Do you like the charm of a traditional pub but the service and quality of a hotel bar? The George – part of the 5 star Andaz Hotel - merges the two seamlessly as the warming decor encapsulates restaurant-quality pub grub and efficient, friendly service.

The Venue
Located just off busy Liverpool Street, it’s a surprise to discover this pub is actually part of the extremely beautiful 5 star Andaz Hotel. Although it can be accessed through the hotel itself, you needn’t worry if you feel underdressed for such a high end establishment as the George itself is a laid back, chilled out affair and does have a separate entrance.

With just its logo to belie its location, it’s easy to stroll right past this pub. However, keep an eye out by Liverpool Street station for the shield with a St George’s flag and ‘George’ emblazoned across it. It’s hard to know what to expect – it’s a hotel pub after all, and an upmarket one at that. However, once inside you’ll feel a million miles away from the high end design and dramatic flourishes of most hotel bars. This is as traditional as it gets. The main bar area is spacious and airy with high ceilings. Wooden floors, heavy wooden stools and large wooden tables and chairs furnish the area, many of which are pointed towards the central large screen TV. However, where many pubs suffer sticky floors and surfaces, this place is clean and comfortable. The stunning hotel that homes the George makes its presence known in little touches such as the dramatically, beautifully emblazoned ceiling, the stunning heavy glass windows embellished with criss-crossing diamond shapes and the large bar that practically glimmers with perfectly polished glasses lined up beside shining bottles of spirits. That said, rather than feeling cold it actually is more warming than many pubs and has a real presence that is hard not to like. This is hotel styling with down to earth charm.

Through a door to the right is a second area, more conducive to dining, which can be hired out. In here the decor is a little more considered with small tables surrounded by comfortable green leather armchairs. The floor is tiled in black and white and the walls are panelled in white with cream paint above. It’s a lot sleeker but still a million miles away from the cold gastropub decor of many pub dining rooms. This is helped along by a second large screen TV.

What really makes this pub, however, are the clever touches that you’ll barely notice but really adds depth and interest. The paper place mats you’ll get when you eat depict black and white imagery of people drinking in the pub. Interestingly, they’re photos of actual regular customers, all of whom have the name George, Georgie, Georgina or similar, with amusing captions such as ‘beer for thought’. Also, the dining area has been called Mildred (which is proudly stated on a large blackboard), and it’s left up to you to piece together that this is an homage to the old show George and Mildred. The football theme of the pub is carried through with the staff wearing St George flag shirts (white with red stripes) and there’s a large picture in the dining room of footballers at a match. Only on closer inspection will you notice that it’s actually Robbie Williams (who was at the launch of the hotel) playing everyone in the photo with images of him swearing at the referee (who is also Robbie), grinning, and running around in the backround. These touches are thoughtful and amusing and show the pub doesn’t take itself too seriously.

The Atmosphere
The George is very much a football pub, with all the big games on Sky and Setanta screened here, with a skew towards the London clubs if there’s a clash of games (although with two screens they can and do show two matches at the same time if needs be). The crowd is made up primarily of local workers, many of whom are suited and booted, but this doesn’t have that feeling of being a typical City pub and you wouldn’t look out of place or feel uncomfortable in jeans and a T-shirt. There’s a lively, upbeat and friendly vibe that’s perpetuated by the welcoming staff. Table service in the dining area that’s efficient and warming is a really nice touch. You’ll feel as well looked after as you do in hotel bars across the capital. This deftly walks the line between upbeat sports pub, chilled out local and hotel venue, avoiding the pitfalls of each. Impressive.

The Food
This is where The George blows other pubs out of the water. This is no gastropub, with a small menu of pub classics, but the quality of the food is a rival to many restaurants and definitely airs the 5 star edge of the hotel. At lunch, freshly made sandwiches for £6.50 are popular and at dinner you can indulge in three courses or select a main from the list.

Starters, snacks and salads (all £6) include a handful of dishes, including such classics as homemade terrine with onion marmalade and egg and bacon salad. Highly recommended, however, is the roast beetroot with goat cheese and rocket salad. Immaculately presented as a towering pile of dark maroon slices of beetroot interspersed with crisp rocket leaves and chunks of gooey white cheese, it tastes as good as it looks. The beetroot has been perfectly roasted so it’s ever so slightly crisp to bite into with a moist middle that bursts with beetroot juice. The cheese is slightly gooey and full of creamy flavours and goes well with the crisp, fresh rocket. Lightly dressed, it’s an incredible dish for ‘basic’ pub grub. Equally good is the South Devon crab on toast. Neatly cut triangles of toast lay beside a small pile of dark crab meat, an attractive pile of white crab meat and a generous dollop of homemade mayonnaise. The toast is warm and crisp and the meat delicately chilled and remarkably fresh – the textured flecks of white crab meat going well with the soft consistency of the dark. The mayonnaise adds a nice creaminess to each bite and a squirt of lemon finishes each mouthful off perfectly.

The mains fare equally well, coming in at £8-£11, and the quality is again impressive. Such choices as shepherds pie, fish and chips and beef burgers are the usual pub staples, but again they’re given that 5 star flourish. The macaroni cheese is an especially pleasant surprised. Stunningly presented in a sizeable dish, the crispy cheese topping hides the creamy macaroni beneath. The macaroni is perfectly cooked, the creaminess of the sauce not too overbearing but enough to melt in the mouth and the crisp cheese topping adds a nice textural differentiator. A side of mushy peas (£3.50) goes really well, with plump, thick mushy peas bursting with flavour. Delicious. Also recommended is the slow roast Suffolk pork belly with buttered greens, mustard mash and apple sauce. The pork is soft, sandwiched between delicate juicy layers of fat that explode in the mouth. The apple sauce is homemade and has a pleasant texture and the mash is creamy and plentiful.

Finally, if you can fit in dessert the sherry trifle is a small portion of a creamy, light trifle with a heavier sherried fruit component that complements the cream perfectly and has just enough of an alcoholic kick to not fall flat. The chocolate roly poly is rich but not too heavy and a small accompaniment of cream brings out the dark flavours well. At £4.50 a portion, it’s hard to resist. The high consistent quality of what is really a basic pub menu is notable.

The Drink
If you prefer pubs that cater for your drinking tastes rather than your gastronomic ones then the George won’t disappoint. There are a whopping eleven draught lagers and ales to choose from, including Fosters, Amstel, Kronenbourg 1664, San Miguel, Peroni, Deuchars IPA, London Pride, Bombardier, Guinness, Strongbow and a guest ale at an average of £3.20 a pint. They also have a few bottled beers, such as Becks, Budvar, Corona, Leffe, Michelob Ultra and Tiger as well as an English organic range.

If you’re eating or just want to share a bottle of wine then there’s a plentiful selection of quality bottles to choose from, including ten whites and as many reds, one rose and a choice of seven Champagnes and sparkling wines. Prices range from £14-£55 a bottle. Highly recommended is the Riesling, Stoneleigh Vineyards from New Zealand for £23. With a delicate blend of lime, white peach and spice flavours coming through, it’s easy to drink and pleasant on the palate.

Finally, the spirit selection is better than the average pub with the choices including Smirnoff Black, Tanqueray, Havana Club, J and B Rare, Bulliet Bourbon and Jamesons. They even do a choice of restaurant quality coffees for if you’ve eaten your fill.

The Last Word
The George is an interesting direction for the 5 star Andaz Hotel, but one that has paid off in droves. One of the few pubs in the area to show the football, the warm, welcoming atmosphere is only improved upon by the quality of the food and drink menus. Highly recommended.

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