Pub Grub Grows Up

Locals, boozers, public houses, pubs--by whatever name, these watering holes are as much a part of the London landscape as red double-decker buses. A stop in a pub has long been a must for visitors, a taste of London in a warm beer and a snack--bangers (sausages), maybe, or pasties (soggy meat pies).

But times have changed, and the revolution in restaurant fare in London is catching on with pubs. The new breed offers all sorts of lunch and dinner specialties, beautifully prepared and served with flair at reasonable prices. Quite a few offer the choice of eating in the traditional barroom--usually convivial, noisy and smoky--or in cozy dining rooms.

I’ve spent six weeks in London over the past year while updating my guidebook on dining for theatergoers. One week, my husband joined me. He’s the sort of man whose favorite sauce is ketchup, and he was enthusiastic about checking out pub food.

We spent lunch- and dinner-times researching the fairly new British phenomenon of “gastro pubs.” These are old pubs with modern kitchens manned by chefs instead of cooks. The best of them wed nostalgic pub ambience with the kind of menu found in upscale restaurants, and at a fraction of the cost. Of the two dozen or so that I considered, here are the ones I would send a friend to:

The Grenadier is on a cobbled street behind Hyde Park Corner. Painted red, white and blue, with a bright scarlet sentry box outside, it advertises its origins as the Officers’ Mess for the Duke of Wellington’s soldiers in the early 1800s.

Inside, its walls are cluttered with military memorabilia and its ceiling is covered with wine labels. At the back of the pub there’s a charming restaurant with small, cozy rooms warmed by candlelight, even at lunch.

We went to the Grenadier on a Sunday, when Bloody Marys are the specialty. As we were sipping the spicy drinks and enjoying the homemade rolls--some stuffed with sauteed onions, some with cheese and garlic--the chef came out of the kitchen to announce, “The chickens have just come out of the oven. They look lovely.” Presently he came around to take orders, and we chose the honey-roasted chicken ($20). It was served with all the traditional Sunday roast accompaniments--Yorkshire pudding, horseradish sauce, roasted potatoes, carrots, onions and mushrooms. It was wonderful.

Near the Roundhouse Theatre in Primrose Hill you’ll find the Engineer, one of the most popular gastro pubs. Tamsin Olivier (daughter of Laurence Olivier and Joan Plowright) and artist Abigail Osborne are the forces behind it.

The pub interior is bright and pleasant, but the garden in back (with its own bar) can’t be beat in nice weather. We dined lazily amid orange trees and lilac bushes and big white market umbrellas.

The Engineer is the most health-conscious of the pubs I saw, serving only free-range or organically raised meat and a variety of vegetarian specialties.

On the lunch menu, the eggs Benedict with oversize French fries ($12) and the salmon cakes with potatoes ($14) were good choices. At dinner, prosciutto and figs ($12) and asparagus and goat cheese salad ($6) were offered as starters. Steak with green peppercorns in a red wine sauce, with salad and French fries, was $25.

The Anchor is a postcard-perfect pub on the south bank of the Thames near the Globe Theatre. The original pub on this site was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. Legend has it that it was from this “little alehouse on bank-side” that diarist Samuel Pepys witnessed the devastation.

Meticulously restored, retaining part of its original structure, the Anchor’s creaking floorboards, old brick fireplaces, Georgian paneling and oak beams recall its past. An outdoor terrace exploits the river view in good weather.

The specials were ordinary--lamb stew ($10) and baked pork chops ($9). But the baguette sandwiches (all priced about $7) were excellent.

The Argyll Arms is a Victorian pub about half a block from the London Palladium but a world removed from the current show, “Saturday Night Fever.”

Among the Argyll’s vintage features are the elaborate carved partitions of dark wood and decorative cut glass that divide the bar seating areas into cubicles. These little “snuggeries” were designed to separate the various social classes, a common practice in the late 19th century.

The menu--lasagna, beef curry and shepherd’s pie, all about $10--is nothing special. Instead, try the turkey club sandwich ($7) for a variation on the American standard. Served on country-style bread, the freshly carved turkey is warm and blanketed in melted cheese and bacon, with lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers.

The Argyll is the only pub on my list that has a nonsmoking section--but only until 4 p.m.

Another convenient lunch spot for theatergoers is the Coal Hole, next to the Savoy (theater and hotel). This former coal deliverymen’s hangout is handsomely done up with stained glass and high-beamed ceilings.

While there’s nothing very innovative about the food, it is satisfying. The sandwiches are good, although the kitchen isn’t very flexible. While you can get a cheddar sandwich and a ham sandwich (each $6), you can’t get a ham and cheddar sandwich.

Soho-bound theatergoers have long favored the French House, a wonderful old place steeped in nostalgia. During World War II it was the London rendezvous of the Free French forces. Gen. Charles de Gaulle wrote his historic declaration of defiance to the Nazis in the room above the bar. A yellowing poster of his “Call to Arms” has a special place on the wall among the photographs of show business and sports celebrities who have frequented the place over the years.

Today its atmosphere is one of civilized bohemia, and it’s considered one of the friendliest pubs in London. The tightly packed tables attest to the upstairs restaurant’s popularity; it is cozy or cramped, depending on your frame of mind.

