Designed like a curious hybrid of an Irish pub and a Belgian bar, with its sights set mainly on consumers of upmarket seafood, the Cow turns out a little less friendly than it looks.

The Venue
The residential sprawl of Westbourne, west of Paddington and north of Notting Hill, still has islands of gloomy housing estates but these days is mainly well-heeled and trendy, boasting a collection of specialist shops and restaurants to suit. The Conran family owns several outlets in the area, including the Cow, opened in the 1990s by Tom Conran as a gastropub with a twist. It’s now one of the oldest established London venues to make a point of offering decent beer as an accompaniment to upmarket food.

Signs for both Guinness and Antwerp ale De Koninck are on display outside, above a small terrace with a handful of tables and chairs. The long, narrow interior looks cosy enough, all aged wood panelling and mirrors with beer lists written over them, a trick borrowed from famous traditional Belgian cafés like the Mort Subite in Brussels. There’s a raised area at the back for diners, and a separate modestly furnished dining room upstairs.

The Atmosphere
The authentically cosy decor should contribute to creating a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere, but on a recent visit the unsmiling, disengaged staff didn’t extend a particularly warm welcome, and although in theory it’s fine just to drink here, there’s a definite feeling diners are more appreciated. Nevertheless the place gets busy, with a local slightly louche and bohemian crowd. Note: no bookings are taken so diners might have a long wait for a table at busy times. Children aren’t permitted except outside.

The Food
Seafood leads the offer downstairs, with oysters on display in ice at the bar, sold at £12 for a dozen Irish Rocks or £21 for a dozen Scottish natives if you’re splashing out – the classic food and beer pairing of oysters and Guinness is at the heart of the concept. Dressed crab (£16), prawns, whelks and winkles are also on offer. Other options include fish stew (£14), coq au vin (£13.50) or a set menu (£22) that includes vegetarian options (something like sweet potato gnocchi), or roast cod or partridge. The dining room has starters at around £8, main course pastas at £14-£16, and main courses like smoked eel (£17) or Welsh leg of lamb with artichokes (£18).

The Drink
Guinness is stocked of course, but there are a number of other beer options, including three real ales – Fuller’s London Pride and changing guests from the likes of Harvey’s, St Austell and Uley – and keg imported beers including well kept De Koninck plus Hoegaarden and Pilsner Urquell. The Belgian note continues through the dozen plus bottles which stretch to Chimay, Orval and Westmalle Trappist beers. There are 28 wines, a mix of old and new worlds but with a notable French/Italian bias by today’s standards, with 17 by the glass (from £4.35).

The Last Word
It’s still a good looking place serving quality stuff and the concept of informal dining with good beer is still very much valid. But it’s difficult to recommend heartily given that you can get food at least as good and a wider beer range elsewhere – at better value prices, and, as importantly, with a welcoming word and a smile.

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