taste-matters-n21-winchmore-hill-restaurant review

The King Head, N21 ....The place, the memories….

As with all relationships, they have their ups and their downs.

So, after a period of detached absence it was back to the King’s Head, my old ‘local’ and probably the most iconic pub in Winchmore Hill; its iconic status drawn mostly from the building itself  – bold, beautiful and perched majestically on the green, for all to esteem. It doesn’t disappoint inside either; it’s got that lovely unpretentious feel about it and an open fire that creates a warm focal point and coveted place to gather with friends.

I’ve been coming to this pub on and off for about 20 years and suffice to say, there’s been some good times and some bad times, and more recently some cold times (it’s not that easy to heat a building of this size you know!)

But it has something that always pulls me back.

Maybe it’s the memories - I drank my first tequila shot here on New Year’s Eve 1989, and was promptly chastised for dancing on the ‘throne’. “Don’t sell tequila then” I drunkenly retorted.

Now I tend to avoid pubs where cocky young girls throw back shots of tequila and dance on chairs  and I aim for somewhere that serves good food and fine wines……like the King’s Head!

Ironically, it would seem that we’ve done our growing up together. And it’s hard sometimes not to be nostalgic for the days of our miss-spent youth and lock-ins, when we all knew the landlord/lady and smoked fags all night.

Times have changed and so have we; we’re 20 years older for a start! Jeronimo Inns now manage this prize site, adding it to their already impressive portfolio of ‘great neighbourhood bars in London villages’.

Their company ethos is sound and they are a group that looks long and hard at what they do, not taking anything for granted, so not surprisingly they have a good little team in here, looking after customers that, reassuringly, have been coming here for even longer than I have.

The food…

I recently had lunch with a friend there, (who was around when I drunk the tequila – in fact, it was her idea) but we didn’t get nostalgic about the old days, we focused on the food and steamed into 2 courses each with a nice glass of vino – hers a South African Sauvignon, mine an Australian Voigner – pleasant wines priced around £6.50 each for a large glass.

They’ve got a short, but decent enough wine list with a sufficient selection offered by the glass, (remember, this is a pub, not a wine bar) which is ideal when you’re after quality rather than quantity, as we were.

Starters were char-grilled asparagus with salsa verde, and bulgar wheat salad with beetroot and tomatoes (about £6.00 each) – ideal summer starters, fresh and colourful giving them immediate appeal.

Main courses were linguine with garlic prawns and parsley in a creamy parmesan sauce; not as typically Italian as it sounds, and for as tasty as it was, and it was, an Italian chef would have probably screamed ‘Mamma Mia’ if he’d tasted this.

My char-grilled lamb steak (£12.00) was a hefty old lump (figuratively speaking of course) and took some getting through. But my motto is, never complain about generous portion sizes, rather too much than too little, don’t you think?!

I normally like my meat quite pink, but quite often this cut of meat needs a little longer, and the chef obliged me without a drama. The parsley mash accompaniment needed more butter, (it seems like potatoes have no flavour this year) but it was still good; and the roasted parsnips were shiny, golden and sweet, just as they should be.

We wrapped it all up by sharing a lovely little lemon tartlet, which was a rather pleasant end to a rather pleasant lunch.

The food won’t win any awards, but it’s good, decent pub grub that doesn’t pretend to be anything other than that.

There’s all the old crowd-pleasing staples there too - bangers & mash and fish & chips (which I glimpsed on a neighbouring table and it looked lovely) - plus lots of specials on the blackboard to hold the interest of the regulars. And let’s not forget, it isn’t just the food that makes for an agreeable dining experience, it’s all the other elements too, like warm hospitality, stylish, comfortable and ambient surroundings; and that homely feel that so many places have lost the knack of creating.

I think these guys have got it pretty much worked out.

And as with any long standing relationship, there has to be an element of forgiveness, doesn’t there? On that note……… long live the ‘local’, long live the King’s.

The King’s Head
1 The Green, Winchmore Hill, N21 1BB
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
http://www.geronimo-inns.co.uk 
Tel: 020 8886 1988

Isobel Phillips - Read my Blog here

The Spice Bar……spicing up a night in.

