• Added: 22nd of November 2007
• Area: Clerkenwell
• Category: Bars and Pubs

London EC1N 6SJ
020 7405 4751

squirrel said
Great Cider, Great Olives, Great Pickled Eggs!
The other reviews say almost everything I wanted to say, but I thought I'd also add this:

The pub does become very full, mostly full of men of the "I am not moving aside for anyone, especially a girl", variety, but you can book the little alcove sitting room on the ground floor and there you can be blissfully undisturbed yet close to the bar.

The olives are great, as are the pickled eggs, if pickled eggs are your thing.

The cider is nice and murky, the decor is well and truly old pub style/

The men behind the bar are lovely.

Let's hope the publican doesn't succumb to the alarming Time To Yuppify This Pub (throw in a few chandeliers, huge mirrors, wooden floors) trend and keeps Ye Old Mitre just as it is.

• Added: 27th of October 2007
• Area: Kings Cross
• Category: Restaurants

London WC1X 9NT
020 7812 1842

squirrel said
The Squirrel would have preferred Acorns
Maybe we were disappointed because we were expecting so much? Maybe we are just way too critical and everyone else who has given The Acorn 4 or 5 stars is right and we are wrong? Hmmm.

The Squirrel and her worse half thought long and hard about where to take the worse half's parents. The aim was to find great food, a comfortable, cozy, quiet place.

The Squirrel arrived late, partly because The Acorn doesn't have a proper sign on it's door. For the optically challenged, who wear badly fitting contact lenses out of sheer vanity, this must be annoying.

The Squirrel arrived to find Mrs P sitting on a bizarre church pew type seat and Mr P Sr and Jr sitting on very uncomfortable looking, designer, plastic chairs, drinking beer that they hadn't really ordered, but they didn't want to make a fuss.

The menu is minimalist, as one would expect, given The Acorn's ethics. The bread and butter was nice, but we had to hold our bread in our hands, since the Acorn doesn't appear to do side plates.

The starters were fine. The soup in particular was very hearty and filling, Mrs P said.

The mains were also fine. Well prepared, but just not particularly extraordinary.

Then the tables next to us started filling up and we lost any desire to continue with a dessert; the dining room is strangely designed and the tables are too close together. So you struggle to hear your own conversation as you listen in on the private conversations of your neighbours.

We left without ordering dessert or coffee or tea. To be honest, we just wanted to go somewhere comfortable where we could have a proper bottle of wine, or a wider choice of beers, and where we could settle down for a good chat.

The staff were lovely, and you could definitely tell that there was some training going on. It was also nice to see into the kitchen, so to speak.

We paid about £35 a head - given that there was no dessert and we each had a small bottle of beer, this seems unjustified.

All in all we couldn't understand the hype and we regretted our choice. The Squirrel hates to be so down on a place that has received such great reviews, but in this case it can't be helped.

• Added: 27th of October 2007
• Area: Clerkenwell
• Category: Restaurants

London EC1M 4AN
020 7253 9000

squirrel said
The Squirrel dines in Clerkenwell
We went here to take advantage of the 50% of deal, and ended up paying about £30 each, so under normal circumstances the place could be considered expensive, it's hard to tell, it depends whether you are a millionaire or a pauper.

We were seated in a little corner off by ourselves, because there was a herd of newly qualified solicitors in the main dining room. Nevertheless, our armchair style seats were was incredibly comfortable, which made it all the more difficult, at the end of the evening, to get out into the cold, drizzly night.

Now to the food and service.

We tasted each other's starters, so I could offer an opinion on 3. But that could take forever. Suffice it to say that they were fine. Nothing to dream about and drool over, just good. And I wouldn't order the fois gras again - it was probably too cheap to be as sinfully good as fois gras can be.

The warm bread served on the side was a great touch, and the butter was nice too.

As for the mains, I ordered the halibut but was served the rabbit. The waiter (with designer glasses scarier than my own) was lovely and apologetic and I wasn't bothered as this would have been my second choice. So I stuck with the rabbit. I am not sure that it tasted particularly rabbity, but it was delicious. There was a hint of sweetness to the sauce (juice?) it was served with that went well with the meat. My friend had the halibut and seemed to be enjoying that.

I didn't have dessert, but I did have a desert wine, and I have to say that this was my highlight of the night. It was just sweet enough, it was smooth as silk and it followed extremely well after the white wine we had had during the meal.

My friends had to wait a long time to get their creme brulees, but they were very satisfied once they did arrive.

I wouldn't be opposed to returning if someone else was adamant, but I wouldn't take others there. I would rather try new places.

I would definitely return for the dessert wine though!