A taste of takeaways and pubs

We have to face up to the reality that we won’t be eating in a Greater Kennington restaurant any time soon. And when we do, we might encounter the indignity of having to shout ‘hey, can I have some more ketchup please’ from across a socially distanced room. To address this, some local restaurants are offering a takeaway or collection service with a limited menu. The places offering this service generally let you know via social media.

One of our favourite local takeaways is unsung gem ‘Taste of India’ next to the bike shop in Kennington Road. On a recent visit my associate had lamb korai, which was heavy on the lamb and onions but a bit light on the spice. Your reporter had the prawn bunha, which had a very good mix of spices, thick gravy and full of tomatoes. On previous visits we’ve enjoyed the madras and jalfrezi, which certainly delivered on the spice front.  Side dishes are always a highlight with Indian food, and we recommend the huge, crunchy onion bhajis,  garlc naan bread, and tarka daal. 

The lamb, or ‘this is why we aren’t food photographers’
The prawn. Honestly, it tastes better than it looks.

While it might not possess the Prime Ministerial credentials or razzmatazz of Kennington Tandoori, we think Taste of India *prepares for hate mail* is better. Taste of India doesn’t quite achieve the culinary highs of Gandhi’s, but sadly it isn’t open. And if you don’t fancy Indian food but you still want to sample the fare at ‘Taste of India’, then why not plump for their…..wait for it…….sushi!  

Over the past week a few local pubs have also opened offering takeaway drinks and a reduced menu, for collection only. We’re very excited about this development and enjoyed a pint at The Doghouse on Friday night, and then another at The Black Prince.  This goes a bit to retaining a sense of normality and also helps these small businesses. We suggest you take your drinks home, however,  to avoid being known as ‘that street drinker who lives a few doors down’. Other pubs further afield might be offering this service, so again check them out on social media and eat safely. 

Once upon a time in Kennington

Once upon a time it was possible to go to a place and have a drink with other people. One of those places was in central Kennington and called ‘The Tommyfield’ and they had a cracking stand up night called ‘Always Be Comedy’. We wrote about ABC in July and have been regulars since its inception eight years ago. We’re big fans of the evening as it’s always nice to see up and coming comics in addition to big names, and of course they’re honoured to be in our manor.

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Last week ABC started a virtual comedy night and we popped along, partially out of curiosity and partially to avoid watching another episode of ‘Tiger King’. They had a few tech problems but considering that they were switching between three comics and the MC, it went pretty well. They have a few upcoming shows and we highly recommend them for a change of pace.

Wed 15 April – Josh Widdicombe and others

Wed 22 April –  Sara Pascoe, Nick Helm, and a ‘mystery guest’ (usually a pretty big name)

Wed 29 April – James Veitch and others

Wed. 6 May Iain Sterling (the guy who does the voiceover for Love Island….not that we watch it) and others.

All shows run from about 8 to 10 and the best bit is you can watch in your underwear without being picked on by the comedians. Tickets are a fiver and can be purchased here.

When this mayhem has subsided places like The Tommyfield and ABC will need our patronage more than ever. When it’s possible to go in the flesh again ABC has a good atmosphere with a fun mix of people. However, on your first visit it’s hard to escape the eerie notion that you’ve just stumbled into a reunion of contestants from ‘The Apprentice’.

Hang in there, folks. After all, by invoking that wartime spirit we all got through the great toilet roll crisis of late March.

The top ten best places to eat in Greater Kennington – no. 3 – Prince of Wales

The number 3 slot is awarded to Kennington stalwart and our own little country pub ‘The Prince of Wales’ in Cleaver Square. The Prince of Wales is of course not open and they do not deliver. However. if our local pubs and restaurants are to survive this crisis they’ll need our patronage once they reopen, so stick this gem in your bejewelled pocket diary.

The Prince of Wales did the seemingly unthinkable last year by changing hands from being run by a major chain to being independently owned and operated. Armed with a a new menu and a spanking new chef, we decided to give it a twirl last year and we were duly impressed. In addition to the menu we were pleased to note that they also had new cask ales and an improved wine list.

