Now I’ll be the first to admit that people in East London can be a bit insular. North London? Too expensive. Central London? Too many tourists. South London? There are literally no trains. And West London might as well be on the other side of the planet as far as I'm concerned. But having been told off by one of my colleagues about being an east coast drinker, I set my eyes on The Pig’s Ear Chelsea, a gastropub in the heart of West London, to see if life really is more peaceful when you go west.
Venue and Atmosphere
The Pig’s Ear is a proper British pub. Not in the dingy city kind of way where this is used purely to trap tourists with cramped interiors and overpriced beers, but in both its décor and atmosphere, it has that traditional pub feel. From the oak bar, wooden bar stools and furnishings, to the huge mirrors hanging on the walls and pillars, this retro London aesthetic makes it cosy and comforting while giving it an eccentric flair. There’s also a posher dining room upstairs as well, for more fancy affairs.
But when I say traditional, it’s not sleepy. The pub is buzzing with a wide range of people, from your locals hovering by the bar having a chat with people they know across the bar, to after-work drinkers sitting in the booths that line the walls. The main age group seemed to be around early thirties, with a few older people scattered amongst them.
Grab a pint and settle in, this is an actual authentic pub in London.
Food and Drink
My friend and I found a corner filled with interesting framed pictures and decided to tuck ourselves away there. The menu is very much a gastropub affair – British ingredients, mostly British dishes, that kind of thing.
My friend is fully invested in the trend of gourmet scotch eggs, so opted for the chorizo scotch egg (£8.50) with grain mustard for his starter. The egg itself is large, and I’ve been told it was great, though when I asked to try some he’d already stuffed it in his mouth like a hamster. Meanwhile I opted for the London salmon cured tartare (£8) with croutons and salad. You could tell the salmon was very fresh, with the strong flavours of the fish carrying the dish as it should. Overall, the starters were a success.
Our appetites sufficiently whet, it was time for the mains. I ordered the casserole neck of lamb (£18) with wild garlic new potatoes, peas and broad beans. While that sounds like the definition of a winter dish, it was hearty and tasty without being suffocating in the summer heat, with the lamb being the particular highlight. My friend, on the other hand, chose the corn fed chicken breast (£13), with tender steam broccoli, peas, broad beans and cream potato. Now, definitely order this dish if you are hungry because the portions are big, making it the perfect option for two lads who have worked up an appetite doing the arduous business of typing all day for a living. The cream potatoes work well together with the chicken and veg, creating a good overall roast dinner.
To wash all the food down we had a lovely bottle of Sauvignon Blanc Tierra Alta (£21), which was the perfect refreshing accompaniment to an overall delightful meal.
Hearty gastropub food is the name of the game at The Pig's Ear.
Summary
The Pig’s Ear is one of those venues that you’ll only find in a corner of London. With charming interiors splattered with quirky touches, an ‘everyone’s welcome here’ mentality and some hearty gastropub food, sometimes you need to leave your little East London hidey-hole to find some wholesome London comforts.
