Three Jolly Wheelers, Woodford Green : Formulaic 'gastro' pub with strong following

7th December 2016
A cousins' lunch had been long in the planning, and it was left for one of the others to choose a venue. I have some favourite pub lunch destinations, but it seems to me that some of the chains have got a bit out of hand presenting themselves as up-market destinations with restaurant prices. I was fascinated when I arrived here, as the menu appeared in wording and pricing almost identical to the menu at the recently visited Old White Lion. At least I thought I knew what I might be in for. What you do not get is a 'pub lunch' but you do get pub prices for drink. Interestingly the Three Jolly Wheelers, whilst a 'Vintage Inn' is own by the same umbrella company, Mitchell and Butler and more detail can be found on http://www.vintageinn.co.uk/restaurants/london/thethreejollywheelerschigwell .
For starter I chose the salt and pepper calamari with chorizo-flavour seasoning and chipotle mayonnaise

This was pretty good and hot enough at an 8.4 on the CHOF scale. However what is apparent is that this is a triumph of style over quantity and is drowned out by the relatively inedible green leaves and a surfeit of unnecessary chipottle (sic) mayo and not a lot of discernible seasoning.

Just to be different, I did not choose the fish and chips for main, but the Steak & mushroom pie

(described as slow-cooked British beef in a red wine sauce, topped with puff pastry, served with mash and seasonal vegetables, £11.50).

This was not so much a pie, but more a dish of stewed beef covered with a pastry lid with some tired carrots. This is presumably the outcome of corporate boil in the bag supplies of pie filling and is not really the stuff of pies of pub lunches that I yearn for. It was very hot (a 9 on the CHOF scale) but tasted a bit bland.

All in all this was a bland packaged meal, and I guess I am always looking for something a bit more challenging in a pub lunch. I was spoiled by my numerous experiences at the King's Arms in Bexley near where I used to work.

My wife had a slightly more expensive meal, and by the time the bill came, for a 'pub' lunch for two, it came to nearly £50.

Whilst the food was hot enough, it was all a bit bland and corporately uninteresting and this was not the sort of hit I had expected for a mid week pub lunch.

I will not be going back there in a hurry: I can get far better far cheaper: a pub lunch should not cost £25 per head.