A welcoming bar and brasserie for the lucky locals of E14.

The Venue
Tompkins, located right at the foot of South Quay DLR, is an impressive bar and restaurant with waterside views and massive ceilings. There’s a big central bar right at the entrance, whilst to the left is the bar area, kitschy and cool with mismatched chairs and tables and antique portraits stacked high to the top of the ceiling. The restaurant area is a bit less quirky but still attractive, and the waterside location makes for great views.

The Atmosphere
With its E14 location there’s no doubt that pretty much all the clientele will be those that work nearby, but since Tompkins is part of the Pan Peninsula development, which hosts apartments along with a cinema, spa and health club, expect a lot of locals as well.

The Food
Tompkins serves brasserie fare, with solid choices like steak and chips alongside more unusual options like wiener schnitzel and a selection of egg-based dishes, including a posh boiled egg and soldiers. Prices aren’t outrageous for the area, with mains starting from around £12 and raising to above £20 for some of the steak dishes. For starters, a steak tartare is a good consistency, with fresh meat and slightly tangy pickles mixed through and topped by a glossy egg yolk. The chicken liver parfait is luxuriously smooth and rich, and served with a sweet apple chutney that complements the flavours impeccably. It comes with an unsophisticated piece of brioche that seems to be thrown on the plate as an afterthought, but it’s toasted perfectly and adds the required texture.

For mains, the risotto nero, a squid ink risotto with calamari, is a pretty purple-grey colour and sprinkled with flakes or Parmesan. It’s a large portion, with big chunks of fresh, soft calamari. The lemon sole is excellent, with good quality fish cooked to flaking on the fork softness, and given a suitably delicious lift from soft capers, courgette and herbs on a bed of sliced new potatoes. For dessert, the raspberry cheesecake is surprisingly light, with an almost whipped cream-like consistency and a ripe, sweet flavour. The creme brulee is pretty good, despite a disappointingly thin caramel top, but the cream lying below is nicely infused with vanilla and very finishable.

The Drink
Tompkins’s bar is well stocked with loads of options including cocktails both classic and creative. There’s a selection of martinis, with a Purgatory proving a good choice – a strong mix of Bison Grass vodka and apple schnapps, it’s sweet, rich and a pretty golden colour. Wines are well priced, and there’s a good variety of choices, though if in doubt, go for the house which is particularly impressive.

The Last Word
A wide ranging menu and long list of boozy options along with welcoming decor make Tompkins a perfect place for lingering.

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