The Coach and Horses, Clapham

Visited this pub after a recommendation by a friend. I can only assume that my friend last visited the pub several years ago as both myself and my partner found it fairly dismal.

The pub itself is actually quite nice and looks like it has undergone a recent refurbishment, nice tables, fresh walls, clean toilets etc and the staff (two waitresses and a woman behind the bar) were quite pleasant. The problem I have with The Coach and Horses is with the food. The menu looks quite appetising but the food itself is a far cry from the description, very bland lacking almost everything that you would associate with a tasty lunch.

The problem I feel is, the ingredients (and possibly the cooking itself). For example, as a starter I had Pate and for the price of it (and this pub is not the cheapest in the area) I would something reasonably tasty. Not so, the Pate in this case had obviously come from the local Cash and Carry and probably the discount bucket, utterly grim. Next I had a pasta dish which lacked all flavour, I had to add a ton of salt just to make it taste of anything, and that ended up being� salt. My partner, who normal shovels down most things, was equally unimpressed. It seems that only the most basic, bare minimum and cheapest ingredients go into the dishes and it shows (or tastes).

I am by no means a snob or a food critic but when I pay �40ish for 2 starters 2 mains and 2 drinks I expect to be left content and The Coach and Horses failed miserably to achieve this.

Nice place, rubbish food, I will not be returning until I see a big sign outside saying �new chef and new menu�.

8 Sep 2008 14:55