Continuing with our theme of staying in being the new going out, we ordered our second take-away in a month. This time, Indian; not my husband’s favourite, but certainly one of mine (I love it the next morning, cold, for breakfast! I know…..sorry.)

Paul from The Men’s Room, where my husband buys most of his clothes, has been going on about his neighbour, The Spice Bar, for sooo long – “They do the best Salmon Tikka I’ve ever had.”  I believe personal recommendations are always the best way to find a good restaurant or take-away, as long as the person recommending has the same expectations from their food that you do. I hoped Paul was an epicure like me, or this take-away wasn’t going to spice up any night in!

We phoned and the chap who took our order was probably one of the most pleasant I’ve encountered. Somehow, the level of service we expect and hope to receive in a restaurant, we’re prepared to waver for a home-delivery dining service. On this occasion, it equalled any good restaurant. He took his time, explained a couple of dishes and didn’t sound like he couldn’t wait to get rid of me. Within 35 minutes and without leaving the house – which, let’s face it, is hardly convenience food if you have to collect it - we were tucking into Paul’s favourite, Salmon Tikka. He was right - delicate, sumptuous salmon that was cooked to perfection. We followed this with..…

King Prawn Tandoori - that wonderful smoky, sweet flavour from the tandoor oven was prominent and ensured the prawns retained their natural flavour and crunch. The shells were tasty enough to eat too!

Aloo Gobi - a favourite that I can’t live without. This was by far the spiciest I’ve ever had. My husband reached for a glass of water; I was quick to follow! Good though; nice crunchy cauliflower and floury potatoes that just resisted your fork enough to know they’d not been over-cooked.

Lamb Saag - lovely tender, chunky pieces of lamb that fell apart in your mouth, with a depth of flavour that partnered the spinach & onion Masala sauce well.

Chicken Murgh Makhni – this creamy, milder dish is one of my husband’s faves – (he’s the spice woos in our house) and this particular dish seems to have the genuine flavour and texture of real coconut, not a cheap flavouring. The tandoor barbequed chicken was tender enough, but the sauce didn’t allow its flavour to shine, although this didn’t bother us too much as it was still quite tasty.

There was only one thing wrong with this take-away. There was none left for my breakfast. Still, they’re only a phone-call away.

Kids’ menu available. Licence to sell and deliver alcohol when accompanied by a food order. All major credit cards accepted.

Order a Takeaway now..

Isobel Phillips - Read my Blog here

Willow Wows..

Willow Bar & Restaurant – serving up style in suburbia.

“I wonder if he does this for all the girls?” my friend asked me, when we were given special guidance in our choice of cocktail aperitifs at Willow recently. Hard to imagine, as I was actually drinking in this place back in the late 80’s, when it was The Chase Side Tavern! Nevertheless, a good bartender, which this one clearly was, will always make everyone feel like they’re worth the effort. As a gal who knows her Cointreau from her Triple Sec, his mixology skills were certainly not wasted on me; and the theatre of cocktail preparation always makes the whole process feel exciting and special.

Once our individual tastes had been established, the taste buds were truly engaged with a zingy Passion Fruit Mojito for Drippin’ (Liz to everyone else) and a Porn Star ‘experience’ for me. Don’t ask, I didn’t; I just nodded when he said that it was “definitely the right choice for you.” I think he was right. It combined 3 different taste experiences, so think starter, main course and dessert, just not all in the same glass! The (meal!) experience began with a dry sparkling wine in a tall shot glass, which I downed like tequila.  I then sucked a passion fruit (main course) that it was served with for the next taste sensation of ever-so-slightly-sour; then I moved on to the (dessert) sweet vanilla vodka and passion fruit juice served in an elegant, deco Champagne cocktail glass. It’s a joy to be presented with cocktails this well-made, in surroundings that clearly stand up to the West End’s stylish bars. Willow is certainly more West End than Winchmore Hill, that’s for sure, but without the pretension. In fact, it makes a refreshing change to see a local restaurateur and bar owner go down this style route and actually succeed.

