The Shortlands Tavern, Shortlands

What can i say? It's my local. When i first moved into the area, it wasn't the best. Hardly anyone in there, bad lighting/decor. Beer wasn't great.

Then Geoff/Sean/Eren came along from the Pelton Arms (Greenwhich) and have completely transformed the place.

Lets start with the bar staff: friendliest you can find (on a par with Barrel & Horn in Bromley).
Beer: rotating selection of at least 5 beers and 1 hand pump cider. All ales are kept in very good condition, and bonus being CAMRA card holder means you get 50p off a pint (normally 3.60).
Fosters just about hang on, otherwise have a very good DECENT lager selection as well as Aspells for fizzy cider drinkers. Also serve proper coffee.

Food: may seem a bit pricey, but its good quality stuff. The burgers are monstrous, the fish and chips brilliant, and I'm hoping we get the pie and mash back again soon - the pies were just the best and the creamy mash to die for!

Atmosphere/clientele: all sorts - from locals in the corner, to trendy hippy types, to families (well catered for). Brilliant, and a quirky decor to boot!

Beer garden: this is their new secret weapon and potentially the best beer garden for miles around. It's huge, its lovely with all the flowers, kids can run around. Brilliant for the summer.

They also have lots of events, from quiz nights, to thai curry nights (tues), acoustic nights sometimes, jazz/blues on a sunday afternoon, all sorts. Very much a community pub.

If you live in the are and you haven't been yet, go. Just do it. Then try to leave!

29 May 2014 10:48

The Trinity Arms, Brixton

Went here last night for GF's birthday drinks and a bite to eat (booked a table ahead).
First impressions, I liked the place. Beer (Youngs Blonde) was good quality, nice qwerky furnishings and surroundings. Nice little secret beer garden at the back, nice atmosphere and good service behind the bar (although some of my friends had different experiences). Back to the beer, its a Youngs pub, so standard Special/Bitter/Golden (replaced by Blonde on this occasion - nice summer pint), not my favourite brewery but still good, although a tad pricey at 3.94 a pint i felt.

Food. Now this is where it goes a bit wonky. If this pub, or the brewery, really want this pub to have any kind of future in serving food, please fire the chef. Buck stops there. Communication between bar and kitchen seems a bit non-existent. Also when taken separate orders from the same table (paying separately) it might make sense to note its from the same table, i.e. maybe the folks want it to come out at the same time? Initially told a half hour wait.

45 mins later mine + GF's food turned up. Cold, portion size a bit mean - basically not real your moneys worth. When I'm paying 75p extra for cheese in a burger, I don't want a frikking plastic cheese slice (that hadn't even melted - almost added on as an afterthought on the service plate).
By the time we'd finished the other guys (4 others) still hadn't got their food (were asked about 20 mins in if it was ok to substitute mash with chips). It took an hour. Pies were not upto scratch (potentially microwaved) and we had to get our money back (which in fairness they did, no quibble).

Problem was it had ruined what was supposed to be a good night out.

Trinity, you've got a lot of potential, but certainly won't be eating again for a while. Don't delay, fire the chef!

29 May 2014 10:38