I am very familiar indeed with the ‘pub’ room of the Garrick’s Head. I have spent many a chilly winter evening sat cosily by its open fire, revelling in its extensive wine list. Its dining room also has a great rep, but I’d never ventured in. Probably too busy cursing Alison Steadman for letting a draught in. (This did actually once happen.)
To start, I had duck liver parfait, with home-made duck ham. I love pâté – and this was beautifully smooth, with ‘bread crisps’ serving as a light, crunchy vehicle – but it was the idea of duck ham that sold me. Two pieces were smoked; the third resembled Serrano. A good starter should leave you hungry for your main course, and this was a lovely, cheeky garter-flash before the big event.
The boy had potted crab – zingy with lemon and parsley, and a gentle warmth of chilli. It was served with a cute dainty focaccia, an attention to detail that pleased him no end.
Friday nights at the Garrick are steak night. I wouldn’t usually need any more encouragement than that, being well on side with both weekends and seared hunks of beef, but it also means that my 8oz flank steak was just £7.95, including garlic butter, sweet onion purée and a hefty serving of chips. I’d chosen flank because I’ve never eaten it before, and I reckon that veering off the beaten track is the best way to get yourself a new favourite cut (which is how I met flatiron). It was clearly handled by someone who knew how to to cook a damn good steak, but wasn’t quite flavoursome enough to make it into my hit parade. I much preferred the boy’s rump steak (still just £10.95!), which was juicy and delicious and enough to have me sneaking more morsels than would normally be considered decent.
And oh, the chips. They were beasts: chunky, triple-cooked things with a jaggy crust millimetres thick hiding a fluffy interior. If chips could be made human-sized, I might consider shacking up with one.
Incredible value, great food and an intimate candle-lit dining room? Turns out I can be lured away from that wine list, after all.
(Top image: Flickr/pussy_galore_)
Something New Each Week 