Our world constantly changes for the better!! Sometimes there exists grey areas that need to be addressed again with a more opened mind. Take for example The Harwood Arms, which is a modern British Gastro Pub which shares common ownership structure with the highly praised Michelin 2 Starred The Ledbury (London). At gastro pub level, the dishes served here were expectedly more than affordable but it was the overall package which really amazed I instantly fell in love with this pub, and kudos to the Michelin Guide UK for giving here recognition as it is due. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the Australian Good Food Guides, which are way too conservative to award Hatted Status to places which truly deserve them on an International level. After all, 1-3 Hatted or Starred places are meant to be well spread, and it will do good for the local businesses.
It’s a bit far away -
Took me a while to work out how to walk here from the Metro Station..
Normal A La Carte Menu -
There is also a Pub Food menu and daily Lunch Set Menu.
All are worth exploring as they carry diff items.
Blenheim Palace Mineral Water -
This is served at HK Michelin restaurants, albeit at around 4-5 times the price.
Nice Communal Gastro Pub Setting.
Totally my style of dining.
Although I do enjoy Fine Dining once in a while, this is just so MOIS !!
Cremant de Loire Rose, Cuvee de la Chevalier - Pounds 5.50
Don’t ask me, I have a soft spot for this style of rose sparkling to start off my afternoons… Brilliant!
Bread and Butter -
The bread was superb, it was addictive with that strong wheat flavour and crisp external texture.
Definitely very fresh bread. It still baffles me as to why bread in Europe is just so much better in general. They don’t need to come in all fanciful shapes, as long as they taste right! ~ 9/10
Grilled Cod Cheeks with Fennel, Radish and Chanterelles - Pounds 8.0
The fish cheeks were done 2 ways, one fried and one grilled. The mushroomy fish broth was excellent, so was the fish texture and overall balance. The chanterelles with fennel didn’t over power either. Very great starter. ~ 9/10
Venison Scotch Eggs - Pounds 3.50
Herbed judicially, the venison meat was still moist and so was the slightly runny egg yolk inside.
This was gorgeous stuff and not found on the normal menu. This is only found on the Pub Food menu, thanks to other local regulars who know to order this by default. ~ 9/10
House Red 175ml – Pounds 4.0
For only 4 British Pounds, and as mentioned before I am starting to become curious with House Wines as of late (something to do with diminishing returns vs. minimum standards that is constantly running in my business mind lately). This was more than decent. A well chosen cheapo wine which does it’s job for a lunch quaffer.
Rabbit Shoulders Cooked in Cider with Spelt Dumplings,
St George Mushrooms and Mustard Butter – Pounds 7.50
I couldn’t believe how cheap this dish is, it is really value for money for a Rabbit dish cooked 2 ways. The whole Rabbit shoulders and rabbit legs were brilliantly cooked, what more can you ask for? ~ 9/10
Cheek and Jowl of Middlewhite Pork with Grilled Celeriac, White Cabbage Puree,
Breakfast Radish & Crackling – Pounds 17.50
Another 2 way cooked dish with the famous UK Middlewhite strand of pork. The version I ate here was heaps and bounds better than the lifeless version I ate at equally Michelin 1 Starred - St John (London) not that long ago at much more expensive. At least the crackling was bubbly crispy here, the pork had Middlewhite pork taste and also tender, although the pork cheek was a little dense and can be improved. Overall, a very memorable dish bar the cheek. ~ 7.5/10
The Food and Drinks here,
carried A Lot of Soul in their planning structure -
One can instantly recognize the effort put into every course and the individual wine selections,
and this coincides with the recent movement with real hearty food or dude’s food done with a real passion. I found the same at Paris’s Les 110 de Taillevent, which also served excellent food with perfect wine pairings. It isn’t Fine Dining, but this is precisely where it performs above it’s peers and it is just another place I could visit all day long and fine my groove as a regular. It is a pity this is found in London, currently not somewhere I can have access to on a daily basis!
Price: British Pounds £$6 – $8
Ease of Access – 3/5 (10 mins walk from Metro Fulham Broadway, easier to know if you’re a Chelsea fan!)
Food: ♕♕♕♕♕ - ♕♕♕♕♕ 1/2
Opening Hours -
http://www.harwoodarms.com/ (Too complicated to post, just read their website as it varies daily.)
Address: Walham Grove, Fulham, London SW6 1QP
Ph: 020 7386 1847
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