An inventive British menu, vast drinks list and the friendliest staff you could wish for make The Establishment well worth the trip to Parsons Green.

The Venue
Located squarely opposite the exit to Parsons Green underground station on Parsons Green Lane, The Establishment is certainly easy to find, and within staggering distance of the tube if you imbibe too much or the weather outside is looking a bit unfriendly. Once inside, you’ll certainly warm up fast with the chocolate brown patterned wallpaper and comfortable Ford Cortina inspired leather banquette seating creating a cosy feel, with the venue divided into three main areas - a bar, and two separate dining areas. Dominating the area are vast twinkling Foscarini glass chandeliers, which add a touch of glamour to proceedings. Additionally, there’s a central outdoor terrace for the warmer months.

The Atmosphere
The Establishment attracts a mixed crowd of mostly local foodies and those wanting to enjoy a decent cocktail somewhere close to home. Attracting an age range from late twenties to mid fifties, it’s a mature crowd with the common pursuit of decent food seemingly the only unifying factor. What sets this place apart though is the exceptionally friendly staff. Every table is asked “What did you get up to today?” and given plenty of time to peruse the menu, with staff stopping by to check if you need anything explaining and, most importantly, they’re keen to recommend what they consider to be their best dishes. By the end of the meal, the waitresses feel like old friends, which is unusual in a venue serving top notch food – but the casual approach is working, because this placed is packed by 8pm on weeknights.

The Food
Head Chef Karl MacEwan, previously of Michelin-starred The Glasshouse in Kew, has come up with the best of British for his food menu, all served in bang up to date style on oversized white plates.

Kicking off with the starters, there are great options such as roasted fennel and cream soup, foie gras and sherry parfait and a pickled beetroot and hard goats cheese salad. One option that arrives at the table looking so perfect you’re scared to dig in is the scallops with pea and artichoke puree, priced at £8.50. Three sizeable scallops, flash cooked until browned on either side, with perfect white flesh falling apart at the touch of your fork. Just as tasty is the £7.50 braised rabbit with baby carrots, with the rich and moist flavours perfectly complemented by the sweet vegetable.

Moving onto the main event, it’s a good thing the staff are happy to let you take your time choosing. With choices such as sea bass, cod and mussel hot pot, guinea fowl and 28 day fillet Aberdeen Angus, the options are pretty varied, and reasonably priced from £12.50 to £19.50. A filling choice is the belly pork with shallots and mashed potatoes, which at £14.50 is something of a bargain – the meal is piled deceptively high in the centre of the plate, and it’s not until you tuck into the juicy, sweet pork that you realise just how generous the portions are. For hardcore carnivores, the Royal Windsor venison with red cabbage and celeriac gratin is not to be missed – cooked to dark perfection on the outside and pink juiciness in the middle, it’s another considerable portion of rich meat complemented perfectly by the red cabbage, which is sweet and spicy. It costs £16.50.

After two filling courses, you might be tempted to skip dessert, but there are light options well worth a try, priced at £5 each. The poached pears with milk chocolate ice cream is outstanding – the pears are just the right side of spicy, and the creamy ice cream make the perfect accompaniment. For those with a bigger appetite, go for the ginger cake, which comes with a caramel mousse and coconut sorbet – it’s moist and almost gooey in its consistency, and the caramel mousse is whipped to a light perfection with delicate and subtle flavours.

On top of all this, there is a bar menu for those wanting something lighter – choose from sausage and mash, fish and chips or an Aberdeen Angus burger, plus more exotic choices such as trout pate and foie gras on walnut toast. Prices range from £5 to £11.50 for these options.

The Drink
The Establishment serves a huge choice of drinks, with a choice of forty cocktails and sixty wines, plus ten champagnes and the option of wine flights, with three 125ml tasters for around £15.

If you’re up for a cocktail before dinner, go for The F Word – a complex blend of figs, blackberries, red wine syrup, cognac and lemon juice, it’s a heady and intoxicating mix, priced at just £7. All the standard options are on the cocktail list too, as well as some more unusual choices, with prices from £6.50 to £9.50. Many of the cocktails are gin-based, as there are 16 different gins behind the bar to sample.

If you’re a serious wine buff, there’s something here to peak your interest. With prices as high as £295 for a 2003 Burgundy, or £110 for the Chablis Grand Cru, there are certainly some top notch options, but there is also plenty of standard choices. Offering a pleasant surprise is the Laroche unoaked Chardonnay at £19 – unlike most chardonnays, there’s none of the usual smokiness, instead the flavours are creamy and pure and the perfect accompaniment to anything on the menu.

The Last Word
Parsons Green residents should think themselves lucky – with The Establishment they have a real top class food destination, so many drinks you can try a different cocktail every week of the year, and the most welcoming staff. Worth the trip!

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