Feel grand on The Strand

It's not easy to escape the hustle and bustle of The Strand in London, but when you manage to find a nice little gem to relax in, it should be treasured.

And that's exactly what The Coal Hole public house is.

Right on the main through-fare, The Coal Hole is inconspicuous from the outside, but majestic and traditional on the inside. While there is no promise of speedy service at the bar on entering due to its location and popularity with workers as well as tourists, the waiting time lends a chance to admire the surroundings.

The peri peri chicken wings were certainly a sizzling treat

We were met by the welcoming Vitas, who advised us that our table downstairs was ready when we were. I decided to sample a pint of Nutty Black, from the Thwaites Brewery. I was met by a smooth, chocolatey delight, with a slight hint of toffee apple!

Upon finishing my pint, we were showed downstairs to our corner booth table by Vitas, and told that waitress Egle would be looking after us. As she handed our menus over with a cheery smile, I was looking forward to some good old British fare!

The salmon starter was sufficient and fresh-tasting

I decided on the peri peri chicken wings for starter, while my partner went for the smoked salmon with dill. The chicken was suitably seasoned which is often taken for granted, and the meat was tender and juicy. I was left wishing I had gone for the larger portion (£7.95) as for £4.95, could have been more.

My partner commented that the salmon had a lovely flavour, and unlike in some restaurants, it was more melt-in-your mouth than chewy, and the portion of fish was suitable for a starter.

The rich and 'special treat' of venison sausages and mash

After consuming my spicy selection, for main course I plumped, by popular opinion, for the premium line cod fillet. I say popular opinion as the research I carried out prior to this review saw me stumble upon endless recommendations to try this house favourite.

I also decided on a pint of Jaipur ale, from the Thornbridge Brewery, apparently a house special, on the recommendation of Egle. The ale was crisp and refreshing, and seemed like a perfect accompaniment to my fish dish.

Sourced using sustainable fishing methods, the fillet is hand- battered in the company's own Nicholson’s Pale Ale and served with skin on chips, mushy peas and tartare sauce. As a northerner, I like to think I know a thing or two about decent fish and chips (The Wetherby Whaler being a local favourite)

And I had the only complaint I had here was that there wasn't enough chips on my plate! The fish was juicy and the batter cooked to a perfect crisp with no doughy bits in sight. The chips were hot, and the side of mushy peas was must for such a delightful dish.

My partner selected the venison sausages and mash. Three venison and red wine sausages served on
creamy mashed potato, topped off with homemade onion rings and redcurrant jelly. Again, there were no complaints on this one either. The gravy was flavoursome, which added to the rich texture of the fine sausages.

The fish and chips is now recommended by me as well as many other previous diners!

Unfortunately we were too full for dessert, which may have come as a pleasant surprise to Egle as the restaurant was certainly filling up and she appeared to be very busy.

All in all we had no complaints about the food, service or venue, and thoroughly enjoyed our visit to The Coal Hole. However we would like to make some observations.

While not being unique to The Coal Hole, there is a lack of lighter options on the main menu. While this rarely, if ever, affects me, it could be an issue to some. Eating at The Coal Hole, we found, was a bit of a treat. It was a time to ignore 'calorie-content', to kick back with a nice pint of house ale, and rest our weary feet. I would advise when making a booking or eating at this venue to take a similar stance, so as to fully appreciate the fine British food on offer.

Saturday night diners tuck in to some good quality British food

Also, prospective diners/drinkers should be aware that the venue is likely to be busy at most times during the week and at weekends, due to its central location, close to Charing Cross, Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden. So no clicking your fingers here please!

Scores on the doors (out of 10)

Setting -8
Service -9
Quality of food -9
Cleanliness and decor -8

Total score  - 34/40

To make a booking for The Coal Hole, click here