The Black Dog, Vauxhall… more restaurant than pub
The Black Dog in Vauxhall is more restaurant than pub but it’s very nice all the same.
Yes, there’s a bar but no one stands at it. I’m unsure whether it’s even allowed any more.
My, how pubs have changed.
Thankfully, my reason for visiting was to enjoy lunch, which the convivial environment lends itself to, effortlessly.
Sunday’s menu was full of tapas dishes as usual, which made for great sharing starters for two.
Spinach and goat’s cheese croquettes were served on quince sauce.
The sweetness cut through the cheese’s sharpness. Padron peppers and flame grilled chorizo completed the trio.
I realised that by 4pm on Sunday, most of the roasts would have sold out.
There was one roast beef left but sharing with my lunch date wasn’t a problem. This was also the reason for ordering a few sharing starters.
The Black Dog comes into its own in the cooler months.
It makes the perfect pit-stop for a walk – a stroll across one of many of the capital’s bridges nearby is thoroughly recommended.
The Christmas menu will be available within the next few weeks and there are some treats in store.
It cost £39 per person but not on Christmas Day, when the pub is closed.
How does red partridge parfait, served with fig jam, grab you?
For traditionalists, there’s smoked salmon, dill cream cheese bellinis, which always goes down well with a glass of sparkling wine.
Wisely, there is no turkey in the menu, instead opting for rib of beef, turbot or cauliflower for the main.
Dessert is a two-horse race – warm almond cake, bourbon butterscotch, vanilla ice cream, my recommendation, or churros, cinnamon, hot chocolate sauce.
THE BLACK DOG, 112 Vauxhall Walk, SE11 5ER
www.theblackdogvauxhall.co.uk
Picture: The Black Dog: Picture: The Black Dog