My dining partner had the spiced buttermilk chicken burger on a glazed brioche bun. This undefined person got a nice spice hit from the chipotle mayo and the chicken was soft and made succulent with the creamy buttermilk. The chips were big, triple cooked and definitely not out of the freezer. The portions were definitely something to be admired.

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Your author had the cornfed chicken and chorizo hash. Mine was a mighty chunk of chicken served with a confident splash of bourguignon sauce. The hash was really more of chunky mash potato with very spicy, paprika punched chorizo. I never got to the bottom of the hispy cabbage affair, but it bulked up the plate and acted as a crunchy counterpoint.

The Prince of Wales and other independent pubs are certainly vulnerable, but we think they will make it. In conclusion, if you crave some excellent pub grub and want a place without music, shouting or people coming up to you every two seconds asking  ‘are are alright’, then the POW might be your thing. IMG_0054

The top ten best places to eat in Greater Kennington – no. 8 – The Tommyfield

The number eight position goes to central Kennington stalwart The Tommyfield.* The Tommyfield is the Kennington outpost of swish, small south London chain ‘Three Cheers Pubs’. Most of their other pubs are in Clapham and Battersea and have a similar cohort of punters.

The Tommyfield is the pub of choice here at Runoff HQ as it is just down the road and we have therefore tried just about everything on the menu. This isn’t too difficult, mind you, as we wouldn’t exactly call their menu ‘dynamic’. However, what they stick to they manage to do very well. We like the pies (steak and ale/chicken and leek) which are very rich, heavy on the meat, and the puff pastry flaky and buttery with pureed potatoes. The fish and chips are also to be lauded, and they have a reliable number of veggie options (but not vegan).

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The place is usually pretty full at weekends and they do a mean trade in Sunday lunch. The roasts are huge (we’re talking car tyre huge) and you can see the chefs undertaking their handiwork in the open kitchen (and yes, they make their own Yorkies). The ribeye steak is also something that we’ve had on a Sunday and it’s up there in Michelin star category and seasoned to perfection.

The Tommyfield is one of the few places in our area the accepts Tastecard (but not on Sunday) and they provide two for one mains if you have one. Perfect for those ‘I don’t feel like cooking’ nights or if, at this rate, there is soon to be nothing left on supermaket shelves but cat food.

For dessert we almost always plump for the banoffee pie, which is delicious.

*If you’ve been knocking around SE11 long enough to remember its previous incarnation as ‘La Finca’ you get a prize. Or something.

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The top ten best places to eat in Greater Kennington – no. 9 – The Hercules

The number nine slot goes to new kid on the block ‘The Hercules’ located across from Lambeth North tube. The first of three gastropubs on our list, it’s made the list mostly due to it having the best selection of beers for a gastropub in Greater Kennington, with no fewer than 24  to choose from , and an impressive selection of spirits and wines. And a curious LED sign telling you about the rotating selection of beers on offer.

We thought it appropriate to go The Hercules with some tourist friends, as the crowd is a mix of thirty somethings with a melange of visitors wondering how the hell they ended up in Lambeth North when their hotel across the street is called ‘Waterloo’.  We went for Sunday roast, and one of us had beef and the other two pork belly. The portions were generous and the meat well cooked. The roast potatoes were also browned and just the right side of charred. The cauliflower cheese was commendable and the Yorkshire pud was huge and crispy.

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Aside from roasts, The Hercules offer other dishes that are more varied than most local gastropubs, and commendable  bar snacks. On another visit we snacked on spicy squid and Vietnamese chicken wings, and had some very juicy burgers and hake with chorizo. The place also opens at 8am if you fancy a fry up or a quick Merlot on the way to work. The atmosphere is the upmarket ‘old school meets new school’ of the White Bear and is relatively good value for money.

Finally, *expects egg throwing*  we are conscious that The Hercules is part of the Fuller’s pub chain, but even soulless chains can sometimes get things right. If it is just beer you fancy without the food, we recommend Mother Kelly’s under the arches in Vauxhall.

