The ViewLondon Review
There aren’t many places in London that truly make you stop and think - The Grand Union is one of those rare finds. The truly stunning, eclectic decor will have you exploring and discovering new things every visit, with the excellent food and drink sealing the deal.The VenueThose of you who remember life before its major refurbishment and reopening in March 2008 will be surprised at the major transformation that has befallen this charming Camden bar. Gone are the clunky upstairs toilets and plain ‘painted by numbers’ decor, replaced instead by Grand Union etchings on the windows, original and eclectic furnishings, and a layout that puts this place head and shoulders above the competition (even the fierce competition of Camden). Upon entering, you can’t help but stop and stare at an exciting decor that tempts the senses. The basic layout is functional and unusual: you can walk your way around the whole of the centralised bar, allowing for a large number of people to easily be served on busy nights. Even the DJ box doesn’t in any way detract from the acres of space thirsty drinkers have.
For the decor, think old-fashioned living room with a twist. Dark flowery wallpaper in black and pink adourns the walls, giving a cosy, warm feel that hits you as soon as you step through the door. Busy paintings of everything from tigers to London streets have been put up all over the walls, making it almost impossible to take in everything at once. In the front area of the bar, cute little red Chinese lanterns hang across the ceiling haphazardly, alongside chandeliers. Random flashes of brick wall continues the assault on the eyes, injecting a raw look. Tables and loungey sofas adourn the front of the bar, whilst around the back is a diner’s paradise with comfortable leather booths and larger tables. The theme continues with large, red old-fashioned lamps like you might see at your gran’s house, until you spot the lamp that is sprouting from the head of a Buddha! Further interesting lighting includes a multi-coloured lampshade in red, green, pink and orange. Random parasols hang from the ceiling, and make sure you check out the organ and accordion in one corner of the room. It may sound weird, but boy does it work.
The AtmosphereThis place attracts a large number off regulars, drawn in by the cool, laid back atmosphere. The staff are friendly and look after everyone, knowing how important repeat business is – although their smiles are genuine. You can tell the newbies, they’re the ones looking around in excitement and exclaiming to their friends how amazing the decor is. There’s none of the cliqueyness that surrounds some Camden venues, this is open to everyone and all are made welcome.
Particularly noteworthy is the music. An interesting mix of dance and indie tunes pumps out from the sound system, either on CD in the week or courtesy of the DJ at the weekends. Not too loud you have to scream to be heard, it’s definitely pumping enough to get you bopping in your seat and singing along without realising.
The FoodThe Grand Union has one of the best menus in London at the moment. There’s none of the poncey ‘gastro’ grub or ‘traditional’ British fare here. It’s just a very simple burger menu that will blow you away. Just short of twenty burgers cover the list, including everything from the classic cheeseburger to smoked chilli, blue cheese, and chicken and camembert burgers, costing a reasonable £4.95-£6.95. Highly recommended is the avocado and bacon burger. A huge homemade patty of beef fills the fresh burger bap. The smell alone gets the mouth watering! Inside, a liberal helping of slightly crunchy, deliciously salty streaky bacon lies atop the beef, alongside a large slice of beef tomato that is perfectly sweet and cuts through the meat. The creamy avocado is delicious and the crisp lettuce adds that healthy, light flavour and interesting crunch and the mayo and tomato relish brings it all together in a creamy, sweet finale. Quite possibly one of the best burgers you’ll have ever tasted.
Don’t be put off if you’re veggie. The falafel burger is equally good. A large helping of crispy falafel lies alongside humous, cucumber raita, fresh chilli sauce, relish, beef tomato, mayonnaise and lettuce. The amalgamation of flavours makes this an exciting vegetarian choice. The cucumber raita is light and has a strong, lingering cucumber taste that is cut through by the chilli sauce, stopping it from being too hot and spicy but adding a kick. The homous is creamy and has a nice hint of garlic and the generous helping of lettuce and tomato adds an exciting textural dimension. The only complaint would be that they’re piled so high that it’s difficult to eat and therefore fully enjoy. Expect to be covered in mayo and sauce and a sizeable portion of your burger to fall out with every bite. Challenge yourself to see if you can eat it without looking like a total slob. Bet you can’t!
If you’re a little hungrier, try out the sides. Homemade Maris Piper chips are £2.65, hot and fresh, it’s just a shame they’re pre-salted and may not be to everyone’s tastes as, otherwise, they’re pretty much perfect. For something different, the vegetable stack is particularly ingenious. A stack of chargrilled peppers and aubergine lies beside sun blushed tomatoes, feta and pesto sauce with rocket to finish it off in a flair of colour. Tasting healthy and light, it’s a great accompaniment for two to share with a burger each. If you’re in a group then pre-order a platter to share for an exciting selection of mini burgers, marinated pepper and goats cheese crostini, blackened fiery chicken skewers, falafel and houmous, homemade chips and dips.
The DrinkIf you’re a lager lover then there’s a decent selection of beer at The Grand Union, including Fosters, Kronenberg and Guinnes, with the more unusual Russian Balthika thrown in for good measure. However, this is more than just a pub. There’s also a small but well formed wine list, with bottles of white ranging from a Chardonnay for £12.50 to a Sauvignon Blanc for £19.50, or bottles of red starting at £12.50 for the Le Reeve. Highly recommended is the Pinot Noir Pionero Estate 2006 from Chile – a smoky red with strong berry flavours of strawberry and plum. There are even Champagne bottles on offer, including Krug Grand Cuvee for £139.
There’s also a cool cocktail menu with shooters for £3.50 and long cocktails ranging from £6-£8, including all the classics like the mojito, daiquiri, old fashioned, margaritas and cosmopolitans. However, the king of the cocktails is definitely the watermelon martini. Simply incredible. Tasting of a subtly sweet watermelon, be warned, these will slip down your throat in seconds and you’ll not even notice the glasses piling up. You’ve been warned!
The Last WordThe Grand Union has got everything right and has spent time and effort on paying attention to every facet of the bar experience. From the incredible decor to the top quality food and drink, you can’t fail to keep coming back for more.
The Grand Union has been reviewed by 11 users