10 Dec, 2024.

 Cork and Bottle

44-46 Cranbourn St, London WC2H 7AN

This place is a favoured watering hole of my wife, and she said that it would be a good place to go to meet with friends before a theatre outing, as you could have just a drink, a snack or bigger meal. I was there at 5.30 pm on Tuesday before Xmas, and it was quiet. We were in an alcove, so it made it pleasant for a chat. I found that the hard surfaces and walls favoured by so many restaurants give me a bad hearing experience, and so it was good to be in a more peaceful surrounding. I cannot say how busy it might get later, but my wife reported that it had been quiet when she had had lunch there a few weeks before.

I was pretty hungry, having been for a swim and a walk earlier in the day, so I ordered the somewhat unfashionable dish of ox cheek and mashed potato with gravy.

 

Apart from the meat being a little too salty for my taste, and having made the mistake of using salt before tasting, this was an excellent choice. The meat was tender and 'all meat', and the accompanying mash and green beans were well prepared. All was hot, scoring about 8.2 on the CHOF scale. Cannot complain about the food. I did not have alcohol to drink, and as it is a wine bar, it has a biggish selection of wines, but they are a little above average in price for central London, and you could expect to pay at least £10 for a modest brew. The dish cost just under £27, which, again, is pretty much the par for central London eating.  This was a good venue for a pre-theatre meal a la carte, and the staff understand that. I would go there again.