The only drawback is that the menu, which changes every few weeks, is rather limited. And since entrails and organ meats sometimes take pride of place on the menu, it is even more limited for diners not in favor of head-to-toe cuisine. Check the menu posted outside near the pub entrance.

Recent offerings have included grilled quail and salad ($9), Welsh rarebit ($7) and roast guinea hen with spinach ($20).

The Enterprise, not far from Harrods, is a nice choice for lunch or dinner after a shopping spree. This stylish little spot in Knightsbridge is one of London’s most unpub-like pubs, with its books, starched white napery and big bursts of fresh flowers.

The upscale menu recently offered starters such as quesadillas with jalapen~os ($8) and fettuccine with smoked salmon and avocado ($9). For the main course, grilled sea bream came with fabulous olive mashed potatoes ($23). Another winner was the grilled curried chicken crusted with coconut ($18). Old standbys included steak frites ($22) and peppered lamb with a nouveau touch: mushroom risotto ($23).

You won’t find anything resembling pub grub in the Chapel, a very likable bare-boards, sky-lighted pub near Paddington Station. A serious player in the pub food revolution, its tiny open kitchen turns out good Mediterranean-influenced British fare.

There’s a big blackboard menu announcing the eclectic daily choices. When we were there, they included cream of leek and potato soup ($6), pepper cheese and olive tart ($13), grilled venison steak with wild mushrooms ($21) and chocolate-banana pie ($6).

Its small patio garden with shaded tables is a sweet respite for tippling on a nice summer day.

If you find yourself wandering the Notting Hill area, or if you’re headed for the weekend Portobello Market, the Churchill Arms is a good detour.

Host Gerry O’Brien has made it one of London’s most sociable pubs, with its own sports teams and a party spirit that takes any occasion as cause to celebrate. Winston Churchill’s birthday, for example, was observed with wartime posters, music from the ‘40s, gas masks and air raid sirens.

In the backyard, a garage has been transformed into a sky-lighted conservatory restaurant serving authentic Thai food in the evenings. Entrees average $10.

The Cow, also in the Portobello Road area, is a congenial Irish-style pub with Tom Conran (son of Sir Terence, the restaurant/housewares magnate) at the helm.

While local celebrities fill this small, amiable pub in the evenings, it’s the dining room upstairs that has been garnering all the attention.

The menu, which changes daily, offers two courses for $28 or three for $32. Expect the likes of crab bisque, roast rack of lamb and apricot and hazelnut tart.

The Chepstow, another Notting Hill winner, is a double pleasure. First, there’s the sunny, bright pub with a nice back-room restaurant. You might begin a meal here with a Caesar salad ($7) or lobster ravioli ($11) followed by rib-eye steak with French fries and salad, or baked cod with chive mashed potatoes; the main selections are all about $19.

But if you venture up the steep staircase, you’ll find Assaggi, a splendid family-run restaurant with a Sardinian touch.

The cooking is outstanding. I enjoyed the perfectly grilled vegetables ($13), and the gnocchi ($15) were almost as good as my grandmother used to make. I wished I had time to try the mushroom salad with pancetta ($15) or the roast lamb cutlets with asparagus and mint ($30).

This is one of London’s best Italian restaurants, but it’s small, with just 10 tables. Booking well in advance is essential.

Some days, in my Washington, D.C., office, I think back to that lazy brunch in the Engineer’s garden, or Sunday dinner at the Grenadier, with the chef in checkerboard pants and tall white hat grandly announcing the chickens. And I know when I return to London, the first meal I’ll have will be in a pub.

GUIDEBOOK

Pub Dining

The pubs listed here are open until 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday; some close early on Sunday. Lunch and dinner hours vary. The telephone numbers below are local numbers for calls within London’s 0171 area code.

The Anchor, Bankside; 34 Park St. Telephone 407-1577. Tube stop: London Bridge.

Argyll Arms, 18 Argyll St. Tel. 734-6117. Tube stop: Oxford Circus.

Assaggi, 39 Chepstow Place. Tel. 792-5501. Tube stop: Notting Hill Gate.

The Chapel, 48 Chapel St. Tel. 402-9220. Tube stop: Edgeware Road.

Chepstow, 39 Chepstow Place. Tel. 229-0323. Tube stop: Bayswater, Notting Hill Gate or Westbourne Park.

Churchill Arms, 119 Kensington Church St. Tel. 727-4242. Tube stop: High Street Kensington or Notting Hill Gate.

The Coal Hole, 91 Strand. Tel. 836-7503. Tube stop: Embankment or Charing Cross.

The Cow, 89 Westbourne Park Road. Tel. 221-5400. Tube stop: Royal Oak or Westbourne Park.

The Engineer, 65 Gloucester Ave. Tel. 722- 0950. Tube stop: Camden Town or Chalk Farm.

The Enterprise, 35 Walton St. Tel. 584-3148. Tube stop: South Kensington or Knightsbridge.

The French House, 49 Dean St. Tel. 437-2799. Tube stop: Leicester Square.

The Grenadier, 18 Wilton Row. Tel. 235-3074. Tube stop: Hyde Park Corner or Knightsbridge.