55-57 East Hill,
Wandsworth,
London,
SW18 2QE
(020) 8704 4680
The ViewLondon Review
One of the last in the long stretch of bars and restaurants on the road between Clapham Junction and Wandsworth, Steam is a friendly, modern bar serving a wide array of wines and superlative gourmet food.
The Venue
With tables outside and large, open windows, Steam seems approachable from the outside, with more than a whiff of café culture about it. Once inside you find yourself in the bar area, furnished with simple, unpretentious furniture arranged around the wooden bar. Diners, meanwhile, head to the separate dining room at the rear, with its cushioned seating and experimental photographic prints on the wall, lending it the feel of an upmarket restaurant rather than a food area within a bar.
The Atmosphere
The feel in the bar area is informal and the sound of conversation fills the air as many stand around the bar or wander between tables chatting to friends and locals, of which there are clearly many. The atmosphere in the dining room is a little more sober if still relaxed, giving you the opportunity for a more low key, intimate chat.
The Food
It’s not a huge menu, with a choice of seven starters and eight main courses, but it doesn’t matter when what is on offer is so individual and of such exceptional quality. Start with the tender pan fried scallops with romano pepper, pak choi and fennel salad (£8.75), or the beetroot, apple, walnut and goat’s cheese salad (£8.75), both tasty without being overwhelmingly rich. Other options include chicken liver pate (£6), roast beef salad (£7), and platters to share between two, with vegetarian dips (£9.50), or cooked and cured meats (£12.50) both served with flatbreads and pickles. Main courses range from haddock and salmon fishcake with white wine sauce (£10), a half-pound burger with cheese, bacon and chips (£10) and sumptuous spinach and ricotta ravioli (£11) to fried sea bass (£15), char-grilled rib steak (£18.50) and 6oz fillet steak (£21). There’s also a set menu at £15 for two courses and £18.50 for three, which gives you the chance to enjoy their sticky toffee pudding or baked cheesecake (£5.50 each).
The Drink
The wine list is impressive and eclectic, with many choices from all over the world. French wines are particularly well represented, from Cuvee le Bosq Blanc 2009 (£15.50 per bottle) and Macon Village Burgundy (£21) to Montagny 1st Cru 2008 (£36) among the whites alone. Highly recommended is the Italian white Amanti Pinot Grigio (£17.50) which is light but lively. There’s also a selection of beers from Beck’s to Guinness on tap, a full range of spirits and a serious cocktail list including mojitos, amaretto sours, cosmopolitans and black Russians among others, all at £6.50.
The Last Word
Pulling off a friendly, energetic atmosphere in your bar while maintaining a civilized, quieter tone for diners is a difficult job, but Steam does it well. Truly exceptional cooking and attentive but not overbearing service only add to the pleasure.
Steam has been reviewed by 2 users