Tucked away in a quiet corner of Chelsea, The Admiral Codrington conjures images of typical gastro fare – gutsy mains and nostalgic puddings. The promise of a heated beer garden also whetted the appetite and the pictures on the website indicate a subtle and chic dining room; however the location also brought a sense of foreboding to our pinched wallets.
There was a reassuring bustle inside by the main bar until we found our way to the restaurant at the rear. Elegantly furnished with a retractable roof, there were also booths for those wishing for a little more privacy. Predictably, the menu contained your usual pub standards although there are some inventive twists. We plumped for the excellent Chilli Salt Squid (£8.50) which was perfectly cooked and delicately balanced, and the divine Burrata with Heritage Tomatoes and Basil Oil (£8.75). This imaginative take on a tricolore salad is almost worth the trip alone for the classy and subtle combination of flavours. Taking into consideration the quality of the starters we awaited our mains eagerly but were left a little disappointed. Honey-Glazed Confit Duck Leg with Roasted Nectarine, Endive and Walnut Salad (£13.95) nearly got it right, the duck was tantalisingly sweet and succulent and although the roasted nectarine was a nice contrast the salad was far too bitter and remained largely untouched. The 10oz Angus Hanger steak (£14.50) came garnished with flaccid watercress and was laboriously chewy and unappetizing, the tomato and horseradish sauce not really helping matters by masking the flavour of the steak. We found salvation in a side (sides from £3.50 – £5.50) of Puy Lentils, Peas, Pancetta and Sage which contained some interesting textures and flavours and the tongue tingling Spicy Cabbage Slaw with green chilli and coriander was a worthy addition. The Hand-Cut Chips however were not nice, dripping with oil and yielding to a greasy brittle centre as opposed to the soft fluffy core we would expect. We followed the mains with a pudding (all £5.75) of Apple and Blackberry Crumble – sweet crunchy topping, tart filling and custard which had great flavour but was perhaps a little thin – and the Triple Chocolate Brownie – soft and rich, with vanilla ice cream that worked very well indeed.
The Admiral Codrington seems to do the difficult things well but did fall down on the mains. Considering some of the prices (some of the steaks are edging towards the £30 mark) we would have expected a little more consistency across the board; however I imagine the average punter is not too fussed in this location. Well worth a visit but some work needed to be the finished article.
Date posted: 21/01/2012
