Randomness Guide to London - Differences between Version 20 and Version 16 of Owl And Pussycat, E2 7DP

Version 20 Version 16
== Line 2 == == Line 2 ==
It's had several incarnations over the years (see <a href="https://london.randomness.org.uk/wiki.cgi?id=Owl_And_Pussycat%2C_E2_7DP&version=12">older version of this page</a> for a description of its pre-2010 life as an "old man's type pub"), but as of 2019 it seems to be positioning itself as something of an old-school gastropub.
It closed for a full refurbishment some time in mid-2010, with [http://www.fancyapint.com/pubs/pub87.php Fancyapint reporting] that the interior had been entirely gutted. It reopened in October 2010 under new management.
== Line 4 == == Line 4 ==
They've gone for a bare-bones approach inside, with exposed boards on the floor, a ceiling painted to resemble tobacco smoke staining, and mottled plasterwork on the walls. Tables are made from slabby wooden boards with a weathered look, and seating is a combination of banquettes, low stools, and high stools.
The comments below relate to the situation under the previous management &#8212; we haven't yet visited to see what's changed, but [http://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/venue/2:27955/owl-pussycat Time Out] and [http://cheesenbiscuits.blogspot.com/2010/10/owl-and-pussycat-shoreditch.html Cheese And Biscuits] have.
== Line 6 == == Line 6 ==
There's another bar on the first floor, which may not always be open. Out the back is a courtyard-style beer garden with cracked flagstones, tall tables for standing at, and a few high stools around the edges.
<div class="old_info">
Pub just off [[Locale Shoreditch|Shoreditch]]
High Street. An old man's type pub, rather than yet another one of the trendy bars more common to the area.
== Line 8 == == Line 9 ==
[[Kake]] visited on a Thursday lunchtime in August 2019. I was the only customer when I arrived around 11:15am, but two more turned up half an hour later. Rock music was playing, fairly loud. Service was friendly and helpful. The handpumps were clipped for Young's London Original and Brakspear Oxford Gold, and a pint of lime and soda was &pound;2.20.
[[Kake]] and [[Bob]] visited around 6:30pm on a Tuesday evening in October 2007. It was fairly quiet when we got there; no music, and indeed we were the only people actually having a conversation. Music and a few more people arrived a bit later on (jukebox?). We left for dinner after a pint so it might have got noisier later on, but it was fine while we were there.
== Line 10 == == Line 11 ==
I wanted a snack, so ordered the salt beef croquettes (&pound;6.50) <small>[https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/48451720712/ photo]</small> from the starter menu. They were nicely presented, and just right for a snack. The saltiness of the beef was well-controlled, and the croquettes had a pleasingly loose texture, just on the edge of falling apart. Each one sat on a pile of mustard cream sauce, which was nice enough but I wished there had been less of it, or at least to have it on the side, since it did rather dominate. There were some very good house-made pickles too: carrot, kohlrabi, and mushroom, all thinly sliced and well-marinaded.
The only real ales on offer were London Pride (&pound;2.90) and Greene King IPA; there were other handpumps but the clips were turned round. The Pride was OK but not wonderfully well-kept.
== Line 12 == == Line 13 ==
[[Kake]]'s verdict: I'd happily order those croquettes again, and there are other interesting things on the starter menu, though the mains look a bit boring. (I'm judging it more as a restaurant than a pub, since the likelihood of me coming to a Shoreditch pub for the beer is very small.)
We spotted a bar billiards table, but don't know if it was working. There's a piano in one corner but it's stuck behind a table so again, don't know if it ever gets used. Beer garden out the back, apparently, and a restaurant of some kind upstairs. A blackboard advertised sandwiches and toasted sandwiches, all around &pound;4.50, and all served with chips, but I don't know what times they're served. Ditto with [http://flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=1676416721&size=l another blackboard] advertising main courses (&pound;6.25 for home-made burger up to &pound;12.50 for 12oz sirloin steak). The interweb suggests the Sunday carvery roast is good.
== Line 14 == == Line 15 ==
Accessibility: A step to get in at all the entrances, ranging from average to large. It's level to bar, seating, and RADAR-locked accessible toilet once you're in. No step to the ladies, just some unevenness on the floor, but the door is very heavy and the cubicles are quite small. A step to the back garden.
The interweb also suggests that the landlord is rather grumpy; if the chap who served me was the landlord, then I found him more disengaged than actively unpleasant.
== Line 17 ==
* Photos of the menu as of August 2019: [https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/48451565991/ sandwich menu], [https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/48451720907/ main menu]
* [https://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubreviews/24957/ Pubs Galore comments]
== Line 20 == == Line 19 ==
* [https://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/the-owl-and-pussycat-london Yelp comments]
* [https://whatpub.com/pubs/ELC/14309/ WhatPub entry]
* [http://fancyapint.com/pubs/pub87.html Fancyapint review]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070704202454/http://
www.timeout.com/london/bars/reviews/2010.html Time Out review]
* [http:
//savetheboozer.blogspot.com/2007/05/owl-and-pussycat-34-redchurch-street.html Save The Boozer review]
* [http://www.qype.co.uk/place/73805 Qype comments]
== Line 23 == == Line 24 ==
<div class="last_verified">Last visited by [[Kake]], August 2019.</div>
<div class="last_verified">Last visited by [[Kake]] and [[Bob]], 17 October 2007.</div>

