For years, the bar on the site made a living trading as the moderately funky, student pleasing 100, until a makeover by the team behind Tooting’s Smoke bar… Now, with The Grey Goose, everythings gone grown-up. The Chef works hard to locally source a great menu of gastro-pub classics (massive pork chops with slices of black pudding & apple sauce), and there are hand-pulled ales and wheat beer.
A pretty, heated outdoor deck space plus the elegant upstairs Blue Bar (available for private hire) complete the picture. A fireplace, sofas and brioche bread and butter pudding make it a difficult place to leave.
Clapham Park Road's Smoke Room's now swapped funky house for cocktail jazz, and cheeseburgers for Oxfordshire-reared produce, ditching its postmodern '70s look in favour of exposed bricks. Such unpretentiousness extends to the staff: when we asked about the wine, our waitress explained that she'd only tried those available by the glass. We were even given two to sample, a nice touch.
The short menu leans towards world comfort food. Our 10oz charolais ribeye steak and chips, caramelised on the outside, pink within, the meat was a delight. Our pork chop with apple sauce was elegant, served on fine beans and a mound of pleasingly knobbly bubble and squeak, with four slices of seriously sagey black pudding: a real taste of England.
It's true what they say that the best places are just off the main drag and The Grey Goose is a fine example. It's a grown up bar with a great friendly fun vibe. The food is exceptional with lots of delicious game on the menu.
Young professionals flock for a bite to eat off of the largely organic menu; even for a catch-up gin & tonic with friends on a Monday night. A stylish bar with a chatty atmosphere and if you can bag the leather sofas then you'll be probably be ensconced here for a good few hours.
The food is delicious and very organic without being over priced and the friendly staff really know there stuff when it comes to the produce / wines that they sell. I had a great night with a group of work colleagues so much so I went back the following night with some friends - love it!