The Telegraph at The Earl of Derby, New Cross

A great boozer. Refurbed a couple of years back and run by a lovely chap who knows his beer and really can cook. His wife runs front of house; whenever I've been in the staff have been excellent. Good jukebox, decent interior including coal fires when it's cold, large room upstairs which you can hire for this and that, games, newspapers - and it's rarely overcrowded.

Dennett's Road is slightly out of the way so there isn't a huge amount of passing traffic - but now that the Montague's closed (I hear) The Telegraph is without rival and by a country mile the best drinker in New Cross Gate.

A solid range of ales on tap - Fullers representing London including Gale's HSB on occasion - now that's a tremendous pint - a couple of well-kept guest ales, a specialist German brewer for wheat beer/stronger lager (for some reason I'm slightly blurry on the names zigactly) and a fairly priced wine offer. Last time I was in Fuller's Bengal Lancer was on - an excellent pale ale - and I noticed some Belgian oddities in the fridge also.

I've eaten here on numerous occasions and never been disappointed. The menu is brisk so it's all completely fresh and cooked to order. 'Very tasty,' was how my mate the sous-chef at one of the starred London places put it. Service is quick we've always found and there are some more exotic dishes on the menu as well as fish and chips/ a roast etc. Sunday lunch is excellent, by the way, and not over-priced.

One last attraction is that there are some interesting nooks - almost...inglenooks...perhaps - in which one can sit. Good to come and bunker down with a book. Yes, there are stuffed animals above...one needn't look. I am hopeful that the stuffed zebra from the Monty might make it over, but meanwhile the large Peters Projection worldmap in the back means that your escape from The Great Wen can be plotted quite comfortably.

Might nip in for a pint tomorrow actually...

5 Mar 2012 21:18