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Meet the Locals 1 – James Gill of ABC

Recently we had a nice chin wag with comedian and overall ‘fun guy’ James Gill about his Thursday comedy night, Always Be Comedy,  at the Tommyfield in central Kennington.  For the uninitiated, ABC features some established comics (last Thursday we saw Marcus Brigstocke and the crap evidence is below) with up and coming folks. Once you recover from the crowd resembling a giant reunion of contestants from ‘The Apprentice’ it’s a nice place to unwind and have a giggle at this most stressful time of year.

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KR – How long has ABC been running and what inspired you to start it?

James – Oh my gosh! It’s been more than EIGHT YEARS. I started it with two former housemates: Stuart Keeping and Paul Vale.. So I’m the last man standing. Christ. This is how The Sugababes must feel. Why did we start? I still have no idea whatsoever. I think it was so I could learn how to MC. But I’m guessing. I have no idea. If you ever find out, please will you tell me?

KR – What makes a good audience member?  And what about  a bad audience member?

James – A good audience member is someone who laughs. At the right times, obviously. If they’re just sat laughing all night, before the show, at the set-ups and through the breaks, then they may be unwell, and I now feel genuinely sorry for this fictional person in my head. A bad audience member. Oh, the person who has turned up to actively have a shit night: arms folded and a general aura that says, “Yeah, well what have you got?” I try to spot them early on and ask them to unfold their arms as they’ll have a much nicer experience.

KR – Can you tell us a bit about the games you play before the show and during the break?

James – Yes! Absolutely. It feels like we used to play a lot more weird and wonderful games, and perhaps I was personally hiding behind the games. So I try to be a lot more man-and-a-mic these days, with the games a lot more pared back. That’s because I MC and do telly warm-up a lot elsewhere, and it wasn’t realistic carrying a bag full of props to, say, Leeds. I do sometimes miss the ridiculous games – especially the Nerf-related games. Maybe it’s time to resurrect the Nerf. You can never have a Nerf… I am SO sorry.

KR – What can punters expect to see in 2020?

James- Lots of shows are booked already. So from late summer into autumn, we’ve got Sara Pascoe, Rachel Parris, Ivo Graham, Iain Stirling, Ellie Taylor and heaps more. And perhaps a bit more Nerf. Have I gone on a bit too long? I feel a Nerf is a Nerf… Again, so sorry. Thank you so much for the chat and hopefully we’ll see a lot more local faces at future gigs. And, again, if you know why we started the gig, be sure to come over and have a chat with me.

The Prince of Wales and Their New Menu

For the uninitiated, the Prince of Wales is our own little country pub smack dab in the middle of Kennington. Tucked away in a corner of Cleaver Square, it rather feels like you’ve been spirited 200 miles north of our knighted patch of earth.

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The Prince of Wales have been going cray cray on social media recently to promote their new menu, so on a recent balmy night we decided to succumb to the pressure and check it out. Our modus operandi was ‘well it couldn’t be any worse then their old menu, so lets give it a twirl’. When we arrived we were pleased to discover that it has not only a new menu, but new owners, having evolved from a chain pub to one that is independently owned. And how often do you see that in 2019?

The pub has a few new cask ales and wines but in true KR style we were more interested in stuffing our faces. My dining partner had the spiced buttermilk chicken burger on a glazed brioche bun. This undefined person got nice spice from the chipotle mayo and the chicken was soft and made succulent with the creamy buttermilk. The chips were big, triple cooked and definitely not out of the freezer. Our verdict; probably better in Belgium, but for SE11 it was pretty flipping good (geddit…flipping, burger?).

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Your author had the cornfed chicken and chorizo hash. Mine was a mighty chunk of chicken served with a confident splash of bourguignon sauce. The hash was really more of chunky mash potato with very spicy, paprika punched chorizo. I never got to the bottom of the hispy cabbage affair, but it bulked up the plate and acted as a crunchy counterpoint.

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In conclusion, if you crave some pub grub and want a place without music, shouting or people coming up to you every two seconds asking  ‘are are alright’, then the POW might be your thing…..And they even have candles on the table now. Fancy!

