For people of a certain age, a meal at W8 gastro The Mall Tavern is a nostalgic ride through their childhood. Chicken Kiev, Arctic roll, cup of soup and commemorative Princess Di and Charles wedding memorabilia used as service plates might sound a bit naff but it’s delivered in a way that puts a smile on your face and shows a real talent is at work in the kitchen.

The Venue
The immediate area around Notting Hill Gate tube station is a very different one to the one imagined by Richard Curtis in his glossy 1999 feature film. It’s noisy, busy and a bit ramshackle; not at all the posh mews and market vision outsiders have of the area. Despite this, once you exit the main road onto streets like Palace Gardens Terrace, things instantly improve and The Mall Tavern, a good-looking gastro pub with quirky design touches and a brilliantly conceived menu, is the sort of pub you’d love to have as your local. Those who take a keen interest in the pub sector may also like to know that this venue is part of a mini-group, which includes The Stag in Hampstead and The Regent in Kensal Green.

Internally, it’s a space divided into a bar and back-bar-slash-dining area, where huge floor-to-ceiling windows allow natural light to flood in. An earthy olive green paint is employed on the walls and high-back brown leather banquettes hug the walls. Wall-mounted cabinets display trinkets and retro dining memorabilia creating the feeling that you’re in the house of a slightly batty relative who is particularly keen on chintzy gifts.

To the rear is a south-facing sun-trap of a back yard which has limited space for a lucky few, whilst upstairs there’s a private dining room complete with a preposterously-proportioned period portrait of a busty lady. A balcony area also houses a contraption in which they smoke their salmon and mackerel, a sign of dedication to the craft if ever there was one.

The Atmosphere
Word is already out on The Mall Tavern and, as a result, tables are at a premium, particularly in evenings and weekends. Girls outnumber the boys, which is a positive sign in any part of the hospitality sector. Overwhelmingly, the people here are creative-looking twenty and thirtysomethings, so the chance of seeing local resident David Cameron chummying up with the Notting Hill set is maybe a bit of a long shot.

The Food
Along with the childhood guilty pleasures there are plenty of standard British gastro options, such as the sirloin steak, sea bass and chicken liver pate. But you also find intriguing and unexplained numbers like the cow pie and lamb scrumpets. Prices are also random: some things cost just £1, others £16, so all budgets and appetites are catered for.

The lamb scrumpets (£3) are in actual fact two deep-fried, fish-finger-shaped constructions with a hash-brown-style batter. The filling is a combination of shredded lamb and even tiny slithers of fat which creates a Willy Wonka-esque blast of Sunday roast dinner from just one mouthful. Package these up and sell them in the frozen aisle of a supermarket and you could make a killing. They’re served up on a bed of caper-infused tartar-style sauce, which might not be the first thing you’d pair with lamb but it actually provides a good foil. A more straightforward dish, the chicken liver pate, is a pot of rich, irony spread but it’s served with the most brittle crispy wafer-thin bread you are ever likely to have tasted and you may prefer the option of seedy granary instead.

Fans of The Dandy will be able to live out their Desperate Dan fantasies by tucking into the cow pie (£12). A humongous rectangle of a pie with a golden-brown, buttery pastry topping, its most memorable feature is that it has a whole marrow bone protruding from its centre. This has been hollowed out and refilled with an intense mixture that tastes of marrow, garlic and herbs and it is a great idea, very well executed. The beef and gravy underneath the topping are piping hot and meltingly soft and the portion is so big that you might not need sides but mash and greens (buttery cabbage) are available for £3 a pop. Across the table, the Kiev elicits squeals of delight as the hot filling pours out of the chicken breast. A golden drumstick is also served on top of a shredded medley of vegetables that has a tart, vinegary kick.

A concise list of desserts includes the Arctic roll and a selection of British cheese but, for smaller bites, there are jammy dodgers for a mere pound and chocolate and orange truffles for a little more. The jammy dodgers are a posh version of the classic biscuit, which entails two pieces of good-quality shortbread sandwiching a healthy helping of strawberry jam. The chocolate truffles are dark, bitter and luxurious although the orange flavour from small flecks of zest is less discernible than you might like.

The Drink
Two very good ales – Old Hooky and Black Sheep – are served in oldskool pint mugs, and quality is good throughout the rest of the drinks menu. Peroni is popular amongst the lager drinkers and the menu offers recommendations for Pimms and aperitifs. House wine starts from £14.50 for an Italian white or red and peaks at just £40 for fine French options. A solid red, the Les Vignes de L’Eglise Merlot Grenache, is £16 a bottle and it's a silky, mellow red with hints of spice to liven it up.

The Last Word
If you grew up in the 70s or 80s, The Mall Tavern’s many popular culture references, from the retro food to the chintzy memorabilia, is a welcome blast from the past. It’s all done in a way that doesn’t come across as gimmicky, and with its pleasant surroundings, a creative chef and good quality drinks, The Mall Tavern is more than able to stand out from the swathe of West London foodie pubs.

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