Dining in London, mostly pubs, but not just for the beer.

As is our tradition when crossing multiple time zones our first meal leans heavily towards comfort food and good beverages. In London that means a pub with beer and cider. This trip we were fortunate enough to find ourselves just down the mews (that's British for "upscale alley filled with interesting apartments that used to be carriage houses and stables in centuries past") from a true gem of a pub.

We chose the Queen's Arms the first time based on the location. We went back for the food, the service, the drink selection, and the service. They hit everything dead-center and, if left to my own devices, I would have probably just arranged a table there for the week. It is a Gastro-Pub in the truest sense of the word and has a sister establishment several blocks to the west in the form of the Builder's Arms. 

I had one of the best, if not THE best, plates of sausage and mash I've ever had. Amazingly tender sausages with noticeable, but not overwhelming, amounts of herbs and spices and a gravy that wasn't the usual generic, caramelized onions drowned in an overly-sweet thin brown concoction - it was delicately flavored with enough body to stick to your fork and complemented the dish instead of being overwhelming. Others chose fish & chips, again, a departure from the generic pub-grub version. The cider-batter was tasty, the chips well cooked and the mushy peas had nice flavor. All the plates went back to the kitchen nearly clean enough to go back in the rack, if that gives you any indication of the flavor and quality of the dishes. The service was exceptional by any standard.

We made it back at the end of the week and managed to find a table on Saturday evening. I went to the bar to order food and drinks and, as if by magic, silverware and condiments appeared on the table before the order was placed. When I started to explain which table we were seated the young lady taking my order waved me off, saying she already knew which table was ours. Note that it was all of five minutes from the time we walked through the door until I was placing our order. 

Perhaps I should mention their service? 

I had the mint glazed lamb rump with crushed heritage potatoes, grilled baby leeks and red wine jus. It was simply amazing. I don't eat lamb often, but this is probably in the top three lamb dishes I've ever eaten. Everything about the dish was nearly perfect and the mint was understated, which only made me regret not ordering it the first time we visited. For dessert we shared an order of their salted caramel profiteroles served with salted caramel ice cream and Devonshire toffee sauce. I'll let the photo tell you what we thought of our dessert. 

Have I mentioned the service? Everyone smiles and answers questions without giving the impression that you're annoying them. While there appears to be a strong presence of locals they obviously get a steady stream of visitors, many of them attending events at the nearby Royal Albert Hall. I like this place so much I may very well choose our lodgings based on proximity to The Queen's Arms for future visits.

Given the residential nature of the location everyone is ushered indoors at 9 p.m. to keep the noise levels manageable. The Builder's Arms does have a beer garden, so if you're looking to have a later evening you may want to head over there. While I haven't visited I have a high degree of confidence that the experience is similar to the Queen's Arms.

The bar is well-stocked with just about anything you could want (although I can't imagine bothering to order spirits when you have so much good beer to choose from...) and the wine list was more than adequate. But again, with 8 beers available in casks and a like number under gas, why bother? Even with bodies two-deep at the bar the service was quick, attentive, and accurate. Some bar staff tend to get a little short if you're not Johnny-On-The-Spot, these folks put you at-ease and make sure they get your order right, and they do it with a smile.

Did I mention the great service?

As fate would have it our second evening in London came with a pleasant coincidence. My wife's uncle is an airline captain and her aunt is a flight attendant. A stroke of lucky scheduling had them working a flight that arrived in London the morning after we did, so we planned to meet for a late lunch/early dinner. He suggested three locations and after scanning menus we decided to meet at the Scarsdale Tavern on Edwardes Square.

If you're a fan of lamb the Scarsdale has a roasted lamb shoulder that gets rave reviews. I had more simple tastes and opted for the steak sandwich, which was quite tasty. They have a large selection of beers available and a lively and friendly staff. While our dinner order got a little munged up, the staff member responsible was a trainee and he accepted some good-natured ribbing with aplomb. As I was quick to point out when the apology was offered, I was in London, in excellent company, with plenty of good beer to choose from, so I wasn't really in a position to complain! So I had another pint before my food arrived. Oh, the horror! The Scarsdale is a popular destination with locals and visitors alike, so booking a table in advance is recommended if at all possible. The dining room is only open after six p.m., so prior to that it's first-come for the available seating in the bar and at the patio tables. A combination of awnings, umbrellas, and heaters help to keep things tolerable in all but the most extreme weather, so bring a jacket and settle in.

Saturday we were still battling jet-lag, for some reason this trip was more of a challenge in that regard than any other we could recall. We trekked over to Picadilly Circus to walk around and pick up a few kitschy souvenirs before stopping off at Burger & Lobster for dinner. Surprisingly enough we had an exceptionally reasonable wait for a Saturday evening and sat down to enjoy lobster rolls. Just as we remembered from our visit last December, they were perfectly prepared and absolutely delicious. The lobster was delicate and flavorful, served in a warm roll that was toasted on the inside and slathered in butter. Add their salad and fries to the mix and you've got a meal that it's difficult to find fault with. The atmosphere if fun and a bit on the noisy side, service is solid and the food is tasty. They're now all over the UK and have expanded to New York as well. If you have a chance to give one a try I highly recommend you do.

Sunday afternoon was spent at The Crabtree, found on many lists as one of several iconic London pubs. Their Sunday Roast menu is well done, offering beef, pork, and roast chicken. The staff was polite and attentive, which, beyond the menu, appears to be a key differentiator between "pubs" and "gastropubs." We met friends and enjoyed an afternoon of catching-up filled with plenty of beer and wine. Unfortunately, the weather was not optimal, so we sat inside, but there is ample outdoor seating that promises to be spectacular when the sun makes an appearance. The Crabtree isn't the simplest destination to reach, but it's well worth the effort required to make the trip.