A pub meal of fish and chips was a must on my list of things to eat in London. After a day spent traversing the streets of London, a hearty pub meal was just the ticket. Of all the pubs in London, I’m glad we made it to the Hereford Arms, a cosy, bustling, friendly space with delicious grub.
We were fresh out of luck getting a seat in the dining room as we hadn’t made a booking but after settling on an organic Honey Dew lager for TBS and a Ghost Ship pale ale for me we managed to nab a table in the bar area. The menu covers all the classics and them some- steaks (all from Hereford beef cattle), shortrib cottage pie, grilled sole but to me the beer battered cod sounded grand and despite having had bangers and mash for lunch, TBS was keen to give the Hereford Arms’ version a go.
Our dinner arrived promptly despite the pub being busy. My FnCs were impressive- a generous piece of crispy cod perched atop rustic chips accompanied by vividly green crushed peas, tartar sauce and a wedge of lemon. The beer batter was extremely light and crisp, enveloping a piece of fresh, flaky cod. The chips were pillowy and erred towards being soft (in the good comforting sense). I loved the crushed peas which hadn’t been boiled to within an inch of their lives and retained their sweetness and brilliant colour.
I thought TBS’ plate was just as impressive. The pork sausages were lean and meaty. The mash was creamy and the bite from the mustard a welcome addition. TBS would have preferred for the gravy to have been thicker as it was more of a glossy jus.
The greens were once again cooked well and complemented the punchier flavours in the sausages and gravy.
I thoroughly enjoyed our dinner at The Hereford Arms. The meals were a cut above and good value, there were a range of beers on tap, the staff were efficient and friendly and the atmosphere convivial and welcoming. A great pub dinner- tick!
Good to know:
Fish and house chips, cod in London Pride batter, crushed peas & tartar sauce £10.50
Pork & HSB sausages, mustard mash, seasonal greens, gravy £11
Hereford Arms
127 Gloucester Road
South Kensington
London SW7 4TE
020 7370 4988
Serving food:
Monday to Saturday 12:00pm to 10:00pm
Sunday 12:00pm to 9:00pm
http://www.herefordarms.co.uk
Images: Thomas Southam