Comment added by Sean: Last visited on 2/9/2008. London Pride and Brakspear this time. Bar billiards is fully functional - it's Marna's favourite. There's also a TV for sporting events, but it's usually turned off.
</div>
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category='Accessible Toilet,Pub Food,Pubs,Real Ale'
edit_type='Minor tidying'
fax='34Redchurch'
formatted_website_text='https://www.owlandpuss...'
host='81.187.166.218'
hours_text='Mon-Tue: 11am-11pm; Wed-Sat: 11am-midnight; Sun: 11am-10:30pm'
latitude='51.523840'
category='Pubs'
edit_type='Normal edit'
fax=''
formatted_website_text=''
host='212.183.140.28'
hours_text=''
latitude='51.523822'
== Line 33 == == Line 37 ==
longitude='-0.073880'
major_change='0'
map_link='http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=533609&y=182359'
node_image='https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48451565086_051c9ae04f_m_d.jpg'
node_image_copyright='Kake'
node_image_licence='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/'
node_image_url='https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/48451565086/'
opening_hours_text='Mon-Tue: 11am-11pm; Wed-Sat
: 11am-midnight; Sun: 11am-10:30pm'
os_x='533609'
os_y='182359'
phone='020 3487 0088 '
longitude='-0.073348'
major_change='1'
map_link='http://streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=533646&y=182358'
node_image='https
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node_image_copyright='Ewan
-M'
node_image_licence='https
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node_image_url='https
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opening_hours_text=''
os_x='533646'
os_y='182358'
phone=''
== Line 49 == == Line 49 ==
summary='Pub just off Shoreditch High Street.' summary='Pub just off Shoreditch High Street.'
website='https://www.owlandpussycatshoreditch.com/'
summary='Pub just off Shoreditch High Street.' website='https://www.owlandpussycatshoreditch.com/'

Pub just off Shoreditch High Street.

It closed for a full refurbishment some time in mid-2010, with Fancyapint reporting that the interior had been entirely gutted. It reopened in October 2010 under new management.

The comments below relate to the situation under the previous management — we haven't yet visited to see what's changed, but Time Out and Cheese And Biscuits have.

Pub just off Shoreditch High Street. An old man's type pub, rather than yet another one of the trendy bars more common to the area.

Kake and Bob visited around 6:30pm on a Tuesday evening in October 2007. It was fairly quiet when we got there; no music, and indeed we were the only people actually having a conversation. Music and a few more people arrived a bit later on (jukebox?). We left for dinner after a pint so it might have got noisier later on, but it was fine while we were there.

The only real ales on offer were London Pride (£2.90) and Greene King IPA; there were other handpumps but the clips were turned round. The Pride was OK but not wonderfully well-kept.

We spotted a bar billiards table, but don't know if it was working. There's a piano in one corner but it's stuck behind a table so again, don't know if it ever gets used. Beer garden out the back, apparently, and a restaurant of some kind upstairs. A blackboard advertised sandwiches and toasted sandwiches, all around £4.50, and all served with chips, but I don't know what times they're served. Ditto with another blackboard advertising main courses (£6.25 for home-made burger up to £12.50 for 12oz sirloin steak). The interweb suggests the Sunday carvery roast is good.

The interweb also suggests that the landlord is rather grumpy; if the chap who served me was the landlord, then I found him more disengaged than actively unpleasant.

See also:

Last visited by Kake and Bob, 17 October 2007.

Comment added by Sean: Last visited on 2/9/2008. London Pride and Brakspear this time. Bar billiards is fully functional - it's Marna's favourite. There's also a TV for sporting events, but it's usually turned off.


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