London pubs as we knew them are fast disappearing. They were a place to meet and have a pint, with little emphasis on food and decor. What we have now are gastropubs. These are effectively pubs that are just as interested in the food they serve as the beer they pull, beer almost being a slight afterthought in most cases. At first this was criticised for removing the character of traditional British pubs, now however people have seemingly warmed to them.
The Draft House is a little different. It's a little posh, yes, but it stands out from other gastropubd because it focuses as much on good British food as beer. They pride themselves on their large variety of draft anf bottled beers. If you ask you can taste before you buy. I appreciate the fact the the owner (former journalist Charlie McVeigh) has put as much emphasis on the beer as the food. He must be doing something right as he now owns 5 in total.
We popped in for a snack which ended up being a bit of an odd combination. First we had a Scotch Egg with a side of curried mayonnaise (£3.25), followed by a side of Mac 'n' Cheese (£2.75). The Scotch Egg was delicious. It had a crispy coating with a succulent pork filling. The curried mayonnaise wasn't great however and felt a bit out of place. The Mac 'n' Cheese was also delicious. Creamy, oozy, perfect. My only qualm was that the portion size was tiny. You can get it as main (complete with wild mushroomsl) but I wouldn't pay £8.75 for that. We also nibbled on some foot long scratchings. Nice but nothing special.
All in all I like The Draft House. Their food is good and the ambience quite welcoming. They also offer a variety of set Christmas menus starting from £14 for 10 canapes or the more extravagent 4 course feast for £29.75. So if I don't feel like cooking on the day I may take them up on that.
The Draft House
7/10
74-76 Battersea Bridge Road
London SW11 3AG
westbridge@draft house.co.uk
0207 228 6482
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