Always be Kennington

Are you aware that you have top flight, A lister comedy our doorstep?  The Tommyfield has a magnificent comedy on Thursday (and other) and it’s called Always be Comedy.  We at KR have been frequenting it since it’s inception eight years ago and have seen the likes of Russell Brand, Katherine Ryan, Jimmy Carr and others. A few weeks ago we even saw Harry Hill

The first thing you notice about the ABC crowd is that it feels like you’ve just crashed a reunion of previous  contestants from ‘The Apprentice’. That disquiet can be absolved by a few (not so cheap) bevies.  Your MC and ABC creator is one James Gill, who is on hand to deliver games, anecdotes, foibles and all around mirth. James isn’t the kind of comic who picks on people in the front row, but you might be called upon to take part in a round of golf out of the window or the ‘how posh is your name’ quiz. You might even win a Kinder egg.

The remaining Thursdays are taken up by comics doing one hour sets, consisting usually of new material. This material might then be used on TV, radio or in Edinburgh. If a joke is received by a collective cough it will be classed as ‘Kennington Exclusives’. Late August sees a resumption of usual shorter sets, with great folk like Sara Pascoe.

Always be Comedy tends to sell out, so book some dates here and put them in your little diary.  If you’re anything like us you’ll then forget about until the day before, and then it feels like a little Kinder Egg Christmas present.

The ‘mystery guests’ are usually somebody big, so if you’re short on time watch out for those.

James Gill

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The last time I tried to papp a comedian a got dragged onstage and subjected to ritual humiliation. This crap photo of Mr. Hill is therefore explained.Image-1.png

 

North Lambeth Parish Fete – It’s a Thing

The annual North Lambeth Fete is back on 22 Jun from 12:30 to 4:30pm, and its a thing.  We’ve never been as we usually opt for the Cleaver Sq. Fete, which has apparently been moved to Christmas in order to avoid clashing with this event. This is a bit of a shame, as we’ll miss the annual Cleaver summer spectacle of Kate Hoey getting heckled, a slightly drunk Vicar acting as MC, and a wholly inappropriate Punch and Judy show for the kids. But life goes on…

While we may have never before been to the Fete, we have been to the gardens of Lambeth Palace and they are stunning, extensive and almost never open to the public. The price of the ticket itself justifies a wander around.   According to our sources, the North Lambeth Fete is more kid friendly than its Cleaver counterpart and is known for its dog show and features prizes, including fastest sausage eater and least obedient (we assume these prizes are for the dogs and not humans). There is also face painting, live music, and races for the kids. And if you don’t have kids there’s a Pimms tent to keep you sane. And if you do have kids there’s a Pimms tent to keep you sane.

To whet you appetite we found this totally manic video on YouTube. Free coffee mugs!!!!

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How a Beefeater Ended Up In Kennington

Most of you are aware that the world famous Beefeater Gin is distilled right here in mighty Kennington, but have you ever wondered why? Well we’re about to tell you.

As Gin became newly acceptable and ‘on trend’ in the 1860’s (much like the 2010’s) a pharmacist named James Burrough bought an old school distillery in Chelsea and decided to add ‘London’ and ‘Beefeater’ to it’s name as a break from the past and as an homage to it’s origin. By 1908 the factory in Chelsea was proving too cramped and they packed up and moved near the Royal Douton factories in Black Prince Road. The move was strategic, as Doulton made many of the kilns in which the ‘mother’s ruin’ was brewed.

By the mid 1950’s the premesis was again proving too old and cramped and Beefeater decided to move to an old pickle factory in Montford Place, where it remains to this day (this is not how we get the phrase ‘getting pickled’, but wouldn’t that be fun). This is when Beefeater really took off and became a global brand. At the time the site was much larger as Beefeater also bottled it’s gin on site. In 1988 the Burrough family sold out to a brewing chain who quickly moved the bottling facility to Scotland. This left a lot of excess land, which was sold to Tesco (and then to Berkeley Homes but lets not open that can of worms again). The company is now owned by French giant Pernod Ricard.

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A number of years ago we visited the distillery, before the visitor centre and shop were introduced in 2016. It is a fascinating place. Apparently it employs ‘about 5 people’ which might explain the desolate atmosphere around the place. However, The £15 charge for touring the place might also explain the desolate atmosphere around the place. On the upside, the shop offers a range of unusual gins that you won’t find in places elsewhere in London. Shame more Kennington pubs don’t fly the Beefeater banner proudly!