The Duke Of Wellington, Marylebone

For about four hours in mid-afternoon, this pub is quite a nice pub. The rest of the time (lunch time and evening) it's basically a restaurant with some slightly drunken people standing at the bar or sitting outside, where to they kick all the drinkers to make way for diners.

If you are OK with your pub being a restaurant in disguise, then I can recommend the decor, which is tasteful, and the food - which is very good, although served on cold plates. I must however warn you the service could drive you insane. It's slow, not exactly helpful, and a couple of the staff are just plain rude. Wine is expensive by the glass (�6.40 for the cheapest pinot noir on the blackboard): you are probably better off getting a bottle. Beware that if you choose off the wine list you may have to wait 25 minutes while they hunt in the cellar for the bottle.

29 Jul 2010 10:29

The Pigs Ear, Chelsea

Dropped in on a Wednesday night for a quiet drink and late dinner after going to Chelsea Cinema. The place was packed with braying former Sloanes in their late thirties. A very rude la-di-da woman in her thirties glared at me and then viciously shoved me in the back after my bag accidentally brushed against her in the crush. We were given a little table by the fender in the downstairs eating area, because the restaurant was packed. Food was good but extremely expensive. A plate with seven tiny round slices of salami, a few olives and pickles, and a spoonful of chutney cost 9 pounds.... then my main course partridge at 16 quid was one of the cheapest things on the menu - most main courses were closer to twenty.

27 Oct 2006 01:43