The Roebuck

London is flooded with gastro pubs but you’ll have to go a long way to find a better one than this food-loving pub in Chiswick. Whether the weather outside is frightful or delightful, The Roebuck is a haven for all seasons.

The Venue
The Roebuck occupies a beautifully-maintained Victorian corner building on Chiswick High Road, and is always busy come rain or shine. In colder months it excels as a sanctuary from the elements, as a place to warm-up over the flickering of dusky, candle-lit tables; in warmer seasons, it has a lovely outdoor garden space that’s a bit of a sun trap and is an area that hums with well-to-do Chiswickians.

The High Road-facing front entrance has a reassuring forest green canopy along with plenty of big glass windows which wrap right around the front and side of the building. Those with keener eyes will follow the wise maxim and allow their eyes to venture upwards, where you will see a Roebuck motif stamped across its pediment, something which gives the grand old building an extra sense of historical significance.

Once inside, it’s a space of two halves: the bar occupies the front half and the dining area can be found at the rear of the spacious building. Making your way through to eat you’ll pass an open plan kitchen which is marshalled to exactingly high standards and produces consistently great British pub food, with more than a little nod to France along the way.

The Atmosphere
Unsurprisingly, for a part of London that counts Colin Firth as a local, The Roebuck attracts a civilized crowd, and it’s no wonder given the quality of the food, drink and service that both the pub and dining room are usually packed to the rafters. It’s not uncommon to walk in for a Sunday roast – which is one of the best you will find in the area - only to be confronted by a toast being raised to a pub full of party-goers. That said, even if it’s at boiling point, you can count on the staff to be particularly accommodating and on-the-ball. From a smile on the way in to the courteous and helpful manner of management, you will be very well looked after.

The Food
The cooking is definitely delivered to a standard of a very respectable restaurant, with some dishes even trumping that accolade. You won’t find over-adventurous or fanciful food here, it is very much traditional and all the more enjoyable for it.

Starters (£5-£7) range from mackerel pate on toast to a hearty soup of the day. The chicken liver parfait is never off the menu and the smooth, rich, irony pate is best spread liberally on one of the accompanying four slices of toasted granary bread, which have a satisfying crunch from the poppy seeds. A serving of zingy berry coulis is the yin to the parfait’s yang.

Bayonne ham shows off the venue’s French leanings, and the dry, thinly-sliced cured ham from the South of France arrives in a substantial portion, but is obscured at first by a pile of homemade coleslaw. The ham is reminiscent of Prosciutto and, combined with the coleslaw, is quite filling.

A cote du bouef (£16.50) served with chips and a green peppercorn butter sauce is another dish you’ll always find. The whole rib of beef arrives on the bone in a daunting size. The béarnaise which is normally served is sadly missing and the round coin-size garlic butter is nowhere near sufficient. Fortunately, Bournier French mustard is on hand to pep things up. A side of broccoli is plain and, surprisingly, doesn’t taste like it’s been seasoned. On previous visits dwarf beans have been perfect on the side, so their return will sort this minor irk out. The chicken breast on a bed of creamy leeks and crispy potato cake (£14) proves to the best dish of the sitting. With all of the flavours working in harmony together and top quality ingredients used, it’s an absolute joy to chow down on.

Desserts include a wonderful sticky toffee pudding (£5.50) served hot enough to start reducing the vanilla ice cream into a blubbering, submissive mess. Alternatively a chocolate tart is sharply bitter from the cocoa, and paste-like in consistency. Its ideal for people who want a pudding but prefer the distinctive taste of dark chocolate.

The Drink
A solid wine list is good on first sight. There isn’t a huge list but there’s enough for the astute to pick out a satisfying selection. From the reds, the Malbec (£23.25) is very popular and delicious but a slightly cheaper option, and just as good, is the Thesorum Italian Cabernet Corvee (£20.35) – a spicy, bold red that is tailor-made for those who like a red wine with plenty of personality.

Cocktails, lagers, ales and ciders are in abundance, too. Lager drinkers are usually drawn to the sight of Kirin Ichiban (£3.65 a pint), a Japanese import that pays for its slightly higher-than-average price tag with every mouthful, and there are guest ales for those who prefer something less gassy. If you’re not that clued-up on your ale, the staff are more than happy to offer advice, and may even let you sample a swig before you make your mind up.

The Last Word
Both revered and loved by Chiswick residents, The Roebuck, with its consistently high standards, is the sort of pub that everyone deserves to have on their doorstep.

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