Review: Joe Allen
Joe Allen has been a stalwart of the London dining scene for more than 30 years. Tucked behind a discreet door in the heart of theatreland, diners descend the wooden staircase to reach the expansive basement dining area below. There are lots of tables, dim-ish lighting and a wealth of film and theatre paraphernalia adorning the walls. The overall effect makes you feel that you have discovered some sort of secret club. One with very nice food smells wafting from the kitchen.
The menu, which is presented on a diner-like single A3 sheet, is modern brasserie with a bit of American flair. There are baby back ribs, burgers and mac and cheese…but there is also line caught seabass, Kentish Lamb rump and other polished dishes.
My friend and I visited fairly early on a Thursday night, and were surprised to see a fair few white-linen-topped tables free. Within half an hour, however, the place had filled entirely, with waiters rushing around to a backdrop of the jovial murmur of customers. One thing is certain: this place has atmosphere in spades.
We both opted for salads to start, which came swiftly. My friend’s beet (that’s beetroot, for staunchly English folk) and goat’s cheese salad was colourful and comprised generous hunks of both components, but my mixture of avocado, bacon and blue cheese dressing felt more decadently American. Both were sprinkled with candied nuts which – as a pure combination of fat and sugar – cannot fail to delight the tastebuds, if not the waistline.
The aforementioned busy waiters did not keep us waiting long for our main courses, either (one suspects that they are rather used to customers keen to get off to the theatre). My rib-eye steak was generous in size, and although the crucial threading of fat was more stringy than unctuous, it was still flavoursome. The line caught sea bass was a revelation, however – meaty flesh, crisp skin, and all served on a bed of hearty aubergine. The citrusy yoghurt added a zing and highlighted the delicate saltiness of the fish.
We thought we’d err on the lighter side for dessert – choosing fresh mint tea with a token truffle – but in the spirit of American portion sizes, we each received a full bowl of the round chocolates. Needless to say, they slipped down nicely. A couple of cocktails on top – a sweet Cosmopolitan, and a nicely sour Margarita – and we were replete.
All dishes were served courteously if not ceremoniously, which is a good thing. Although this is an establishment where may you may well catch sight of the rich and famous (especially the type who tread the boards), the ambience is refreshingly unpretentious. Here, good food is an accompaniment to good company. Conversation flows just as much as the wine. There is no need for gastronomic fanfare, because here the social element of food reigns supreme. It’s worth mentioning that the prices (roughly £15 for a main course) are pretty reasonable too.
We mused on these facts as we troughed through the truffle bowls. Americans, we deduced, really do do dinners well.
www.joeallen.co.uk
The menu, which is presented on a diner-like single A3 sheet, is modern brasserie with a bit of American flair. There are baby back ribs, burgers and mac and cheese…but there is also line caught seabass, Kentish Lamb rump and other polished dishes.
My friend and I visited fairly early on a Thursday night, and were surprised to see a fair few white-linen-topped tables free. Within half an hour, however, the place had filled entirely, with waiters rushing around to a backdrop of the jovial murmur of customers. One thing is certain: this place has atmosphere in spades.
We both opted for salads to start, which came swiftly. My friend’s beet (that’s beetroot, for staunchly English folk) and goat’s cheese salad was colourful and comprised generous hunks of both components, but my mixture of avocado, bacon and blue cheese dressing felt more decadently American. Both were sprinkled with candied nuts which – as a pure combination of fat and sugar – cannot fail to delight the tastebuds, if not the waistline.
The aforementioned busy waiters did not keep us waiting long for our main courses, either (one suspects that they are rather used to customers keen to get off to the theatre). My rib-eye steak was generous in size, and although the crucial threading of fat was more stringy than unctuous, it was still flavoursome. The line caught sea bass was a revelation, however – meaty flesh, crisp skin, and all served on a bed of hearty aubergine. The citrusy yoghurt added a zing and highlighted the delicate saltiness of the fish.
We thought we’d err on the lighter side for dessert – choosing fresh mint tea with a token truffle – but in the spirit of American portion sizes, we each received a full bowl of the round chocolates. Needless to say, they slipped down nicely. A couple of cocktails on top – a sweet Cosmopolitan, and a nicely sour Margarita – and we were replete.
All dishes were served courteously if not ceremoniously, which is a good thing. Although this is an establishment where may you may well catch sight of the rich and famous (especially the type who tread the boards), the ambience is refreshingly unpretentious. Here, good food is an accompaniment to good company. Conversation flows just as much as the wine. There is no need for gastronomic fanfare, because here the social element of food reigns supreme. It’s worth mentioning that the prices (roughly £15 for a main course) are pretty reasonable too.
We mused on these facts as we troughed through the truffle bowls. Americans, we deduced, really do do dinners well.
www.joeallen.co.uk