In days gone by the pubs along Goldhawk Road would have been full of thirsty Irish construction workers, drinking at a ferocious pace after a hard day’s graft, and doing their utmost to remain in the pub for as long as their other halves would stand for. Nowadays, this part of the capital’s folklore has faded and The Goldhawk is a quirky, modernised pub that shows change doesn’t necessarily mean that a pub has to lose its soul.

The Venue
A distinguished yet low-key black and gold signage welcomes you to the The Goldhawk, a comfortable, friendly boozer on Goldhawk Road, a road that connects Shepherd’s Bush and the likes of leafy Ravenscourt Park and Chiswick.

Inside, it does the whole mismatched furniture combined with arty knick-knacks thing without coming across as forced or manufactured. Everywhere you look there are peculiar and seemingly unconnected features: leopard print light shades; a Wizard of Oz vinyl sleeve; a poster promoting a show at La Scala; dangling beads straight out of the 70s; and a wall of illustrated tattoo designs by the loos.

The Atmosphere
Sundays are lazy days at The Goldhawk, a fluffy, hung-over expression is worn on people’s faces as they regale their friends with tales of last night’s adventures and tuck into humongous roast dinners. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings live music is gradually being ramped up and you can bet the place will be rocking once the live act crank up the amps. Throughout the rest of the week, it’s a nice local, one that has helpful and friendly staff making you feel like it’s almost like an extension of your living room.

The Food
Great value pub grub – including sausages and mash (£6.75) and burgers with chips and Bloody Mary ketchup (from £6.95) – is on offer throughout the week, but Sundays offer four roast options – pork loin, 21-day matured rump of beef, half a roast chicken or nut roast.

They’re not messing about when they say half a chicken (£8.50) – the chicken arrives on the bone and the breast and leg is a huge amount for even the hungriest of punters. Also on the plate there are copious amounts of buttery mashed potato and roast potatoes, as well as a medley of roasted root vegetables. A sauteed serving of bitter, garlicky curly kale is an ingenious addition.

Compared to the chicken, the beef is not quite as successful, although it is still enjoyable. The main gripe is that the beef, a good quality cut, has spent too much time in the oven and is a little chewy as a result. The rest of the plate is just as good as the chicken option with extra points going for a thick and meaty homemade gravy, and a delicious – and cheap! - bowl of leeks (£2) in white sauce on the side.

If you can manage a pud, you won’t be worried about their price – they’re only £3.50 each. A sticky toffee pudding, served with custard or vanilla pod ice cream, is hot, steamy and rotund, and it has a high percentage of fruit in the mix which, as a result, elicits memories of Christmas, fireplaces, or both. Never a bad thing. A chocolate brownie, on the other hand, is wonderfully nutty and cocoa-rich but is still slightly easier to digest than the dense sticky toffee pudding.

The Drink
A cracking bottle of Casa Juanita Malbec (£13.95) is an absolute steal at that price and, on Tuesdays after 5pm, it can be yours for an unbeatable £7.95 along with a range of other reduced-in-price-wines. Interesting beers such as Peroni (£3.60 a pint), Tiger, Paulina Munich (£3.45) and Fruhli (£3.95) populate the pumps, so you won’t be stumped at the usual sight of Fosters or Carling.

The Last Word
A homely, quirky pub with bags of character, The Goldhawk is an excellent boozer that’s ideal for lazy days or livelier nights out. A trip here will leave you feeling more than happy with your lot.

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