Randomness Guide to London Menu

A pub convenient to both the South Bank and Waterloo Station, part of the Mitchells & Butlers "unbranded" Castle sub-chain.

The decor is characterised by mismatched chairs and tables, hardwood floors, big windows at the front for those who like the sunlight, and hideaway areas at the back for the light-averse. There is very little in the way of an outdoor area - the smoking area is a very thin stretch of pavement, and outside drinking is only allowed until 10pm. Patrons are asked not to drink on Theed Street along the side of the pub.

Like other pubs in the chain, it has a fairly extensive range of German and Belgian lagers on tap; the choices in August 2007 were Erdinger Weisse, Franziskaner, Strawberry Fruli, Belle Vue Kriek, Maredsous Blonde, Schneider Weizen Hell, Budvar, Leffe, Hoegaarden, Staropramen, and the other usual suspects (though there was no evidence of Kriek on a later visit in June 2008). Real ales are also available; the selection in June 2008 was London Pride (£2.75/pint), Black Sheep, and Deuchars IPA, and they also had Aspall's cider on tap as well as Aspall Blush in bottles.

The June/July 2008 edition of the White Hart newsletter advertises their beer tasting trays; 1/3 pint each of six staff-chosen beers for £7, or make up your own tray with 1/3 pints costing £1.10-1.30 each.

It suffers from the usual after-work crowding and can get busy at weekends as well, with some younger rowdier drinkers, but it's a very pleasant place indeed outside peak hours. Kake visited on a Wednesday afternoon in June 2008, arriving at lunchtime and staying through until the evening; it was lovely and peaceful (though not echoingly deserted by any means) until 4:30pm, when they turned on the music and the local office workers started to pile in. (I am too much of an old fogey to properly identify the music genre, but some of it's what we used to call rap, and some of it sounds like Thievery Corporation. It wasn't elevator music, at any rate, and it was bordering on, but not quite reaching, "too loud".)

Food is served noon-10pm Monday to Sunday. In October 2007, Ewan noted the food as being "nothing spectacular", though there were a few vegetarian and vegan options. In June 2008, Kake was actually quite pleased with the menu, though this might be down to my preference for little snacky things over monolithic main meals.

As of June 2008, the menu had ten choices of "snacks and sharers", with one plate costing £3.50, three costing £9, and four costing £11; examples include meatballs, tomato sauce, and Monterey Jack; calamari with anchovy mayo; and marinated and chargrilled halloumi and vegetable skewers. Sandwiches start at £4.10, and mains are priced between £6.70 ("veggie nicoise" with Moroccan flatbread) and £10.50 (8oz ribeye steak with all the trimmings). Coffee is by Illy (espresso/Americano £1.50, cappuccino/latte £1.70).

Kake tried the meatballs and the halloumi skewers. The meatballs arrived so quickly that they were obviously microwaved; this wasn't really a problem, as it's a suitable enough reheating method for meatballs in tomato sauce, but the meatballs themselves were not particularly high quality. Decent-sized portion for the price, though. The halloumi skewers photo were somewhat better; freshly cooked, and done in a flavourful marinade, though they could have stood cooking for a little longer as the onion was on the cusp of being too raw.

The gents' is downstairs, but there's a combined ladies'/disabled loo on the ground floor, though (as of June 2008) they've tied up the lightswitch cord so you'd have great trouble reaching it from a wheelchair.

Kake's verdict: Excellent in the daytime, but make sure you leave before office-chucking-out-time.

See also:

• Beer In The Evening comments
• Fancyapint review
• Time Out review
• Qype comments