7th September 2007
Disappointing
The Grove in Balham is part of the Youngs chain, and generally speaking that guarantees certain things - a good range of beers, smart, well kept surroundings and a decent range of food on offer. The pub is surrounded by a little terrace for the smokers, and certainly looks the part.
As far as the pub side of things goes, The Grove is no exception to the Youngs rule, and is an acceptable, if uninspiring venue. There are several real ales and guest ales to choose from. It's tucked away in a side street off Balham High Road, and I don't think it is worth the detour.
Perhaps I visited on a bad day - as I had the most uninspiring meal I think I have ever been served. I can barely remember what it was - a torte, served on a three bean salad, and everything covered in rocket. The dreaded salad leaf that ruins everything. The torte was OK, but the three bean salad was devoid of flavour. How can that happen? It was not served with any dressing, nor was any offered. Imagine if you can, three varieties of pulses being pushed around a plate, crying out for some TLC from the chef.
My friend opted for that great pub fallback - sausages and mash. The sausages tasted like they had been cooked and reheated later on, like the ones you get in supermarket ready meals, and the potatoes...well! Coming from Ireland, I love my potatoes - my friend gave me one taste and it almost put me off them for life. The potatoes had been boiled (but only enough to make them still hard in the middle), loosely smashed, and er, that was it. No salt, no butter, nothing to add any flavour at all. They sat like chalky rocks on a plate, unwanted and unloved. The Grove charges about a tenner per course, which is high for South London. The least you should expect is food that has been prepared with some thought and care. The clientele tend to be Balham and Clapham folk, young, wealthy and ever so loud.
Two stars then, just for the pub side of things, but definitely not worth a return visti.
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