Randomness Guide to London Menu

A fine Antic pub in New Cross (towards Deptford), among the best in the area.

This was once the "Paradise Bar", the early-00s focus of the New Cross music scene and also known for some stabbings, which probably didn't help its longevity. Now it's been given back its original name, carefully refurbished, and done up with the familiar mismatching antique-style furniture, comfy leather sofas (and some less so, given their advanced state of decrepitude), and retro atmosphere of the Antic chain pubs. Although some of the tables push at the edges of sanity (a French-style dressing table in the front of the bar doesn't even have space to put your legs under it), the place is for the most part very cosy.

Bar staff are friendly, and there's regularly changing ales on the three handpulls, with Timothy Taylor's Landlord appearing to be the regular. On a May 2009 visit, the Landlord wasn't on, but there were two ales by a brewer called Purity (the Mad Goose, £3.10/pint, and Pure Gold). On an earlier visit in March 2008 the staff were keen for us to try the St Austell Proper Job ale, which was indeed very nice and well-kept. The wine list is fairly extensive and bottles are £14-19. Draught taps dispense Amstel, Früli, Grolsch Weizen and Duvel Green, among others. There are also plenty of bottled beers, including Duvel, Chimay, Anchor Steam Beer and Brooklyn Lager.

The kitchen area is open at the back of the bar so you can see the chef cooking. Food is served 5pm-10pm Monday to Friday, 1pm-5pm and 6pm-9pm Saturday, and 1pm-5pm Sunday (with a Sunday roast, including vegetarian option). Mains range from £6-9, with pizzas at around £7 and fries £3, as well as a selection of mix-and-match dishes for £3 each (four for £10) photo of menu in May 2009.

On a visit in May 2009, Ewan's vegetarian lasagne was excellent, served in a ceramic bowl on a solid wooden board, with a nicely crispy slice of garlic bread and a small fresh salad, an attractively-presented and tasty meal for only £7 photo. Sarah's R.A. burger was also a good size, if a little burnt, and with plenty of chips photo. The pizzas aren't great, being a little too doughy (they have no pizza oven), though have a pleasing home-cooked-ness to them photo. They have pasta dishes, such as the tagliatelle photo. Sausages and mash have also been pleasing, although on one occasion the kitchen was rather busy and took some time to deliver (although we were warned when ordering). A year earlier, the steak & ale pie was adjudged to be very good by Kat, while Ewan's mix of market vegetables and fried plantain with 'very hot' chilli sauce was a good size (and the sauce was indeed rather hot) photo. In April 2008, we tried the hummous and pitta bread starter (£3) in April 2008, which was nicely warmed, with some peppery hummous, very tasty. The food standard is, in general, very reasonable.

There's a pub quiz every Monday (£1 entry, 7:30pm start time). Arriving at 7pm on Monday the place has plenty of drinkers already, many out in the sunshine, and it fills up for the quiz which starts fairly promptly. The quiz has 45 questions (sometimes with a picture-based round and with an additional drawing round, but no sports round) and is a good blend of easier and more challenging questions. The prize is the takings (in our case, June 2009, this was about £50). There's also a jackpot round with ten questions to win a prize pot of money.

Ewan's verdict: Definitely a place worth returning to, a nice local for the area, with plenty to recommend it.

See also:

• Beer In The Evening comments
• Fancyapint review
• Time Out review
• Deptford Dame review
• Brockley Central interview with the manager of the Royal Albert
• Flickr photo of interior