area is covered and there's one lovely little nook where you almost feel as if you're in your own little pagoda.... almost!

Anyway this being January, there was no way in hell we were going to eat outside, constantly interrupted by the fairly constant stream of girls heading out for a gossip and a fag. In a fit of organisation (not so random, I'm a compulsive planner) I'd gone in a few days earlier to reserve a table by the fire. And unfortunately, this was the first instance on which the pub fell down. We walked into the pub bang on the dot of 8:30 only to find that some of the other guests had patently ignored the 'reserved' sign and occupied our table. The sign was still there for all to see, but the pub had taken and delivered their order without thinking to ask them to move. By 8:30 the pub was pretty full (burger night always gets big groups of rugby lads in) and so the only table left was one of those horrid high surfaces with bar stools, clearly designed for watching sport, downing some beers and generally anything but dining.

Determined to enjoy our evening, we sat down and got the drinks in. Given this was a Tuesday, it had to be the burger, right?! The whole evening had been dedicated to it. So we were pretty disappointed that on Burger night of all nights, the pub informed us that they couldn't provide us with those home-cut chips I'd been looking forward to all day. The waitress was very sweet and apologetic, and we were offered either mashed potato or extra salad as an alternative, but it was a disappointment none the less.

I personally enjoyed my burger, there was just the right amount of bacon and cheese on top, but the boy is a bit more fussy than I am and was disappointed to receive a well-done burger having requested his meat medium-rare.

All in all we had a pleasant evening, nothing more really. The staff at the Hurlingham are great, but there were a few disappointments on the night itself. This is a real shame, as it's a great place to get the beers in and watch the sport, and always seems to do a roaring food trade on Sunday. Yet, I don't think I'd go back to dine again. The local competition (the Sands End and The Ship) is just a cut above, although also charge much dearer prices.