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“Tis an ill cook that cannot lick his own fingers” - William Shakespeare - Romeo and Juliet - act 4, scene 2 Wise words from The Bard, which should be a warning to all cooks to taste, taste, taste as they prepare their worldly delights. A tip which I would commend to the chef at The Swan at The Globe.
The Globe Theatre is the defacto home of Shakespeare, a reconstruction of his original London theatre, located on the Southbank. The Swan is fully integrated into the theatre building but does have a separate entrance. The décor was very well put together, dark woods and intricate patterns were combined with plain tables and painted wooden chairs in the bar area. Upstairs, the Brasserie, where we were eating, was a simple design of creams and dark browns, with some interesting flower arrangements scattered about. A large dining table at one end provided the possibility of private dining once the heavy curtains were drawn. The layout was comfortable, and we certainly weren’t falling across other diners – not least because there weren’t many others; rather surprising for such a prime location. The Swan, as our hostess explained, has a busy sitting before the evening performance at the theatre after which the Brasserie closes in order to re-lay tables. J and myself were invited to take a drink at the bar. The menu is small, providing about 7 dishes per course, and all seem reasonably priced. Large menu selections fill me with dread and suspicion: large menus seldom provide fresh, quality produce. So to the food: J opened with potted shrimp, served in an old fashioned clasp fasten jam jar delicately placed on a folded white napkin. Unsure what to do with the napkin, it was swiftly removed. Slight hints of chilli – but ever so slight. My Scallops, with braised lentils and gremolata (the waitress was unsure how to explain what this was – so we only got as far as “it’s the sauce that comes with the lentils” – it was clear she didn’t know!), were well cooked: tender, juicy and sweet. The lentils were still very much al dente, bit too much for my liking. The common thread for both dishes however was blandness. And here I refer to my opening quotation. Dishes were well constructed and presented and arrived full of promise. But the lack of basic seasoning deflated two otherwise good plates of food. Taste, taste, taste. J’s main course was Elwy Lamb with spring beans and thyme sauce and a side of classic cauliflower cheese. The cauliflower cheese tantalised with a crunchy cheesy top and cauliflower with a bit of a bite. The faintest bit of nutmeg provided a fleeting aftertaste; the sauce a bit thin. The lamb was nicely pink, just as promised. I had a beautifully baked salmon, still moist, with a topping of crisp skin. The accompanying crushed new potatoes and tomato sauce didn’t thrill and let down the fish, but I did eat the lot. Once again the basics of seasoning was missing, the importance of which I can not understate. And if you’re going to use tantalizing seasoning like nutmeg, then let’s make sure it really incorporates into the dish, rather than being an afterthought. Pudding however was another matter and here the chef really excelled. J had a rhubarb pavlova – poached in a ginger syrup and laid on a chewy meringue filled with vanilla infused cream. I had one of the best sticky toffee puddings I’ve tasted for a long time – moist, sweet, not drowned in sauce. My only criticism is that it wasn’t a big enough portion! Food 3/5 – Season and taste! Service 3/5 – Attentive, but staff lacking in menu knowledge Environment 4/5 – Comfortable, “décor Elle Decoration would be proud of” says J. The Swan at the Globe 21 New Globe Walk Bankside London SE1 9DT Tel: 020 7928 9444 Web: www.swanattheglobe.co.uk Restaurant reviewed on Saturday 7th June 2008.  |
