Pushy pubs may often seem to make up the bones of the London hospitality industry, but there's sweet digs in King's Cross that have no time for that tanked up temper. Humble, heaving with charming hosts and great for a date, The Fellow gets snaps for prompt plates and some seriously sweet palmed wallpaper in the loos. Credit, due.
The Venue
The Pandora's Box of pubs, The Fellow doesn't seem to close once opened. While we spent our time dining by the main bar with its leather balconette seating, botanical flecks and rustic tables, there's a roaring selection of spaces that slowly eek out over a boozed and, 'were the toilets down here, or there?' evening. While those with hungry hankerings can choose to dine in the restaurant, there's a second bar upstairs graced by geometrical lighting and navy nooks, a private dining room laced in emerald green and a rooftop garden with a brick wall breeze. Echoing its gastro pub status, The Fellow remains modish with peering dark tones and fixtures that wouldn't look out of place in an Anthropologie mag. I dig.
Nooks that will have you flicking through Pinterest pages for the perfect match.
The Food and Drink
Sure, you've got pubs the likes of Wetherspoons racking themselves with a 'gastro' status since a burger on their menu came with pulled pork and rosemary laced chips, but here's a pub where the statement rings true. Starting with beer battered calamari and grilled baby aubergine with a herb dressing (who knew aubergines had babies?), our starters were promisingly prepping us for a main course, and reasonable at only £7.50. Tidying up with a confit duck leg and roast fennel (£14.50), alongside a sunblushed tomato risotto (£13), it's clear that The Fellow pack a flavourful punch. While the duck was rich and the potatoes fluffed, it came slightly over fennel-ed for my palate. Fan-nel? They've got you. Also a fan of piled high plates? You've get plenty of bang for your risotto buck, as the impressive amount of rich and warming chow of this plate should come marked up as a food challenge. Unless you're super hungry that is.
Wine? Made it mine. Ranging from £17 to £55, we clocked up units somewhere in the 'middle' with a £23.50 bottle of La Playa Chardonnay. While I should have picked red with my main (as your palate dictates), this sweet bottle was swiftly finished, and reasonably priced for a meal out.
Busted. This is not in fact the food we scoffed on, but it still showcases their plates rather nicely, eh?
The Atmosphere
Seeing that The Fellow's location doesn't stray too far from King's Cross station in the slightest (these North London plots are practically hugging), the crowd remains inherently mixed. While the foothold of mid 20 somethings was strong, and date nights bring their bones for a meal, families and friends were still found foraging over gastro plates and a quick after work pint. A mixed crowd is the plight of a British pub as we know it, and a premise that The Fellow has grabbed with just.
Comfortable and contemporary; the dining room at The Fellow.
Summary
London's try-hard pubs aren't hard to come by, and they've become something of a tradition, but The Fellow with all its interior glory and gassed up menu doesn't add to this pushy plight. A first-rate find that gives those in the hubbub of North London somewhere to drink both responsibly, or irresponsibly, i'd definitely reel my neck back into The Fellow for a brilliant bottle and plucky plate of calamari. They beer batter that business, and life should be beer battered.
