Although its original culinary lustre may be fading to match its fashionably nondescript decor, The Eagle continues to do its trail-blazing reputation justice with dependably imaginative dishes and savvy bar staff who know their way around a cocktail menu.

The Venue
The Eagle is often credited with being the first to show that pubs could serve up more than bangers and mash or a Sunday Roast without alienating its loyal beer-swilling clientele, and it continues to do so with considerable aplomb.

The bar’s corner entrance leads on to one large dining and drinking area comprised of mismatched wooden tables, chairs, stools and even a couch. Jumble sale style paintings adorn the walls whilst a selection of the day’s newspapers, dog-eared from prior perusals, lay casually on a shelf lining a far wall. The bar and kitchen blend into one beneath a changing, chalked-up daily menu, dominating the length of the main wall where whole plaice and haddock fry on an open grill.

Its style is earnest and unpretentious and could frankly do with the subtlest of facelifts, but it’s clear that The Eagle is not interested in seducing you with any other style than that which graces your glass or plate.

The Atmosphere
Unsurprisingly, the bar’s understated theme carries over to its ambiance. There are few neighbouring establishments that The Eagle has to compete with, which lends it the flavour of a true local - and a busy one at that. On most nights a half hour wait is commonplace, and because the food is so good, turnover isn’t as swift as at your average pub. You order your food and drink at the bar, so table service is consequently impersonal, but the bar staff are usually welcoming and knowledgeable.

The Food
A pub whose reputation harks back to a minor dining revolution probably has some pressure to strut its stuff, but you wouldn’t know it. The rotating menu takes the Mediterranean as its primary influence - the gutsy, no-fuss flavours of spicy Italian sausages on a bed of tomato, red cabbage and creamy borlotti beans mingle seamlessly with pumpkin risotto and whole mackerel with lemon and pepper.

The ‘Bife Ana’, the bar’s take on the classic steak sandwich, is a cherished menu regular but its quality is inconsistent. For meat lovers, the far better option is the superb onglet, a cut of beef long heralded in France and Spain as one of the most tender but only recently returned to fashion in the UK. The meat is delicately flayed across a bed of rocket, thyme butter and new potatoes boiled to perfection. For those with a sweet tooth, the Portuguese custard tarts are a fine way to finish your meal.

The Drink
Several beers on draught jut up from the bar like meerkats, eagerly announcing a selection that includes the excellent Red Stripe from Jamaica, as well as one of Japan’s finest, Kirin. The chalked up menu advertises a few standard cocktails, among them an outstanding Bloody Mary priced at £4.50, but the well trained staff will deliver you virtually any cocktail of your choosing, between £4 and £7.

The wine list is not particularly diverse, concentrating mostly on Spain to complement the food. There are a dozen or so choices by the glass, including a surprisingly robust house Garnacha at £3.50 for 175ml.

The Last Word
This well-known and thriving pub has had little reason to change its winning formula. One could easily argue that it’s overdue a makeover and that its shabby-chic styling could be mistaken for laziness, but it seems unfair to criticise The Eagle for the very effortlessness that has made it a success.

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