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

Christmas time, mistletoe and..... ALE!

As a follow-up to the fantastic afternoon sampling Nicholson's ale festival specialities, I was cordially invited to sample the company's Christmas ales one evening at the De Hems Dutch Cafe Bar in Soho London.

Accompanying me on this festive delight was long-time school friend Daniel.

Nicholson’s Pubs celebrates the festive season by producing a selection of seven exclusive Christmas Ales in collaboration with some of the UK’s key top brewers.

The speakers line up to present their Christmas ales

The company’s experienced Cask Masters have specially crafted their own ales, brewed in collaboration with Moorhouse, Oxfordshire, Andwells, Broughton, Sambrooks, Vale and Brentwood breweries and available across over 80 pubs nationwide throughout December 2012. 

So our evening involved tasting the seven specialities on offer, and here they are, with a brief description, our thoughts and ratings!

Ding Dong - but did it make the bells ring?

Ding Dong

ABV: 4.5%
Taste: A warm chestnut beer with a rich marmalade aroma
Brewery: Andwell

This was our first Christmas ale of the evening, and was some start. It had a sweet, dessert flavour, and as oppose to some other ales that promises a flavour it can't really provide, the sweet aftertaste of marmelade was delightful.

Scores

Daniel - 7

John - 8

Meads Must

ABV: 4.7%
Taste: A superb dark ruby red ale with a hint of honey and quince.
Brewery: Oxfordshire

Although higher in ABV content than the first, this ale lacked any kind of bite, and had a rather weak aftertaste. We both deduced that unfortunately it's smell, which was rich and sweet, was better than its taste.

Scores

Daniel -6

John - 5

The representatives from those involved with The Only Way Is Santa  put on an enthusiastic presentation

Five Gold Rings

ABV: 4.8%
Taste: A dark mahogany coloured brew with an aroma of roasted malt, the taste of fruit and subtle spice flavours are followed by a long , warm and slightly bitter finish.
Brewery: Vale

A lovely, warm and spicy ale, a real winter special. This had a good, all-round solid taste which could be felt in between drinks. Although early in the evening, we knew this was going to be up there with the best.

Scores

Daniel -7

John -8

 
London Winter Ale

ABV: 4.6%
Taste: A deep red ale which takes its spicy aroma from a blend of English hops.  With a rich sweet and tangy taste this beer is an ideal accompaniment to steak, venison, game and Christmas Pudding.
Brewery: Sambrookes

Both of us had heard of the Sambrookes brewery, so were pleasantly surprised to hear that it had only been brewing from Battersea since 2008. And with this concoction, they are on to a winner. It had a real chocolatey taste, and we felt was one of the more powerful on the palate of the evening.

Scores

Daniel -8

John -7

Elves Bells

ABV: 4%
Taste: A deep chestnut brown coloured ale, brewed with Maris Otter malted barley and crystal malt to give hints of sweet malt, biscuit and caramel tones.  Balanced by the use of cascade hops to give floral and spice notes on the nose, there is a pleasant full bitterness in the aftertaste.
Brewery: Moorhouse

This was the 'most drinkable' ale of the evening - that is to say it was the one most suited to staying on all night. This may be to do with the alcohol content, but it was also to do with its succinct, dessert taaste, where each of the ingredients were discernable. Also, the fact that is was devoid of sugar added to its popularity!

Scores

Daniel -8

John -8

The Only Way Is Santa

ABV: 5.2%
Taste: A rich ruby beer with a smooth malt character, Willamette hops give this beer spicy, blackcurrant aromas and flavours. Plums and cinnamon have been added to compliment the beers character with a delectably rich flavour and a gentle spice. 
Brewery: Brentwood

The highest ABV of the evening, and also, the joint-highest overall score from our ratings! While Joey Essex and Chloe Simms from TOWIE may not choose this tipple on their night out in the Sugar Hut, Essex should be very proud of this particular concoction (could these characters also be labelled 'concoctions' though??). We were told this ale gives you 'one of your five-a-day' and if five glasses of this sorted that out, then we'll raise our glass to that!

Scores

Daniel -9

John -8

Santa's Oatmeal Stout SOS

ABV: 4.8%
Taste: Bursting with oatmeal and chocolate aromas, this dark brown ale uses a blend of five malts and oats, delivering a mouthful of smooth roasted flavours and a lingering rich taste.
Brewery: Broughton

Certainly one of the liveliest ales on the palate of the evening, and with a lingering taste in the mouth and throat, this finished joint-top in the ratings with The Only Way Is Santa. Again, the flavours mingled exceptionally well, and the aftertaste left us wanting more. It felt as strong as the previous ale, and felt, as we did here, it would be the perfect pint to round off an evening with (and probably start off with too!).

Scores

Daniel -9

John -8

The presentations all came across as genuine and knowledgable

After the presentations from representatives from the various breweries were finished, expertly hosted by British Craft Guild of Beer Writers member and author Melissa Cole, those present were invited to help themselves to the casks of Christmas ales. There was no desire to take advantage of the volume of alcohol on offer - it was the kind of night to enjoy the varied tastes of all the respective ales, chat to others present, and then be on our sober way home.

Well, most of that is true!

For more information on Nicholson's Christmas Ales, visit the website at www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk

Nicholson’s offers an historic and distinctive collection of pubs across the UK, with warm and inviting hospitality through its authentic British pub atmosphere.  Delivering quality hearty British classics served with a modern twist, take a break from Christmas shopping and enjoy lunch or dinner at many of the hidden upstairs dining rooms.  Alternatively the festive menus provide a great solution for office get-togethers or groups of friends and family.

Guest ales are expertly matched with dishes from the food menu, or alternatively, experience Nicholson’s equalled passion for fine wine with its impressive cellars containing classics and vintages from the old and new world.