My lords, ladies and gentlemen, pray raise a glass in honour of Battersea boy,Henry St.John,1st Viscount Bolingbroke,the brilliant politician and reckless rake after whom The Bolingbroke Pub & Dining Room in Battersea is named.Whilst Henry was renowned for his hard drinking, innumerable affairs and wild escapades, Northcote Road’s new nobility The Bolingbroke is destined to be a much more refined local.
From the welcoming bar through to the relaxed dining room, elegance abounds throughout. Like its sister inns The Abbeville and The Stonhouse in Clapham and The White Hart in Kennington, The Bolingbroke puts the emphasis on high quality British food and traditional pub values.Having worked behind the stoves at Bluebird and Smiths of Smithfield and been personal cook to Bryan Adams,executive chef,Massimo Tebaldi,has created a seasonal, British-hearted menu for The Bolingbroke.
Prime produce is of paramount importance,with suppliers including the Wright Brothers for oysters,Westcombe Dairy for Duckett’s Caerphilly and Mike’s Smokehouse for salmon and trout; all of which have familial connections with co-owner Tom Peake.Starters on the weekday dinner menu include a moist, jellied terrine of slow cooked ham hock with parsley, olive and gherkin salad; succulent and delicately Manuka smoked duck breast with fennel,bitter leaves and an English blackberry salad; and Wild Bay Devon crab, avocado, baby gem lettuce and deep fried duck egg. Lovingly crafted, substantial mains include tender roast rabbit leg with braised black cabbage, sautéed wild mushrooms and a silken foie gras and cider sauce; juicy grilled salt marsh lamb steak, complemented by anchovy and caper butter, slow roasted cherry tomatoes and purple broccoli; and flavoursome guinea fowl breast and confit leg, mashed potato, creamed leeks and madeira gravy. Zingy lemon posset and crumbly shortbread; bitter chocolate tart and vanilla ice cream; and apple tart tatin with hokey pokey ice cream are highlights of the pudding menu.On Saturday and Sunday,the classic brunch menu features a full English breakfast;eggs Benedict,royale or Florentine;as well as yoghurt, granola and fresh seasonal fruit. A salubrious Sunday feast could include Duke of Berkshire pork belly with sautéed savoy cabbage, olive oil mash and quince sauce; butterflied leg of lamb, butter beans, chorizo, English spinach and rosemary gravy; or the finest roast beef with Yorkshire pudding and all the trimmings.
For those wanting to enjoy something a little lighter, the bar menu at The Bolingbroke features smaller dishes prepared from the same quality of produce with equal care. Maldon oysters; devilled whitebait and tartare sauce;welsh rarebit; and Mrs King’s pork pie and piccalilli are just a few examples of the fine fare on offer. Any of these will serve as a perfect companion to a pint of Timothy Taylor’s Landlord – which marks another family connection, this time with co-owner Mark Reynolds – Deuchars IPA,Weston’s Organic cider, or perhaps a creation from the list ofclassic cocktails.
The wine list features bins from the old and new world, with many available by the glass or half litre carafe. Notable selections include Chapel Down Bacchus, Kent, 2006 and Michel Picard Saint-Aubin 1er cru, 2004.
The Bolingbroke’s warm welcome extends to all of the family, with toys and games to keep the little ones occupied and a dedicated menu for children that includes real, homemade fish fingers with steamed seasonal vegetables; and funny face fairy cakes that they can decorate themselves.With its solid hardwood bar, polished brass fittings, wood panelling, collection of antique and vintage furniture and comfortable leather seating, the bar is at once sophisticated and inviting.
Whether bathed in daylight streaming in thorough the glass roof,or with a real fire blazing in the grate during less clement weather,the dining room is a setting befitting the viands it serves. The two rooms are united by a colour palate of soft greys,elegant blues and parchment,as well as a series of 18 th century political cartoons and even a portrait of The Viscount himself,brought together for The Bolingbroke by fine artist Adam Ellis.Open Monday to Friday from noon and from 10am for brunch at the weekends,The Bolingbroke is Battersea’s most blue-blooded boozer.
The Bolingbroke, 174 Northcote Road, London SW11 6RE t: 020 7228 4040
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