Despite the backlash against the neverending deluge of gastropubs of late, pushing out the good, old fashioned local boozers, the Hat and Feathers restores the faith.

The Venue
The Hat and Feathers has an enviable location, positioned in plain view on a main crossroads, a short walk from Clerkenwell or the Barbican. If you’re planning of using this as a place to kickstart your night, it’s also ideally located for the partylife of Old Street.

This pub is conveniently segregated into the main downstairs bar, an adjacent Champagne bar, an outdoor (but covered) wine terrace and two attractive dining rooms upstairs. These areas are in stark contrast to each other – downstairs the decor is more traditional pub, with lots of heavy wood and simple colours. A gleaming bar beckons you in for an after work drink or lunchtime tipple. Upstairs, however, is a more opulent dining area, divided in two, complete with white tablecloths, gleaming adournments and a definite restaurant vibe. This helps to create the air that you’re in an entirely separate space from the pub, making it feel a lot more special for diners.

The Atmosphere
The atmosphere at the Hat and Feathers is, naturally, dependent upon where in the venue you are. The pub is definitely less formal, with after work and lunchtime drinkers chatting loudly and excitedly with a cold pint or glass of wine in hand. This vibe spills happily over into the Champagne Bar. Weather permitting, the outdoor terrace has a holiday feel that seems to permeate most of London’s outdoor drinking areas. Upstairs, however, the atmosphere is more subdued, more conducive to a romantic meal or quiet business lunch or dinner than a party, although it’s certainly not staid. The only critcisim would be that, at the weekends, the loud pumping music from downstairs thumps through the floor and somewhat spoils the efforts of the attractive, subdued decor.

Being based where it is - by Clerkenwell, the Barbican and Old Street - the clientele is eclectic but with a skew towards the local office workers. Cultured types sashay in alongside the occasional trendy, seemingly lost along the way to the uber cool bars further along Old Street.

The Food
The food at the Hat and Feathers is definitely at the higher end of decent quality gastropub fare with attractively presented dishes at expectedly quite high prices.

Starters cost £7.50-£10.95 and include a nice, well balanced selection of vegetarian, meat and fish dishes. The pan fried king scallops with port and pear puree and vegetable root chips is a pleasant dish that is light on the palate, perfect for a starter. The scallops are well cooked, walking the fine line between being too chewy and too slimy with a pleasant consistency that melts in the mouth. The vegetable crisps, however, cheapen the dish a little and aren’t necessary, although they do add a nice textural differentiator. The salmon, however, is light and delicious and comes highly recommended.

The mains are where the menu really shines. Ranging from £16-£19, there is also a well balanced selection to appeal to most tastes. The pan fried sea bass with saffron, mussels and creamy mash is especially good quality. The sea bass flakes in the mouth perfectly, with a strong but not overpowering flavour, offset by the saffron. The mussels arrive out of their shell and work well to complete the dish. The mash is creamy and not too heavy, creating a light but filling main. Alternatively, if you prefer meat to fish then the roast leg of rabbit with marquis potato, sour cabbage and three mustard sauce is also recommended. The rabbit is tender and full of flavour and goes well with the sour cabbage. The potatoes are perhaps a little dry but with the delicate three mustard sauce it comes together and makes for a well balanced and delicious dish.

Finally come the desserts, perhaps the highlight. The chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream is a fluffy, delicate pudding with a creamy ice cream cutting through the rich chocolatey flavours perfectly. A delicious dessert it’s definitely a highlight and, at £5.50, is well worth the money.

Alternatives to the menu also exist to create an eclectic, affordable dining experience. There’s an express lunch menu for when you’re strapped for time whereby three courses cost just £14.50 and is guaranteed to reach you quickly. They also do some great offers, including 50% off the bill on Mondays and 25% for local residents and workers, which are great touches.

The Drink
The best thing about dining in a pub is the above-average selection of drink on offer. Downstairs at the Hat and Feathers is a great range of well priced beer and lager on draught and in bottles. Upstairs is an eclectic, well described wine list that covers all budgets. Best of all, each dish on the menu comes with a wine pairing suggestion to help aid your choice. If you’d rather just order a whole bottle then be sure to try the Petit Chablis Jean Pierre Ellevin 2005, a light, crisp wine with a fruity apple aftertaste that works well with fish dishes.

Alternatively, they also offer an excellent, eclectic and extraordinarily well priced (£6) cocktail menu that finishes off the drinks menu perfectly.

The Last Word
The Hat and Feathers offers quality food and drink in a pleasant, easy to get to setting. Perfect for a lunchtime or post-work bite, it’s well worth a try.

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