I think the restaurant upstairs is where the styling really shines through. The combination of dark wooden floors and furniture with flock wallpaper and ambient lighting gives it an opulent edge over the bar downstairs. The food is beautifully presented on stylish crockery and two of the dishes Drippin’ and I tried really stood out. Sea Bass with lentils – a winning combination in my gluttonous mind. Both quite delicate in their own way, but packed with flavour and fine, gentle textures. My dish, Peppered fillet of beef with creamy Dauphinoise potatoes and wilted spinach was perfectly executed. Once again, a well-proportioned dish with big, harmonious flavours. I almost asked for a spoon for the wild mushroom jus, but didn’t want to spoil things.

I must confess, I have been to Willow before, on a school mums’ night out. We were a little louder than this restaurant deserved, (that’s what happens when you serve fab Mojitos!) but they politely tolerated us nonetheless, and on that occasion it was the starters that really shone. Scallops with a vanilla parsnip purée and delicate orange glaze - a delightful and subtle combination that has left a lasting impression – and the pan-fried tiger prawns in garlic butter were exactly how they should be; big, fresh and crunchy!
 
There are elements of this restaurant that just miss the mark, but overall there is a lot of talent here, in the kitchen and behind the bar. Of course, you shouldn’t just take my word for it, book a table and see for yourself. Drippin’ tells me the Sunday roast is “very good”; but I’m not taking her word for it, I’ll book a table and see for myself. 

Contact Willow and Book a table

Isobel Phillips - Read my Blog here
 

Hot Wok – could it be the hottest wok in town?

If recent news reports are to be believed, the downturn in public spending on luxuries, like eating out, has meant that many of us are tucking up indoors and sacrificing our trips to the local pubs and restaurants, in favour of a take-away and a movie. Considering that approximately 50 pubs are closing down each week (there’s something terribly tragic about this, in my opinion) we can only assume these reports are accurate. But can ‘staying in’ really replace ‘going out’? Well, I suppose the answer to that may vary, depending on your age! But I think it can, if all the ingredients are there to start with, like the right company, good conversation and decent food and wine; I certainly don’t need anymore than that!
 
 An unplanned visit from a friend recently, and a glass of wine later, meant that I couldn’t be bothered to cook, so a take-away was suggested. ‘Great, let’s have a Hot Wok’ he said. ‘Never tried it, so I’m not sure whether we should take the chance.” I said, the usual take-away pessimism creeping in. “You’re joking? A big foodie like you! It’s the only Oriental worth having round here.” Now, this was coming from a man that never cooks and lives half of the year in New York City, where just about any type of cuisine can be taken out; so we let him order everything. I was a little nervous, I admit, but he was right and we ended up with a delicious selection of freshly prepared, natural tasting dishes, that didn’t leave you with a hangover from too much MSG (monosodium glutamate) and salt, that so many places use in excess to disguise poor ingredients. Oh, and 2 bottles of wine, which saved us a trip to the off-licence. So, the food…….
 
Skewered satay king prawns - the prawns retained their natural flavour and actually stood up to the rich, spiciness of the satay sauce which was generously textured with crunchy peanuts.
 
Crispy Mongolian lamb served with lettuce and an intense Hoi Sin sauce. The lamb was tender and flavoursome and when wrapped in the lettuce, with just a drizzle of sauce, made an interesting and light alternative to duck with pancakes.
 
Baby squid with Thai sauce – deep-fried, which I hadn’t expected from the description, but delicate, fresh and supple with the sweetness of the sauce lifting it perfectly.
 
Chicken with chilli and black bean sauce – an abundance of silky black beans, enough chilli to make your eyebrows raise slightly, and the flaky texture and natural taste that chicken has when it’s not pumped full of water and salt.
 
Oh, it was almost too good to be true! We’d found somewhere at last that really could deliver; quite literally in fact, as they were with us in 30 minutes. It all arrived beautifully packaged with chop sticks and containers good enough to keep. So, we kept all the containers and binned all the other Oriental menus we had stuffed in our kitchen drawer. From now on, it’s Hot Wok all the way. Spread the word, your friends will thank you for it.